The San Francisco call., 1909-03-16
IOLD CRUISER GIVES
VIEWS ON VALUES
M. c. Meeker Presents Facts
In Regard to Proposed
Armstrong Timber
Purchase

Editor Call; There seems. to be con-
siderable talk about the Armstrong
redwood timber in Sonoma county and
now being offered by H H.. LIE Barron to
the state of California at about double
its actual value for a state park.
L know the history of this timber.
Several years ago Colonel Armstrong
owned and operated a sawmin near
this. and when he worked up to this
particular piece of timber and began
to cut 1t, he found that great deal
Of 1t was rotten and not fit for COM
mercial purposes. He at once pulled up
his tramway and offered to give 1t to
the state of California for a public
park, but the legislature refused to
accept it, as we were heartily sick of
trying to manage one of the grandest
parks the world ever saviour beauti-
full Yosemite-which we with many
thanks kindly gave away to Uncle
Sam.
After being offered for $4,000 for
several years. and no buyers, this tract
of timber was cruised by a careful
an estimate made OF each tree. There
were on the tract 1900 redwood trees
and $50 pine trees, both great and
small, which he estimated would cut
100000 feet, of lumber of first, sec
ond and third quality. All of this
cruising and scaling was done in the
interest of the Armstrong heirs, and
circulars and maps were printed set
ting forth these facts, with the price
printed upon them. asking $51,6S0 for
said tract, and George Sanborn of
Sebastopol was appointed agent with
power to sell all of said timber tract.
He sent these circulars, together with
maps, to every prospective purchaser
along the coast, together with per-
sonal letter, offering said tract for only
s51.6S0 and inviting bids or offers,
while at the same time we understood
that $4,000 would buy it. Many men
went to look over the timber and
turned it down. I estimate the tract
will cut about 100000 feet. am well
posted on timber. having cruised tim
Der for over 40 years and run a saw
mill continuously for A years; also es-
timated the timber for the histories Of
Sonoma county.
Andrew Markham, a lumberman OF
experience. says it may cut 100000
feet, while George Guerne, lumber
man of Guerneville, says It's cheap and
will cut 100000 feet, and anybody
knows he never could tell how much
timber grew on an acre OF land. Yet
he rushes up to Sacramento to ad-
wise the legislature to buy this land
at any price, as it IS now on the bar
gain counter and we may lose the
chance to get It.
Can there be found a man, woman
or child who believes that man as
shrewd as H. H. LIE Barr, n, the Valley
Ford banker. paid, as some say, sew
erai thousand dollars more for that
timber than the agent. George Sanborn,
was asking for It? Common sense
teaches us, better, and the probability
is he bought it for much less than the
asking price. 1 saw Mr.. lie Barron
shortly after he got the option on the
timber, and he led me to believe that
he was willing to let the state have
it for about what 1t cost him. 1 told
him I would recommend It's purchase
on those terms, and began to advo-
cate the purchase for a state park.
He had himself interviewed by re-
porters for our county papers, and they
published long columns of what a great
benefactor Mr.. lie Barron was. He was
becoming a living sacrifice with self
and money for the dear peoples inter-
est, and Immediately ESQ the Press
Democrat publishes) interested w. F.
Price in this matter, who took hold of
it like a rat to old cheese and began
the good work of molding public opin-
ion, and, at his suggestion, had many
of the lodges pass resolutions recon-
rnending the purchase of this splendid
body of timber.
Mr.. Editor, we were thunderstruck
when Mr.. Price presented the bill ask
ing s125,000 for the timber. Thanks
to the efforts you put forth to look
into this matter, Mr.. Lebarron at
once discovered the price was too
high. He called a halt and invited a
few friends to a sumptuous banquet
to talk over the matter. We are told
he Topped off $4,000 at once, and in
vited members to take a free ride and
see the timber.
Now, Mr.. Editor, If Mr.. LIE Barron will
1op off, say. $4,000 more and the legis-
lature thinks it best to purchase the
tract, 1 would suggest that an amend
ment be added to the present bill and
include the 400 acres of land belonging
to L. f. Walker which adjoins this
tract and has several springs of pure
watN that could be easily piped all
ovefSthe timber land. In summer time
there is no water among the timber.
which would be a great inconvenience
to visitors. II used for park purposes,
the walker 400 acres can be had for
$4,000, and this property would be an
income for the state, as the keeper
could live there and farm it out. 1t
contains an artificial lake, farm land,
grazing land, and an orchard consist
ing of oranges. peaches, pears, ap-
pies, etc.
L earnestly protest against paying
100000 for the timber. If we can not
get this timber we can, later on, get
Elan grove, which has an abundance