Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-06-14
.35o,ooo,0oo Feet Stand
ing in the Northeast.
Embraced in What Is Known
As the Inland Empire.
At Present Rate Of Cutting Supply
Would Last $50 Years,

Spokane, Wash, June 13-(SpeciaD.
There are $50, 900, 100000 feet of stand
ing timber, estimated in those portions
of eastern Washington and Oregon.
north and central Idaho, western Mon
tana and southeastern British Column
bla embraced in what is known as the
Inland Empire. Converted into lum-
Der. this would provide sufficient ma
terials for the construction of II ,O0O,-
600 four and fve-rOom buildings or
enough to house the nation. At the
present rate of cutting the available
supply would last more than $50 years
not allowing for the growth it will
make, while at the prevailing cost of
cutting and marketing, placed at $40
thousand feet, labor alone would re-
ceive $1,000, 900, 900.
The 400 mills in the district, with a
possible capacity of 5000, 000, 900 feet Il
year, represent an investment of SIS
100000 for plants, the employment Of a
working capital of from SIS 1000, 900 70
$50. 100000 and the disbursement of an
proximately $H,5OO,OOO in wages and
for supplies. Between $4,000 and JU,-
OG0 men are employed at wages ranging
cut 1,250, 0O0, 900 feet of lumber i'm 1908,
when 60 per cent. of the product, COM
roaed chiefly of western soft red and
white pines, larch and fir, with a
sprlnkling of other woods, was shipped
by rail to various parts of the United
States, as far east as the Atlantic sea-
board, the bulk going into the north
central states, while 40 per cent. was
marketed in local territory. The trans
portation of this yearly output would
require nearly $4,000 cars.
LAUNDERING ranks third of the indus
tries in the Inland Empire, being ex-
cceded only by agriculture and mining
in the order named. Aside from the
vast amounts invested in plants and
holdings it employs much capital in
operating and maintaining it's mills
and making improvements to meet new
conditions, besides paying out fortunes
every year to laborers, skilled work
ers and office men. Considerable capi-
tai is also expended yearly in con-
structing and maintaining logging
roads and river and lake boats.
To give an idea of the importance of
the industry it may be mentioned it
is estimated that of the total wages
paid by manufactures of the state of
Idaho more than so per cent is dis
bursed by saw and planning mills, oper-
ating in the five northern counties,
while one-third of the capital invested
in manufacturing plants in the state
is in lumber mills and lumber repre-
sents SO 1-3 per cent of the total man.
ufactured product This is true also
nj Wa oh n OFT
The ownership of the timber lands
and the cutting plants in the Inland
Empire is controlled by more than $50
companies and individuals, while the
distribution of these plants at con-
venient points throughout the district
means saving of $40 thousand feet
to local consumers in the territory, the
amount paid to railroads for eastern
shipments to the northern tier of the
central and western states from the
Dnkotas eastward.
Viewed from the standpoint of utility
and the purposes for which these woods
are used, the Inland Empire, is indeed
fortunate in having this vast asset
virtually at it's doors. as it means much
for the progress and the development
of the country.
The industry, which added about $751;
100000 to the wealth production of the
district in 1908, dates it's real begin
ming from 1901 and it has gained in i'm
portance by leaps and bounds. The
range of progress. showing that the
milmcn are fully alive to the Stua-
ton, is from the small mill operating
circular and up and down saws, driven
by portable steam engines and water
wheels in the pioneer days, to the mod
ern plants, containing the most COM
plcte equipment that mechanical genius
has devised. There are in the district
n score of mills, which are declared by
experts to represent the highest type
of manufacturing apparatus. while
the logging roads. waterways and log
sing camps are as near perfect as sys-
tenn can make them.
Realizing that losses from fire are
greater than the total output of the
mills, the timbermen in the Inland
Empire We're quick to arrange protec-
tive measures. and they We're the first
in the Northwest to take up in a prac-
teal way the problem of forest preser-
walton. Bringing to the work years of
experience in other parts of the cOun-
ITN, tIle DtduS III the various stSSOCld-
tons have already achieved remarkable
results, showing low fire losses. when
it is taken into consideration that their
field of activities covers several mil
hons of acres of forest lands.
Reports to hand show that these as
sociations. owning under 1.0OO,0oO acres,
with the cooperation of the state of
Iraho paying on 100000 acres. have pro-
tected $50 townships, or 100000 acres
OF lands and extinguished more than
800 great and small fires at a total eX
penditure of $4,000, exclusive of the
service given by their officers in the
supervision of this protective work.
The amount of live timber lost by the
association was less than 40.000,000
feet. and nearly all of this was within
the limits of a United States forest re-
serve, where it was necessary to cut
trails before the patrols employed by
the associations could reach the flames.
That the tmbermen are ready and
willing to meet the government more
than half way has been demonstrated |