The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-31
Billions of Feet of Fire-killed
Timber in National Forests Will Be
Offered for Sale by Government

Shortly after the destructive forest
fires which swept large portions OF the
mountainous regions OF northern Idaho
ana western Montana during the past
summer. forest ranger of the Coeur
q Alene national forest, where flreflght
Ing was most desperate and disastrous.
was asked how much timber he esti-
mated had been burned in his district.
The question seemed 10 touch the rangers
heart., for the tears sprang TO his in
hoarse from breathing smoke through
Ions days OF toll. "If 5'ou should ask me
to md thousand feet Of green tim
Der no, On i,no my DIST district; he said Il would
1t. I have been In that district Ave
wears. and / know II better than any
man alive. guess ] was dippy about
that UNDERSIGNED like I loved every
living stick Of II. There were miles and
miles OF the finest white pine a man
ever clapped his eyes upon. Look at II
now. It Is good set for the market
but ii don't look the same to me. The
only way the government can save It
is TO sell il al once and get II out be-
fore 1t deterioratcs.'
This ranger unconsciously perhaps
expressed one OF the largest immediate
problems which the forest service has
to solve in the northwest District For
ester W. r. Greeley. at Missoula. Mont.
ing words. We have an immense
amount of burned timber which Is ac-
ceSsible and which Is as good for mar
ket purposes as green timber In or
der 10 save IL from deterioration. how
ever. II must be cut within the next
three wears. We propose. therefore, to
sell this timber at A reduced stumpaee
rate Which will justify lumbermen and
logging contractors in Investing money
10 remove II. Our theory is that every
stick of 1rc-kilcd timber utilized means
stick of green timber saved for future
use.'
Billions of Feet.
This is without doubt the largest sale
OF fire e-danaced stock on record An ac-
curate estimate of the amount Of tim
beT b9, hurnnd nj, over nay w. neysr ,, he know.
1he conservation of II means the cut
ting OF everything that is merchanta bic
except in burns where some green tim
Der ESCAPED. The percentage Of such
burns however Is small since most Of
tho fires so hot that all timber in
THEW paths was killed
Where n few weeks before hundreds
NJ men wero battling in the smoke and
harnes, the forest service now has large
crews OF men estimating and mapping
the accessible burned timber; in order
the logging possibilities. Already sew
erai large applicatiops for burned tim
her have been received, and requests
from lumbermen and contract logeers
for information In regard to Eood loT-
sing chances arc being received daIlv
In northern Idaho and western Montana
III" lOTehI service IL TeluSlllE 10 H''he
saIes Of green timber except where
their denial will work hardships on
the mill men
The opportunities offered in this fire
belt include practically all kinds Of log
Ring chances-from operations involving
large capital which can handle hun
dred million feet and more. down 10
the small sawmll men or tiemaker who
desires u hundred thousand feet or less,
There are numerous good chances Tor
tiernakers along the railroads, Tor the
men who handle cedar poles and posts
for the small sawmIll men Of limited cap
ital. and even for the pulp men. For tho
lnrger lumber oompa MES Of the lake
states or elsewhere. which can sec the