The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1911-11-10
LUMBER INDUSTRY LINKED
WITH IRRIGATION PROJECT

linked With the rapid and substantial
development Of irrigation projects in
the west and the southwest is the sue
! cess Of numbering in the Pacific north.
vest The industry owes and always
VIII owe more TO reclamation Of land
by scientific methods than to any other
single contributing factor in the pro-
gress and expansion Of its natural mar
ket territory
This view was expressed by George
I N Cornwall editor and publisher Of
The Timberman at Portland, Ore, in
the course Of an interview during his
stay in Spokane. Continuing he said
"A study of the country east and
west of the Continental Divide and
south Of the international boundary
/ embracing the great states Of North
I Dakota. South Dakota. Nebraska, Kan
isas. Colorado. Wyoming, Utah. Idaho.
Montana. Oregon Washington, Cali
/ lfornia. Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico,
I Oklahoma and Texas. makes one rea-
+ lie the enormous extent of the terri
tory in which, at least in part, irriga-
tion is and always must remain the
dominant factor in its ultimate de-
yelopment and growth.
TO the Iumbermen operating in
Montana Idaho Washington, Oregon
and California, who produced more
than S.0O0,000,O00 feet of lumber in
1910. the difficulty of finding a market
for their lower products of lumber has
always been a problem, which has miti-
gated against the highest development
of the industry. This condition can
only be overcome by enlarging the
home market. Conservative lumber
ing is dependent entirely upon freight
rates. The cost of transportation must
ever bear a relative significance to the
value Of the article to be marketed. or
the traffic will not more freely. Hence
the western lumber interests. if they
hope to be successful, must lend every
assistance to building up and creating
a home market for their common
grades of lumber, which approaches so
per cent of the tree.
Despite the enormity of the terri
tory covered by Colorado, Wyoming,
North Dakota, South Dakota. Utah.
Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon.
California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mex
leo and other states. the natural zone
in which western lumber should find
its chief distribution. nature has de-
creed that the thirsty and productive
soil must first be watered before set
tlement and its consequent demand for
lumber is possible. except on very
limited scale. Thus. the intimate re-
lationship between irrigation and the
lumber industry of the west is easily
discernible.
But what particular interest does
the cause or irrigation bear to the
great producers of lumber lying south
of the Ohio river, and why should they
have lent their assistance through their
representatives in congress to the pas
sage of the Borah measure?
The lumber interests of the west
and the south lent their assistance 10 |
the passage of this constructive legis-
lation, providing for an issue of 500
100000 certificates to complete the ma
ti0nal irrigation projects, numbering
more than 20. They were not entirely
unselfsh in their advocacy of the
measure.
Here again is where enlightened
controls. The lumbermen
Of the west. finding a limited demand
for their steadily increasing output in
their natural marketing zone invaded
the yellow pine territory, lying west
Of the Rock Mountains. The OK of the
lumberman was being gored.
The western lumberman had to make a
price at which his product would move
n competition with the southern prod.
lct.
At glance the lumbermen. as far
south as Florida, realized that the only
possible chance for escape from well
night ruinous competition from the
great numbering possibilities of the
vest attracted such men as ]. R. White
PRESIDENT Of the National Conservation
congress and southern lumber opera
or; R. A. Long of Kansas City, also
power in southern pine interests. and
'ther lumbermen to throw their
trength in behalf of the cause of frri- e
-ation 1t was self protection. 1t Ie
meant a larger market FOR southern
ellow pine. not only by possibly 7
hecking the aggressions of their west ;
IN neighbors, but in Texas, Colorado. Q
Wyoming, New Mexico and Nebraska Il
there they were already doing busi. d