The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1911-10-31
LUMBER TRADE RE-
/. LIES ON IRRIGATION
Especial to the Silver State.)

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
west. The industry owees and always
will owe more to reclamation Of land
by semitic methods than to any 9TH
er contributing factor in the progress
and expansion of its natural market
territory.
This view was expressed by George
M. Cornwall, editor and publisher of
the Timberman at Portland, Oregon,
in the course of an interview druing
his stay in Spokane. Continuing, he
said:
GA study Of the country east AMI
west of the continental divide and
south of the international boundary,
embracing the great states Of North
Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kan
sas, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah Nevada,
Montana, Oregon, Washington, Cali
fornia, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklaho-
ma and Texas, makes one realize the
enormous extent of the territory in
which, at least in part, irrigation il
and always must remain the dominant
factor in its ultimate development and
growth.
"To the lumberMen operating in
Montana, Idaho, Washington, Orey,
and California, who produced more
than 5000, 100000 feet of lumbs- in
1910, the difficulty of finding a market
for their lower products of lumber has
always been a problem, which bas
mitigated against the highest develop
ment of the industry. This condition
can only be overcome by enlarging the
home market. Conservative numbering
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 tarfic will not move freely. Hence,
the western lumber interests, if they
hope to be successful, must lend every
assistance to building up and creating
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,
Nevada, Montana, Idaho, Washington,
Oregon, California, Arizona, New
Mexico and other states, the natural
zone in which lumber should find its
chief distribution, nature has decreed
that the thirsty and productive soil
must first be watered before settle
ment and its consequent demand fol
lumber is possible, except on a very
limited scale. Thus, the intimate re
lationship between irrigation and the
lumber industry Of the west is easily
discernible.
ssBut what particular interest doel
i the cause of irrigation bear to tht
great producers of lumber lying soutl
of the Ohio river, and why should they
have lent their assistance through thei
representatives in congress to the pas
sage of the Borah measure?
1sThe lumber interests of the ives
and the south lent their assistance t.
the passage of this constructive legis
lation, providing for an issue of $40,
900 900 certificates to complete the ma
tional irrigation projects, numbering
more than 20. They were not entirel,
unselfish in their advocacy of th
measure.
"Here again is where enlightened
selfishness controls. The lumbermel
of the west, finding limited deman.
for their steadily increasing outpu
in their natural marketing zone in
vaded the yellow pine territory, lynn
of the southern lumberman was beinl
gored. The western lumberman had t
make a price at which his produc
would move in competition with tn
southern product.
"At a glance the lumbermen, as ia
south as Florida, realized that tn
only possible chance for escapin
| from well-nigh ruinous competitio
from the great numbering possibilitie
, of the west attracted such men as .
! B. White, president of the Nations
Conservation congress and souther
lumber operator; R. A. Long, of Kar
sas City, also a power in southern pin
interests, and other lumbermen t
throw their strength in behalf of tn
T cause of irrigation. It was self prt
lection. It meant larger market fc
! southern yellow pine, not only by po!
sibly checking the aggressions of thei
western neighbors, but in Texas, Co
orado, Wyoming, New Mexico an
Nebraska where they were already d.
I ing business, and where national irr
: cation projects were being developed
: "Today, but for the results whic
have accrued from the development Q
J, the west and southwest from irrigs
: tion, the market for western lumbe
: would have been much less than it i
Without irrigation there would scarce
: ly be a foot of lumber sold in man
Q valleys of Washington and idaho 9,
4 cept for an occasional ranchman
|. shanty. California alone importe
D from the states of Oregon and Wasl
ington by cargo 1,300,0O0,000 feet Q
lumber in 1910. The bulk of this lun
ber was consumed within the state Z
portion reshipped to Nevada, Ar
zona and New Mexico. 1t is safe
!. say that without irrigation in tn
. states mentioned probably less tha
o 10 per cent of this lumber would hav
!. been eosumed. This east amount Q
s lumber represents only portion Q
! the lumber consumed in the state
mentioned.
"Intensifed farming, made possibl
by irrigation, is the mainstay of th
z western lumbermen. When the coul
e trv is settled in small farms and o
I chards the consumption of lumber pt
e capita is large obviously. The revers