Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-12-19
Oregon Is
the First
in Timber

the timber In the United States and
that the state stands fourth in the
amount Of lumber cut is shown in the
preface TO the biennial report Of the
state board Of forestry The board
thinks that the state will advance to.
third place next year Oregon stands
foremost among all the states Of the
Union in the wealth Of her timbered
regions,
The report in part reads;
"lt is extremely difficult to convey
any idea Of the magnitude of Oregon's
forest resources by quoting figures in
terms Of board feet or acres Of tim
berland," states the report This point
can however be brought out emphat-
lcally by comparison with the forest
resources in other timbered regions Of
the United States Statistics prove that
Oregon has almost twice as much tim
Der as is found in all New England,
Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin
and Minnesota, a territory commonly
known as the great northern forest re.
glon,
"The central forest region, extend
ing from Southern Michigan to South
ern Tennessee, and from the west
slope Of the Appalachian mountains
westward to the prairies, has long
been famous as source Of our hard
wood, yet it contains only half the
amount Of standing timber as does
Oregon
Amount of Timber Compared
an other words, it may be stated
that Oregon contains as much timber
as that portion Of the United States
east Of the Mississippi river and north
Of a line running due east from that
stream to the southern boundary line
Of Tennessee, and continuing in the
same course through North Carolina
to the Atlantic ocean. Carrying this
comparison a step farther, it is found
that the territory to the south Of this
line, extending from the Atlantic
ocean to the eastern base Of the Rocky
Mountains lacks 45,OO0,OOO,OOO board
feet Of having as much merchantablG
timber as Oregon Or considering as
q unit the three forest regions men.
toned above, the interesting and sig
nificant fact is disclosed that Oregon
has approximately as much timber as
all Of the staets east Of the Rocky
Mountains put together
"In the light Of these comparisons,
there can be no question but that Ore
CONS forests for centuries have been
subject to the toll levied by destruc-
tive fires and insect pests, 1t is con-
seryatvely estimated that nearly one
sixth of the present forest area, or H.
100000 acres, has been swept by fire.
/ Had this wealth been available for tax
ation-last year it would have yielded a
tax revenue Of not less than $l,4OOO0O.
Due to careessness and Indifference
in the past the taxpayers of Oregon are
deprived of the above amount every
year,
Total Timber Standing Figured.
"The total amount of timber in the
United States is estimated by the fed
eral government at 2,SOO,OOO OOO,O 900
feet board measure. OF this amount
Oregon has about one-rifth, or 5iO,-
600, 100000 feet The value of this
standing timber is not less than $780,
O,OOO, and when manufactured it will
bring into the state for circulation at
least $6,S22 500, 600, It would seem that
with all this forest wealth. Oregon
should be the foremost timber-produc-
ing state, but owing to the present in
accessibility Of much of the timber
the development Of the lumber indus
try has been greatly retarded.
with the great increase in trans
portaton facilities in Oregon during
the past five years, and with certain
prospects for further development
along this line, 1t will only be a few
years until Oregon leads all the
states in the quality of the lumber