The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-20
Greatest Private Holder.

Greatest Priv ate Holder.
In the summary of the report previ-
ously published. the then Commits
sioner Of Corporation Herbert Knox
Smith. set forth that the Southern
Pacific Company is the greatest private
holder of timber in the United States
controlling l05 900, 900 900 feet, the Weyer-
haeuser Timbe Company. with Or. oo0-
600 90 feet, the second largest and the
Northern Pacific Railway Company.
with 80 900 900 900 feet the third. Going
further in detail the full report de-
clares that the following five interests
control in the aggregate 102 900. 60 90
feet of timber, practically all located
in the Pacific Northwest. Companies
controlled by Charles A. Smith. of
Minneapolis Thomas 3. Walker. Of
Minneapolis concerns in which y. P
Wheeler and ". r. Wheeler. of En-
deavor. Pa. are the chief stockholders !:
companies in which the A. y. Hammond
Company. Of New Jersey Is the princi-
pal interest: and the timber interests
OF the Chicago. Milwaukee and Puget
Sound Railway Company Subsidiary
70 the Chicago. Milwaukee and St. Paul
Railway Company.
After enormous sales. the commits
sioner points out that the Southern
Pacific. the Northern Pacific and the
Atchison. Topeka and Santa Re own
nontimbered lands, an area as large as
England
The Amslgamated Copper Company.
Mr. ConaDt adds. owns over 90 90
acres of timber land and more than
100 900 acres Of nontIm bered land. ali in
Montana. and Thomas b. Walker per
sonally owns GOO acres in California.
Foresees Rising Prices.
Despite the great increase in stump
age values IN recent years. Commits
sioner COnant foresees a growing rise
in prices because of the diminished Ium-
Der supply and increasing population
MIR. Conant takes sharp issue with sug-
gestions. amounting. he says. 70 almost
a propaganda AZ the present time. that
the price Of stumpage should equal the
cost of growing trees The idea. ne
adds seems incredible when 10 Is con-
sidered that standing timber - the free
Gift Of nature requiring from scores 20
hundreds Of years for its growth. The
proposal. brought forth in the name
OF conservation and seized upon by
some lumbcrmen. he continues. is a
propOaSl deliberately 20 hasten the evil
which conservation ought 10 moderate
the evil Of excessive prices. Taken
in connection with the increasing con
cenfration OF timber control. he says
the proposition j. matter Of grave con-
cern 20 the consumer OF lumber.
In advocating an extension OF gov
eminent ownership Of forest lands the
commissioner points 70 the fact that
there j. q distinguishing characteristic
Of standing timber. - contrastcd with
such mineral resources - IrOn ore.
coal and petroleum. IN that no labor
j. required 10 discover ~.
Discussing means 81 increasing the
government ownership OF timber
lands. Mr. Consnt suCgeste u pend
ing forfeiture suits are successful q
searching investigation 10 deicrmie
whether there has been such ronful-
hiTnent % the various conditions AZ
fachcd 20 tho Northern Pacific and
other grants a. would give Congress
lust and legal cause 20 seek further
forfeifurcs.
II - clear concludes the report
that there has been a lavish dissips-
ton OF standing timber and other
natural resources OF the national do
main and that the hencfciarics Of this
policy too frequently have been not
actual settlers. but capitalists who
have been able 70 take advantage Of
legislation or it, faulty adrninietrs-
ton. and thus accumulate vast hold
ines Of timber land ~ q comparatively
small cosf and reap therefrom an enor-
nous prot
Subsequent parts 81 nc humber in
vesfieafion 20 be submitted BY the
Bureau 81 Corporations VIII treat 81
concentration Of ownership ~ par
ffcular areas. and costs. prices and CON-
r,~ffffvc conditions.