The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1913-11-13
BIG SALE
of Philippine Timber is An
.nOunced by Government
to Be Held.

WASHINGTON, Nov. i3.-The first
big sale OF Philippine timber, Offering
opportunities for lumbermen in the
United States, has just been announ-
ced by the bureau OF insular affairs
OF the war department
While there are American firms
operating in the Philippines, 1t isl
pointed out by the officials Of the bu-
reau that the Philippine islands offer
to progressive lumbermen chances
for profits not excelled by any other
field in the world. The forest officers
OF the Philippines state that the Is
lands contain 200 billion feet of mer-
charitable timber for which there is
a large present demand and that prac-
tically all OF 1t is owned by the gov
eminent and is available under very
favorable terms. In almost all cases
the forests can be easily logged by
the most improved machinery and
methods.
The timber itself, 1t Is pointed out,
includes structural material of great
value, in addition to many fine hard
woods particularly suited to cabinet
work. In this latter class some of the
most plentiful woods may be sold in
competition with mahogany, such Is
their beauty of grain and richness of
color. Manila is only, two days dis
lance from Hongkong, and China,
which has largely exhausted its tim
Der, furnishes ready market Japan,
Australia, and even the United States.
will take Philippine lumber which is
admitted free to this country. One
OF the commonest Philippine timbers,
red lauan, which works and finishes
well, has been sold on the Pacific
coast where 1t serves the same pur-
poses as the finest redwood, which it
somewhat resembles, as high as $50
per thousand board feet.
Government timber in the Philip
pines is offered at very low rate and
1t is stated that the labor problem is
in no sense difficult Investments by
Americans are not only invited, but
are encouraged.
The Philippine bureau of forestry
in this first sale which is being called
to the attention of American timber
operators, is offering a twenty-year
concession which gives exclusive
rights to a tract comprising about
$4,000 acres, which contains nearly two
billion board feet of timber. 1t is re-
quired that the successful bidder shall
keep up a certain minimum output
which starts with fifteen million board
feet during the first two years and in
creases to an ultimate output of at
least twenty-one million per year. A
modern sawmill and logging equip
ment must be established and also
patrol system for the prevention of
fires and trespass.
A complete report on this body of
timber, which can be had at the Office
of the director of forests in Manila or
at the bureau of insular affairs in
Washington, shows that the region
occupied by the main body of the tract
presents ideal logging conditions.
This report shows that railroads can
be built easily and cheaply and that
the entire timber belt can be logged
at minimum of expense and trouble.
The amount of timber per acre varies
from 12,500 up to 10000 board feet
and more. In the four principal types
of forest embraced in the area, much
valuable material can be secured from
even the least desirable type, and the
most valuable types will, according
to figures Of the bureau, provide a
handsome profit for an outlay COM
paratlyely small in relation to the
value of the timber which is to be
exploited
The principal kinds of wood are
the lauans, excellent construction
timbers and somewhat comparable, in
mechanical properties, to the Pacific
coast redwoods; yacal, one OF the
most valuable because of its great
strength, and its resistance to des-
truction by white ants; apitong, quite
comparable to the hard pines OF the
United States. and various other hard
woods which have already found
place as substitutes for mahogany
1t is required that the successful
applicant shall furnish a capital suffi-
cient for the immediate prosecution of
the work, the amount in this case be-
ing placed at not less than 100000
pesos, Philippine currency. equivalent