The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-04-03
GREAT TIMBER SALE
IN PROSPECT
FOREST SERVICE HAS PLATTER.
ING OFFERS FOR LARGE
AREA ON kANlkSU.

Bids for the purchase of the largest
body of timber ever included in one
sale in field district No. ! of the forest
service were opened at district head
quarters here yesterday and the fig
ureS in connection with the offers de-
lighted the local officials. The timber
is located on the Kaniksu national for
est in northern Idaho, a small strip ex-
tending into the state of Washington.
1t comprises a total of 267, 900. 900 feet,
and it's appraised valuation was $685.
600. The bids received yesterday in
creased this valuation by about $S4,-
0G0-12 per cent above appraiscment.
There We're three bids received by the
forest officials for this body of TIM
Der, but their names were not an
nounCed, because before a contract is
awarded the sale must be approved
by Forester Graves at Washington.
The bids will be forwarded to Wash
ington at once for recommendations,
and upon the approval of the forester
the successful bidder will be an
nounced and the contract signed.
However, all three bids were from
local concerns, n of which will Sc
cure as fine a body Of timber as is
growing in the United States. In adj
dition to this being the largest sale
vet projected in this field district it
is next to the largest that has ever
been consummated by the whole forest
service. From several standpoints the
bids are the best that have ever been
received. In discussing these points
Yesterday Acting District Forester
Mason said:
Encouraging Sale.
THE three bids received today for
the Kaniksu timber are very encour-
aging to the forest service. In the
first place the price offered indicates
a strengthening of the timber market,
and promises a brisk demand for all of
the timber which the service can offer
for sale this season. Some of the
prices offered were exceptionally good,
or one body included in the area the
bid averages $3.50 per thousand, and
for another body S2.65. For the white
pine timber offered, which is about So
er cent of the whole lot, the prices
range from $4.25 to $5.25 per thousand
| think that this is the highest price
We have ever received for white pine
/ i'iS thi' ittiSS StA
rounding the sale area.
Agricultural Land.
There is another important point
in olved in this sale. The timber
covers an area Of 5000 acres, and r.,
900 acres of this is first-class agricul-
tural and which will be open to settle
ment as soon as the timber can be re
moved. 1t is very high-class farm
land, but has been withheld because
upon each claim of 100 acres is timber
valued at from $1,000 to $4,000, aT
average of about $1,000 per claim fol
the whole area. The cutting of the
timber will now make this lane avail
able, and already it is being closely
watched by prospective settlers.
Means Much to Idaho.
This sale means considerable tC
the state of Idaho. In complianc,
with the forest service regulation that
35 per cent of the gross receipts from
the national forests within a state are
returned to that state, and &C into its
school and road funds, Idaho will re-
Ceive 35 per cent of about $7S9, 900
with the exception Of the small portion
that goes to the state Of Washington
The service has spent much time il
making the necessary Investigation anC
gathering data as Il basis for this sale
That the prices offered are SO good j;
a source of satisfaction. 1t is u gOot
opening for the season.