The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1913-11-15
first LUMBER SALE
IN THE PHILIPPINES

The first big sale of Philippine tim
ber, offering opportunities for lumber
men in the United States, has just
been announced by the bureau of in
sular affairs of the ward department.
While there are American firms ope-
rating in the Philippines, it is point
ed out by the officials of the bureau
/ 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 islands
contain 200 billion feet of merchant
able timber for which there is a large
present demand and that practically
all of it is owned by the government
and is available under very favorable
terms. In almost all cases the forests
can be easily logged by the most i'm
proved machinery and methods.
/ The timber itself, it 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
tance from Hongkong, and China,
which has largely exhausted its tim
ber, furnishes a 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 it serves the same purposes as
the finest redwood, which ii somewhat
resembles, as hioh 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 twenty year
concession which gives exclusive
rights to tract comprising about 95,-
600 acres, which contains nearly two
billion board feet of timber IT is re-
quired that the successful bidder shall
keep up a certain minimum output
which starts with Is million board
feet during the first two years and in
creases to an ultimate output of at
least Fl million per year. modern saw
mill and logging equipment must be
established and also patrol system
for the prevention of fires and tres
pass,
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 oc-
cupied 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
1880 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 VIII, according
to figures of the bureau, provide
handsome profit for an outlay com
paratively small in relation to the
value of the timber which is to be ex-
plotted.
The principal kinds of wod are the
fauans, excellent construction timbers
and somewhat comparable, in mechani-
cal properties, to the Pacific coast red
woods; yacal, one of the most valuable
because of its great strength, and its
resistance to destruction by white
ants; apitong, quite comparable to the
hard pine of the United States, and
various other hardwoods which have
already found place as substitutes
for mahogany.
1t is estimated 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
to $4,000.
! II is proposed that all bids for this
timber shall be opened in Manila on
December 10. For the benefit of pros
pective purchasers in America, how
ever, unable TO prepare their appli-
cations and have them received in
Manila on or before that date, the bu-
reau of insular affairs in Washington
will on notification before the final
day send cablegram and have the
time extended until the actual bids
! oan ha raan,xoI g. Nfo..lo