Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1914-07-17
OWN M0ST0F1 TIMBER
OFFICIAL REPORT MADE TO PRES
lDENT WILSON AS TO WHO
is IN CONTROL.
TWO OWN HALF N S.W. WASHINGTON
In North Central Idaho Four HoIders
Have so Per cent-About 1894
Owners Hold One-twentieth OF
Land Area Of U. s.

Land Area Of U. s.
Washington.-Concen Of tim
Der lands in the United States in the
hands of few owners is discussed at
length in the second and third parts of
the report of the bureau of corpora
lions on the lumber industry submit
ted to President Wilson by Commits
sioner Davies.
Two men hold 40 per cent OF the
timber in southwestern Washington,
the report says; five men hold 81 per
cent in western Oregon; six have 70
per cent in northeastern California; 10
have more than half in the redwood
area, and in north central Idaho four
holders have SO per cent.
Timber in Big Holdings.
1.-THE control of our standing timber
in comparatively few enormous hold
ings, speculatively held far in advance
of any use thereof, and the great In
crease In the value of timber, result
ing in part from such speculative hold
ing, are underlying facts that will be-
come more and more important ele-
ments in determining the price OF lum-
Der as the supply Of timber diminish
es," says the report.
1.-THE main fact shown Is that 1894
timber owners hold in fee over one
twentieth of the land area of the en-
tire United States from the Canadian
to the Mexican border. In many states
these 1894 own no lands at all. In the
900 timbered counties investigated
they own one-seventh of the srea.
these 1894 holders own 105,600, 900
acres. This is an area four-fifths the
size of France; or greater than the
entire state Of California; or more
than two and one-half times the land
area of the six New England states.
Sixteen holders own 47,SO0,OO0 acres,
or nearly ten times the land area of
New Jersey. Three Immigrant rail
roads own enough to give Is acres to
every male of voting age in the nine
western states where almost all their
holdings lie.
Not All Can Be EARNED.
mot all this land is suitable for
agriculture. In the south, and in the
lake states and in part Of the west a
large portion Of it can be used for
agriculture after the timber is re.
moved; but in many parts of the west
the land is mountainous and adapted
chiefly to reforestation. Much Of the
railroad-owned land outside the tim.
Der regions Is arid or semi-arid.
Lavish land grants and loose, ill.
enforced land laws are the historical
background of the concentration OF
land and timber ownership shown in
this report. A study of the present
ownership Of 1870 900 acres of rail
road, wagon road and canal grant
lands, covering most of the granted
lands in the map area. and little
elsewhere, shows that of these particu
lar lands granted long ago to single
corporations apparently with the idea
that they would be quickly sold to set
tiers. only Is per cent are now dis.
tributed in small holdings. Eighty-five
per cent are owned by the grantees
or their successors, or by large tim.
Der holders. OF $4,000, 900 acres grant.
ed to three western railroads in the
Cos the roads still retain 40 Der cent
in 1910.
States Have Been Derelict.
Moreover, the states appear to have
disposed Of the various federal grants
made to them In such a way as to con.
tribute to the concentration of land
and timber ownership Florida is q
striking example of this. Again, the
public land laws, the cash sale law
NOW repealed). the scrip laws and
the homestead and timber and stone
laws operated, at least In timber re.
gfons, to transfer government lands
directly or almost directly to great
holders"