Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-01-15
BILLION FEET
Of TIMBER
Movement Offers Vast Amount
of Yellow Pine


agriculture Houston today approved
the disposal of one billion feet Of
western yellow pine timber from the
| Kaibab national forest in north 9rn
| Arizona. In order to get this tim
Der out It will be necessary to build
railroad approximately 200 miles
long. Such a railroad will connect
| Colorado and Utah with the world
| famous Grand Canyon of the Colo
RADIO, which hitherto has been aces
sible only from the south.
For several years the construction
of such a railroad has been consider
ed by various capitalists, but it has
| been stated that the lack Of assured
| immediate traffic was an effectual
| barrier. 1t is pointed out, however,
| that a contract for billion feet OF
| timber will overcome this difficulty
| by providing a commodity for trans
portation which, together with tourist
and local traffic, will place tn pro-
iect on a paying basis practically
from the outset.
Chief forester Henry S. Graves
made a personal examination on the
ground, and this examination supple
mented by the reports Of his forest
engineers, induced him to recommend
the sale of such a large body OF tim
her in order that the countrym1ght
be developed through the supplying
of this resource. Mr.. Graves says,
| however: that the Kaibab forest IS
| one of the most beautiful in America,
and gives assurance that the mar
keting of the mature crop OF timber
will not be allowed to mar the scene
beauty of the region.
In accordance with the timber SAFE
policy of the government the stump
age will be disposed of to the hlghest
bidder. In order to attract suffice
lent investment to assure the build
ing, of the railroad and of the neces-
sarv lumber mills at least billion
| feet of timber had to be offered. Inc
investment necessary to make TINS
| timber. accessible will amount to more
than $4,000 900. By placing this guam
tity of timber before the lumbermen
of the country the officials OF the
| forest service believe that the devel-
| onnnent of extensive areas in south
ern Utah may be looked for, because
the necessary railway will render ac-
cessible resources which have here
tofore been undeveloped. The whole
region is rich in agricultural lano'
in cattle and sheep range, and III
coal and copper deposits, as We'll
as in timber.
Bids for the timber will be received
IN to the middle Of June, 1914, anu
three years will be allowed TOR the
building of the railroad and mills,
and TWENTY-FIVE years for the cut
ting of the timber The stumpage
rates however will be readJusted
at the emu Vi 6SiSu AANS : SeeA L
of the contract, the readJustmelltS
baino based on the then current lum-
Der prices.
By the end of the contract perloo'
the forest officers say, the young
trees left on the area first cut over
will be ready for cutting, so that
by the system of numbering Willch
the government will require, opera
tions can continue permanently III
this lumber belt. The annual cut
will be not less than forty mlillo1
feet, most of which will be readlIy
sold in. the large consuming lumber
markets in Utah and Colorado.
The Kaibab forset is one OF the
most heavily, timbered in the south
west. the stand of timber being brok-
en- only occasionally by beautl1ui
meadows or openings locally known
as parks. Lumbermen who have VS.
tied it consider the country Ideally
adapted to logging. There are, al
together, two billion feet of timber
Of which more than one billion feel
ere mature and ready for cutting.