The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-07-13
Startling Facts Shown in Ex-
haust.ye Report TO Presi-
dent by Bureau Of Corpora
lions.
1894 TIMBER OWNERS
WI oNE-TwENTIETH
Holdings Concentrated in the
Timber States and Aggre-
gate Enormous Total Of
105. 0O0,0 600 Acres.


washington, July 13.-Concentra-
ton oe timbor lands In the United
| states in the hands OF q few owners
Is discussed at length In the second
and third parts OF the report OF the
| bureau Of corporations on the lum
her Industry, submitted 90 President
| Wilson today by Commissioner pa
vies.
Two men hold 80 per cent of the
timber in southwestern Washington
the report says nve men hold so
per cent In western oregon SIX nave
10 per cen In northeastern Caliior-
mia. ton have more than half In the
J redwood nrea. and In north centtai
Idaho four holders have 80 per
cent.
The control OF our standing TIM
her IN a comparatively few enormous
holdings. speculatively held far IN
| ndvance 81 any use thereof, aud the
great Increase In the value OF uin-
her. resulting In part from such
speculative holding. are underlying
facts that viii become more ana
more important elements In deter
mining the price OF lumber as the
supply OF timber diminishes4 says
the report
.sThe main fact shown Is that
i.Ggi timber owners hold IN zee over
one-twenticth OF the land area OF
the entire United states from y
! Canadian to tho Mexican border. IN
many states these i,694 own no lands
az all. In the 900 timbered counties
investigated they own one-seventh or
the area.
These 1884 holders wi $4,000
600. 900 acres. This IL al area u
nfths the size OF France, or greater
than the entire state of California. or
more than two and one-haf times
the land area Of h six New England
states. sixteen holders own 4''seO'-
900 acres OF nearly ten times the
land area Of New Jersey. Three
Immigrant railroads own enough TO
give 10 acres To every male Of voting
lagc In the nine western states where
.ldlmost an their holdings lie,
mot an this land Is suitable for
agriculture. In the south and In the
lake states and Ia part OF the west
% large portion OF 1t can be used for
agriculture after the timber r. re-
moved: but In many parts Of the
west the land is mountainous ana
adapted chiefly Co reforestation
Much OF the railroad-owned land out
side the timber regions Is arid or
semi-arid.
I'm the upper peninsula Of Mich
igan as per cent 81 the land IL held
mostly IN fee. by SO timber owners.
Inc Florida 50 holders (mOstly tim
Der ownersl hold one-third OF the
land In the entire state.
Lavish land grants and loose. ILL
enforced land laws are the historical
background OF the concentration OF
land and timber ownership shown Ia
his report. 4 study Of the present
ownership of 100000 acres OF rail-
road, wagonroad and canal grant
, lands. covering most OF the granted
lands In the map area, and a little
% elsewhere. shows hat Of these par
: ticular lands. granted long g q
/ single corporations apparently viii
the idea hat they would be quickly
D sold to settlers. only IA per rent are
/. now distributed In small holdings
Elghty-hvc per cent are owned bl
n the grantees or their successors. oi
4 by large timber holders. OF So
4 500. 600 acres granted 90 three west.
+ ern railroads ln the sixties. the road
4 still retained so per cent In 1910.
. Moreover. the states appear e
have disposed OF the various fedora
grants made 10 them iR u q wal
as TO contribute 10 the concentration
Of land and timber ownership. Flor
ida IL a striking example OF this
Again. the public land laws, the casi
sale law (now repealed), the scril
laws and the homestead and timbe
and stone laws operated. az least II
timber regions, to transfer govern
ment lands directly or almost direct
~ 20 great holders.
"N~inety-eight per cent Of tn
1900, GOO acres comprised In IN
largest timber holding In the lax
10 states WIS acquired in q wholesal
manner. chiefly from tracts dispose
% by the government through grant
90 the state or under h scrip an
the cash sale laws
= This marked concentration In tn
ownership Of land has two import
y ant aspects. The first Is the conoen
! t%ration Of control Of the natural re
sources, other than agricultural,
the area comprised in these grea
holdings. besides It's timber no
standing. part OF the LAND must 3
G depended on, together with the ma
- uonal forests, TO supply future crof
OF timber Furthermore, some Of
4 has valuable OF ores, OF
~ gas, water power, etc.
IL The second il the possibility tina
~ these holdings, which viii form
considerable proportion OF The futui
p area used for agriculture In IN
y country, may be retained under coI
4 centrated control. Formerly lumbel
~ men often got rid OF their cut-Ovs
In land az nominal prices or let Il Z
FOR taxes. But az the agriculture
possibilities % such land have b.
o. come apparent. this policy Is beir
he Abandoned. large part OF u
RI present-cut-Over land IL now of col
siderable value Tor tillaEe. That pa
OF the present timber land wink