The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-02-13
YELLOW PINE TIMBER
BILLION FEET SOLD FROM Kali
sAs NATIONAL FOREST.
In Order to Get Timber Out II VIII BE
Necessary 10 Build Railroad
200 Miles Long.

Western Newspaper linton News Service.
Washington. Secretary OF Agricul-
ture Houston has approved the dts
posal OF one billion feet OF western
yellow pine timber from the Kaibab
national forest In northern Arizona
In order TO get this timber out II will
be necessary to build railroad APP
proximateiy 200 miles long. Such a
railroad will connect Colorado and
Utah with the worid-famous Grand
canyon OF the Colorado. which hither-
TO has been accessible only from the
south
For several years the construction
OF such railroad has been considered
by various capitalists. but IT has been
stated that the lack of assured imme-
date traffic was an effectual barrier.
II is pointed out. however, that con-
tract for a billion feet OF timber will
overcome this difficulty by providing
a commodity for transportation which,
together with tourist and local traffic,
Will place the project on paying
basis practically from the outset,
Chief Forester Henry s. Graves
made a personal examination on the
ground. and this examination supple
monted by the reports of mis- forest
engineers. induced him to recommend
| the sale Of such large body OF tim
Der In order that the country might
be developed through the supplying of
this resource. Mr.. Graves, says. how
ever, that the Kaibab forest is one of
| the most beautiful in America, and
gives assurance that the marketing Of
the mature crop OF timber will not be
| allowed to mar the scenic beauty Of
the region.
IN accordance with the timber sale
| policy OF the government the stump
age will be disposed Of to the highest
bidder In order to attract suffi-
Client investment to assure the build
] ing of the railroad and of the neces-
sary lumber mills at least a billion
| feet of timber had TO be offered. The
Investment necessary to make this
timber accessible viii amount to more
than s3.000,000 BY placing this guam
tity of timber before the lumbermen
Of the country the officials of the for
est service believe that the develop
ment OF extensive areas In southern
Utah may be looked for, because the
necessary railway win render access
ible resources which have heretofore
been undeveloped The whole region
Is rich In agricultural land, In cattle
and shep range, and in coal ami cop
per deposits, as well as in timber.
Bids for the timber will be received
UP to the middle OF June, 1914 and
three years will be allowed for the
building of the railroad and mills, and
twenty-five years for the cutting OF
the timber. The stumpage rates, how
ever. will be readjusted at the end OF
each five-year period of the contract
the Establishments being based On the
then current lumber prices.
by the end OF the contract period
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 which the gov
eminent viii require, operations car
continue permanently In this lumber
holt The annual cut viii be not less
than forty million feet, most of which
VIII be readily sold in the large con
Stunning lumber markets in Utah ant
Colorado.
The Kaibab forest is one of tht
most heavily timbered in the South
west, the stand u timber being broker
only occasionally by beautiful mead
ows or openings locally known a.
parks. Lumbermen who have visiteC
II consider the country ideally adapt
ed TO logging. There are, altogether
two billion feet OF timber OF which
more than one billion feet are mature
and ready Tor cutting.