Iditarod pioneer., 1915-08-28
CHIEF OF FOREST SERVICE
 ON TRIP OF INSPECTION

SEATTLE, July 21.-Bound north on an inspection trip to the Alaska forest reserves for the purpose of collecting data to sup port the forestry department III It's opposi- ion to the abollshment ot any forest re- serves in Alaska, Henry $. Graves, chle1 ol the United States forest SerVlce accom- panied by E. A. sherman, assistant forester sailed last night on the City ot Seattle TOT ketchikan. Mr. Graves will remain ln the North at least six weeks and expects to go over parts of the Chugach and Tongass re serves This is his first visit to Alaska While on this tour of inspection MT. Graves will also classify lands within the reserves that are not timbered and these eventually will be excluded from the reserves.
 II am making my first visit to the North, said Mir. Graves. "l, of course have wealth of information relative to the re- serves there, but l want to see the country and get first hand knowledge Of such lands as can rightfully be thrown out ot the re- serve limits. While North l will also br y myself in collecting data to combat any such bill as that introduced last winter m congress to abolish the Chugach reserve, I am opposed to any movement to abolish any lOTeSl ItStlNt III IAieSN''' SN >
 zach particularly.
 These reserves must serve as the Wood- niles of Alaska, and even for this reason alone they must be preserved, A wrong lm- Tre>sion has been created through the com plaints of Alaskans over the fact that some land not bearing timber has been included within the reserves. It Is time that thls matter was cleared up. When the Chugach reserve was created the land was not any too well surveyed Hence, in order to list boundaries that could be recognized without any later dispute, 1t was necessary to take natural lines such as the sea coast, noun tain range and meridians In this way, in order to get the forested regions, we had to include some land not bearing timber, as for instance, that portion crossed by the Valdez F airbanks trail, which, to tell the truth. is so barren of timber that 1t was hard to find anything upon which to nail the notices. Miners travelling over this trail set up howl that reached all over the country, and all sorts of complaints were issued about forest reserve that bore no timber Now all such land will be taken out of the reserves just as soon as we can check up the boundaries of the real forest
 There also have been stories to the effect that it is impossible for Alaskans to use any of the timber on these reserves The sale of timber from the Tongass and Chugach reserves alone has more than paid the cx penSes of supervising these reserves.
 "The timber is for the use of Alaskans, and the development of the territory is to a great extent dependent upon this timber Mining men can go into the reserves and cut what timber they need and there never will be hand lifted to stop them. Legiti mate demands for timber always will be filled. as. for instance, the demand of the Alaska railroad which has authority to cit all the timber needed. The navy also has used considerable timber, and will use more as necessity demands
 "The vast interior regions of Alaska, for the most part bare of timber save in the river valleys, are absolutely dependent on these forest reserves The timber must not be wasted but must be ready to be used hand in hand with the development of the interior parts of the country As l sad be- fore, lands valuable for agricultural purposes and not bearing timber will be eliminated from the reserves as fast as we can def- nitelv determine their boundaries There is q big construction problem in Alaska, and all hands must work together to solve it."
 Mir. Graves and MT. Sherman will be met at Ketchikan by w. Weigle. Alaska forest supervisor. and the tour of the reserves will be mapped out.
 q am stranger in Alaska and do not know just where I will start in." said MT. Graves T will go direct to Ketchkan. and after a talk with Mir Weigle l will know more about the route to be followed" "