The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1916-10-05
BIG TIMBER SALE
IS CONSUMMATED
PALMER BUYS 33O,OOO,OOO FEET
Tract in National Forest Company Is
Formed to Begin Operation Early
Next Year

John W. Palmer, owner of q large
West Side orchard tract, who several
years ago retired from the presidency
Of the Westport Lumber Co., which
operated mill on the lower Columbia,
announced Saturday afternoon that he
had been awarded by the United States
Forestry Department the purchase of
approximately 800, 0OG, 900 feet of tim
ber, chiefly Douglas fir. in the Oregon
National Forest on the Upper West
Fork of Hood River in the southwest
ern part of this county. The deal just
consummated comprises the largest
sale of Douglas fir ever made by the
Forestry Department, and the mill
contemplated to cut the area will have
a daily capacity of 200, 600 feet. consid-
erably larger than any ever formerly
operated in the Mid-Columbia region.
The timber purchased covers total
area of 7,340 acres. The task of SELL
ing it has dragged out for more than
year. Following an announcement Of
the probable sale last summer letter
was received by the Forestry depart
ment from local interests expressing
the fear that the denudation of the
area would result in freshets on the
Hood River in the early spring and
cause a drought during the season of
irrigation of orchards. These fears
were dissipated following meetings be-
tween local citizens and representa-.
tives of the Forestry Department, who
explained that the area included formed
but little more than a third of the
West Fork water shed and that in fact
that the West Fork was fed principally
in the summer months by the glaciers
of Mount Hood. The forestry men
expressed the opinion that reforesta-
tion will have taken place on the areas
first cut over before the last of the
timber is logged. The meeting re-
suited in resolution, unanimously
endorsed by the Hood River CONNER.
cial Club and business men, approving
the sale. 1t will probably take IL
years to cut the fir.
News of the purchase Of the timber.
the total sale price of which will reach
an approximate $3.50, 1000, has been re-
ceived with rejoicing by local men, for
the consumation of the deal will un-
doubtedly lead to the construction of a
wagon and automobile road to Lost
Lake. Ten per cent of the funds re-
ceived for the sale of timber will 60 to
the state for the construction of roads
Or trails in National forests in any
part Of the state. Twenty five per
cent will be apportioned between
Wasco, Hood River and Clackamas
counties, within the borders of which
the national forest containing the tim.
Der is located. On former visits here
T. H. Sherrard, state forest supervis-
or, stated that the sale of the timber
would make available funds for con.
structon of the Lost Lake road.
Mr.. Palmer stated that a company,
to be known as the West Fork Lumber
Co., has been incorporated to handle
the timber. Other incorporators are
]. F. Palmer and Henry Carstens, the
latter q capitalist and member of the
firm of Carstens & Earle, of Seattle.
who have invested heavily in the bonds
of bonded irrigation districts of this
county. Mr.. Palmer, before coming
here, was engaged in the lumber bust
ness in Mississippi, Minnesota and
western Washington. He has had rs
years experience as lumberman.
The Oregon Lumber Co.. which has
already pushed its logging roads with
in few miles of the government tim
Der, in order to tap its own holdings in
the district, will begin at once to ex.
tend its line to the Base Line, which
forms the north boundary of the area
involved in the sale. AS early rs work
may be commenced next spring, the
West Fork Lumber Co., will connect
up with the logging road already con.
structed and extend a line to tap its
timber.
1--WE want to express our apprecia-
tiop," said Mr.. Palmer, 'of the aid we
received from the Commercial Club
and the Hood River business men in
the consummation of the deal. While
the deal has been a long time hanging
fire, now that it is definitely settled,
we are going to push our work as fast
as possible. We hope and think that
the benefits from the deal will be
mutual for US and for the general
Hood River public.
1--WE have not yet decided on the
exact location of our plant nor its
definite size. II the lumber market
conditions of next year are right, how
ever. a mill of zoo, 900 feet daily
capacity will be constructed as quickly
as we can get the material on the