Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1917-11-23

] least money, nut we demand an
kEWySSyENSas extra edition almost every hour
uiXbN0pxtl1 ia the bigger cities Of the coun-
kS5zALsss-se1I try. Like griddle cakes. we like
them only when they're hot and
the wonderful plctorials for which the world has
been scanned by the editors, are thrown aside
after cursory examination.
Did you stop 70 think Of the time when this
lncessant demand for the print paper may not be
met? Already we hear Of the rapid Increase In the
price OF pulp. which Is reaching a stage where
many or the smaller publications OF the country
viii have to go out Of business. Even the bigger
ones are feeling the pinch, and some are raising
their prices, others reducing the number of pages
and still others are making the advertiser pay.
The newspapers have not been the only ones to
suffer by pulp shortage for book publishers too
have had their Worries In fact, all of payer
down TO the schoolboy with his tablet, have had to
pay more for inferior quality Of paper than
the case year two ago.
In 1914 used about 5000 tons OF newsprint
every day. Our present use has reached G0OO
tons day. and the demand Is increasing Mt the
rate Of about 10 per cent year. which is greatly
In excess of the rate Of increase In population
To supply presses with newsprint requires
annually about 100000 cords Of pulp wood To
meet requirements for magazines and book
papers, stationery and business papers of all
kinds. 100000 cords OF pulp wood
sumed annually. Production barely keeps up this
consumption for while II is estimated the news
six months OF this year. the estimated supply is
fixed at $4,000 tons.
But few years ago this country was able TO
supply all of Its own needs and I'm addition fur
nlsh paper TO foreign countries. but that time has
passed Now we must depend upon Canada for
az least third of our domestic supply, and this
percentage Is rapidly increasing
Our forefathers, and even our fathers, looked
about them. and saw apparently endless and In
exhaustrble supplies OF forest trees. The wood
not told to spare that tree" and they
were ruthessly sometimes wantony. destroyed.
Where tree utilized for commercial pur-
poses two trees were allowed TO remain as they
fell only 10 rot away be burned In the first
forest fire that swept the devastated area.
Today this policy has resulted In our privately
owned supply of pulp woods being so exhausted
that not more than 10 years supply remains.
Serious as the situation appears 10 be, there Is
no cause for ALARM II wake up 10 our duty
10 conserve remaining supply. There Is
enough pulp wood In our national forest TO meet
the future needs OF this country. and II we pur-
sue systematic course In avoiding waste In our
plants and encourage the
reforestation OF our cut-over lands (of which
there are 70O00Oo0 acres In the northern states
aionel we could easily supply the world
BY following the correct practices OF forestry,
and by conserving supply the publicly owned
timber IN the United States VIII last indefinitely.
The forest service has estimated that there
are In the national forests at least 30000oOOoOO0
feet OF pulp wood tbs Is equivalent TO 600OOo,-
600 cords and for all kinds OF paper we use but
7 100000 cords a year This estimate does not
include the pulp wood available privately
owned lands OF the West.
Practically all OF our pulp is ut present made
from northern woods. where stumpage costs run
from 50 50 TO IS per cord standing In the forest.
In the West timber suitable for the Manufacture
OF pulp ranges IN price from % cents TO Sl.2o
per cord The fact that these vast supplies In
rnf p.fh
several causes. Lack OF transportation has been
n big handicap aud then the large investments
tied up In the paper mills preclude their move
ment while Il is possible 10 secure timber nearer
M hand even Mt vastly higher prices.
From the standpoint Of geographical location
ana transportation 10 the majority OF the paper
ussrr I'm me central and eastern states. The
Western paper woods rafl into two broad belts.
The first is available 90 tidewater shipments from
the Pacific coast lying principally on the west
slope OF the Cascade mountains In Oregon ana
Washington including vast areas tributary to
Puget sound and running w along the seahoard
IN southeasteriy Alaska There are T0,Ooooou,-
900 feet of spruce and henlock In the national
forests OF Alaska alone. In many respects the
conditions found In Alaska duplicate those OF
Norway the leading country OF the world In the
paper Industry IL is said by those who have
studied the country that the forest OF Alaska viii
produce more wealth for the United States than
even her gold or her coal. vast and valuable as
are those commodities.
The second timber belt of Western paper woods
extends through the northern Rocky mountains
from the Canadian line into Colorado and Utah.
This belt shut or from water transportation can
hardly be considered practical source of supply
of paper for the eastern states but is logical
storehouse OF raw materials for the paper re-
ouirements of the Mississippi valley. The Rocky
mountains contain a number OF excellent paper
" Gods and with proper development should sup
ply both the paper required for local consump-
ZION and that necessary replace the diminish