The Wrangell sentinel., 1921-08-25
EDITORIAL
The Astounding Ignorance of J. J. Underwood Concerning the Timber Resources of Alaska
By I. W. PRITCHETT

 ngon G. the interest of the City of Seattle the State of Washington and the Territory of Alaska.
 This the when congressman and senators members of the Presidents cabinet working prob lens affecting welfare of Alaska and seeking reliable formation this Northern territory they will Mr. Underwood enlightenment It only natural that Mr. Under should be regarded Washington reliable n formation all matters pertaining to Alaska He is not only supposed Alaskan we'll advertised the author of book entitled, Alaska An Empire in the Making Further it has been announced the world that he special of the Seattle Chamber of Commerce whose motto years has been Develop Alaska But Aaskas chances for development anything but encouraging with special resentave Washington like Mr. Underwood whose scant knowledge and conceptions of of Aaskas chief render him than representative all The appointment of Mr. Underwood head of the bureau prompted by good motives but nevertheless dous bunder.
 Chamber Commerce realizes that whatever helps Alaska helps Seattle During the past few L. McPher head of the Alaska branch Seattle Chamber of Commerce has abored constantly and connou promote Alaskas Alaska intimately and has been the of disseminating much reliable information about Alaska The seeds he has have been good seeds
 Several weeks announced that the Seattle Chamber of Commerce considering plan for widening its of uness the much needed bureau the national capital THE SENTINEL heartily endorsed the plan master stroke of good business And still considers the plan that be highly commended but does not of Mr. Under wood being placed the head of this bureau because his astounding ignorance of of Aaskas chief natural renders him utterly unfit for such important position Read the following from the July issue of the Raay
 J. J. Underwood Washington coespondentfor
 the Seattle Times, writes Railuyay GS Marine NfaS
 as follows
 "I note in the second column of the Sumner ar
 tcle: During the war it Alaska spruce found
 suitable for airpane lumber' etc.
 This must be typographical Alaska
 spruce absolutely unsuitable and useless for aiplane
 purposes know this positively, for investigated
 the subject thoroughly during the Aiplane
 that have length of
 feet without limb. In the Alaska spruce the limbs
 remember, that 10 feet without knot is the minimum.
 Good airpane lumber is IS feet to 30 feet without
 T am saying this critical but to draw
 your attention mistake in otherwise splendid
 The editor of the Raioa a"d Murine NH accepted Mr. Un derwood correction without question inserted the follow ing note at bottom of his letter:
 correction is appreciated This statement
 was made owing to the amount of press
 given covering the value of Alaska spruce
 purposes As this was the only lumber,
 gested in the article, 1t is apparent than
 ever before that the spruce is only good for grinding
 into pup
 Does not the foregoing to gasp? Every one that concerning Alaska out from but THE SENTINEL doubts if the above has been equaed It surely masterpiece of information.
 World War Alaska furnished much high spruce in the manufacture of airplanes Alaska mills also shipped much arplane lumber of Grade Great Britain The orders from the British handled through New York brokers.
 Mr. Underwood undertakes impress upon the Alaska possible find spruce log feet length that is clear of knots This alone shows that he is talking about.
 Spruce trees 75 2OO feet tall and from first limb are by no means uncommon in Alaska.
 The most perfect timber obanabe for the of planes found Alaska The Alaska spruce of grain and stronger than the of other section the continent The specifications for aiane lumber call for straight grained lumber with not less than eight annual rings In the yards of the Wrange mill there abundance lumber with from 16 to 20 annual rings the the writer found piece of exceptionally fine grained