The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-04-13

Of camping places and recreation
grounds, may be reserved, in which
little or no cutting will be allowed"
This provision assures the main
tenance of scenic values on the In
dian reservations.
Notwithstanding forestry regula-
tions. some Of the largest timber sales
ever made by the United States gov
ernment and at the highest prices
have been made Of Indian reservation
timber In the last ten or twelve years.
Five sales have amounted to approx
mately 500,0000OO feet seach and a
dozen others have exceeded 100000
600 feet each. Large units Of yellow
pine have been sold on the Klamath
reservation at $3.50 per thousand feet,
and on the Flathead reservation In
Montana at $3.50 thousand. White
and Norway pine of inferior quality
on the Nett Lake reservation in Min
nesota have sold at SIG and $1365
respectively, and In recent sale Of
nearly half a billion feet on the
Quinaielt reservation in Washington.
western hemlock brought the unprec-
edented price of $500, and cedar,
spruce, Douglas fir and other species
were sold at $500 thousand. The
timber of three units Of this reserva-
ton sold during 92c totaled more
than 1,000000,000 feet. From the Kla-
math reservation alone more than
100,000,000 feet are being cut each
year. The latest sale of Indian tim
ber was that of the Valley Creek unit
in the Flathead reservation In Mon
tana, 130,000,OO0 feet, at $5.12 a
thousand for the western yellow pine
and S3.01 for the other timber. Dur
ing the past decade the value of the
timber removed f. ,m lands under the
Jurisdiction of the Indian service has
exceeded $1,500000 annually, and this
income will presently exceed $1,000
600. The cost to the Indians Of the
commercial and forestry administra-
tion of their lands, including the pro-
lection of the timber from fire, insect
infestatlon and trespass, has been
less than $150,O0O annually.
Indians Get 90 Per Cent.
The indian forest service is very
proud of the fact that more than 90
per cent of the gross income from the
Indian forest has been placed to the
credit of individual Indians or tribes
for use In their support or industrial
Advancement.
A striking illustration of the eco
nomic salvation prudent administra-
ton of their forests has meant to the
Indians in many cases Is found in the
Jicarilla Apache reservation in New
Mexico In 1910 the Jicarillas, exceed
ingly poor, broken by disease and
wretched beyond belief, were appar-
emily nearing extinction. BY means of
funds realized from sales of their
timber they have been rehabilitated
morally and physically and are now
far on the roal to Industrial inde-
pendence.
The regulations make 1t Imperative
for loggers in the Indian forests to
employ Indians preferably wherever
they are available and fitted for the
work. Many hundred Indians thus
have lucrative employment by them
selves, so to speak.
Extensive valuation surveys have
been made on number Of reserva-
tions and the work ir going ahead as
fast as funds become available. This
survey. besides furnishing data for a
Topographic map, gives the amount,
kind and quality of timber. the soil
classification and Its adaptability to
irrigation and farm crop production.
Importance Of Surveys.
The surveys are also very important
In protecting the rests from fire. On
all the reservations containing timber
of any Importance telephone lines
have been constructed from central
headquarters to various strategic
points such as ranger cabins in the
mountains and the fire lookouts. The
latter are located on high mountain
points, which afford panoramic
view of the timber below. Men are
stationed In these lookouts throughout
the fire season, constantly scanning
the forests with binoculars. II such
an observer discovers a fire he imme-
dlately determines its location with
an instrument known as fire-finder
and promptly telephones the lnforma-
ton to the forester In charge. who i'm
fnediately dispatches crew with
tools and supplies to fight the fire. The
Indian service co-operates with the
forest service (national forests) of the
Department of Agriculture and other
agencies In fire detection and suppress
sion. This, with a systematic patrol
of experienced rangers and guards. az
fords insurance against heavy losses
from fire. The average cost Of this in
surance has never exceeded half a
cent an acre.
The proceeds from the administra-
ton of the Indian forests In the last
twenty-five years have amounted to
about $25,OOO,0O0 and II is likely that
the Indian forests will bring in around
$2,000000 a year for the next twenty
years, and a smaller sum indefinitely.
Moreover, the permanent Indian for