Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-02-23
Northwest's, Huge rLum-
Der Interests Are Fac
ing Destruction
ASK REFoRESTATION
Many Crews From All
Over Nation are Flock
ing to Cut the Great
Forests of Washington

,operative reforestation, adopted
bv the state of Washington and
numbering interests Immediately
and with active regard for the fu-
ture, is the only plan which will
save Washington's vast timber
resources from total destruction
within So years, according 10
Dean Hugh Winkenwc@der, OF
the College of Forestry unlver-
sity Of Washington.
One hundred and sixty thOus-
sand acres of cumberland is being
logged off annually according to
this authority, of which only f5,-
600 acres is being turned into
farmland.
Sixty per cent Of the land can
never be used for agriculture,
and unless replanted with trees,
its only possible crop, will lie
open to the elements as vacant
wastes of stumpage until even its
tree bearing possibilities viii
amount to little. .tt
Seventy per cent Of Washing
toms. total business, according to
Dean Winkerwerder's statistics,
is concerned with numbering or
timber in some direct or indirect
form. Hundreds of the states
cities and towns are dependent
upon the annual timber cut.
Their reason for existence will
cease with the death of the for
ests. unless the logged-off land
adjacent to them is stumped off
and can be made fit for crop rails
ing.
A great portion of the states
population knows no other busl-
ness save numbering. In 1915, the
hast year for which authoritative
statistics are available, 81 per
cent Of the wage earners of the
state were engaged in the bust
ness of putting timber on the
market. ..
Several towns and embryo cit
les in Washington already have
had their lives snuffed out with
the passing Of the timber. Wash
ins,ton reforestation champions
are holding up Michigan as the
"horrible example" with the warn
ing that Washington should
profit by the commemorative
failure to provide timber for the
future.
tfdan Winkernwerder's esti-
mate Of the 35 year period dur
ing which numbering can contin-
ne, should no practical reforesta-
tion plan be put into force, is
based upon the present rate OF
green timber consumption.
The Pacific Northwest has be-
fore the nations lumber yard al
most overnight, insofar as active
logging is concerned. With the
southern pine belt rapidly dimin-
ishihg in the region of the ma
tions midriff. lumbermen who
have made their fortunes there
and have built up huge logging
organizations. are flocking to the
Pacific Northwest to continue
their work of supplying the Uni
ted States and a good part OF
the world with Suildirg materia,
ard raw stuff for 'l;s'ture.
These companies are causing
new towns and cities to spring
up overnight. Lumber workers
are flocking to .he Northwest
The whirr Of the hand and cir.
Gle saw has become the indus
trial anthem of two states. Tha'
same whirT is h,,r''r'ng tn,
requiem of the forests as tn,
sharp teeth bite into millions O
board feet w.,h every eight hou'
shift.
Ever a migratory sort of per
son, the lumberman and his log
ging machinery can still wande
Mt win in Washington and Ore
gon and apparently never eX
haust their vast timber resource
so fondly imagine novices and
great many persons who shout
know better, vet who canno
seem to see the woods for tn
trees.
In Washington, and in Orego
also, there are great areas
wonderful timber yet remaining
all merchsntable and open for eS
ploitation to the man with tn
money and the equipment. Com
panies can move their bases o
operations a dozen times vet an
at n profit, just as was done i
Michigan ind in the southern
belt. Ar IVY
Bat during the indusrialg m
grafton from one timber base
another washingtoa's timber fl
ture, Will be, scattered waEtoni
along the sawdust trail. n
The Islands Of rational forest
will of course withstand Che tid'
wave of timber slaughter fc
years 10 come. In Washirgto