Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1923-08-10
timber LANDS
YIELD REVENUE
Form a Valuable Source for
Taxation Purposes, Says
u. S. Forest Service.


tinuous use OF forest lands will afford
permanent development and prosperity
for local communities and regions,
report of the United States Forest
Service points out that one of the
chief benefits of standing forests and
forest Industries lies in their wealth
for purposes Of taxation. The present
system Of timber taxation Is unques-
tlonably imperfect, says the report,
adding that any future notifications
must recognize the basic need for
fair contribution to the public revenue.
In the state of Washington, the re-
port states, data obtained by the
forest reserve service indicate an as
seSsed valuation on timber lands OF
about Sl000OOO0O and on the lumber
Industry, aside from timber, of about
$5o0O0000, a total of $l50,OO0,0O0 out
Of grand total for all property In
1920 of about Sl195OO0OOO The total
for timber and HE lumber industry
was under the total amount for I'm
proved agricultural land in the state
by about one-fourth. The taxes on
timber land alone made up about 8
per cent OF the total levied for 1921
for all purposes, and on other property
invested in lumber manufacture about
3 per cent, making a total of approx
mately IL per cent, or in excess of
100000. In some of the heavily
tlmbered western counties the contrl-
button of timber lands alone reached
so per cent OF the total taxes. Addi-
tional taxes, 1t is stated, are paid by
dependent wood-using industries and
by the large number Of people whose
livelihood depends directly and lndi-
rectly upon The forests.
Similar conditions obtain in Oregon,
the report declares.
In 1920, the lumber industry in
Washington and Oregon paid in taxes
about SLIGO for each thousand feet,
board measure, of lumber cut The
cut was nearly 9,0O00O0,000 board feet,
but under intensive forestry it would
be possible to grow and harvest TO-
000000,0O0 board feet or more per
year, or nearly twice the 1920 cut.
This, the report points out, means an
enormous taxable resource which can
be made permanent.
Denuded and Timbered Lands.
The report cites examples from
widely scattered regions TO illustrate
the contrast from the standpoint of
public revenues between timbered
lands and nearby denuded lands of
similar character. The average assess
ment in the western part of Washing
ton on standing timber is in the
neighborhOod of S26 per acre, on
logged-off lands 1892. One timbered
section assessed at approximately $50
per acre adjoins cut-over section as
sessed at $3.50 per acre. In New Jer-
sey, the State Forest Park Commits
siOner estimated that a forest area of
100000 acres was assessed at $4,000
900, but under timber-crop production
might be made to return taxes on an
assessed valuation of S200,000,00O.
The average assessed value of stand
ing pine timber in Louisiana in 1920
was estimated at about S42.50 per acre,
says the report, contrasting this with
the figure Of $5.25 for cut-over lands.
In Mississippi it is reported that cut
over land is assessed at SO to 81 an
acre while standing pine timber is as
sessed at Sc to IS per thousand feet,
with stands running from 6,0OO to
10000 feet per acre-an equivalent to
from $36 to $50 per acre assessed
value.
In New Hampshire, says the Forest
Service, the contrast is between the
tax value of denuded land and that of
second growth. Cut-over timber land,
If fairly well located, Is generally as
sessed at about 81 per acre, 1t is
stated; on the sides Of mountains as
sessments go as low as 81 an acre. A
forty-aere tract OF second growth pine
saw timber about fifty years old, con
tanning 100000 feet, board measure, is
assessed at $4,000. On 81 valuation,
1t is pointed out, this land would pay
a little under 10 cents per acre in
taxes If cut over; it now pays $3.50,
or over thirty-slx times as much.
Large Employment to Labor.
Abundant standing timber affords
large employment to labor. In 1919
the Industrial Insurance commission
of Washington reported that the lum-
Der industry paid 40 per cent of the
total pay roll of the state for hazar-
dous occupations, aEgregatlng S227,-
995,S62. It Is estimated that in excess
of 5000 men were required by the
railroads to handle the lumber output
of Washington and Oregon 1t is also
estimated that upward Of 10000 sail
ors, longshoremen, stevedores and 9TH
ers were employed in the water trans
portatlon Of lumber. A total of 60,OSS
additional persons are engaged in the
lumber industry. A large percentage
of the states total population Of about
1,350,000 was directly dependent upon
the forests for a livelihood in 1919.
Timber Is also an important source
OF railroad traffic The annual reports
of tine Northern Pacific, Great North
nrn Ornpon 4, WASHINGTON tha Chi-