Evening star., 1924-06-13
Timber Resources of Alaska
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

| Expectation Of pulpwood from tbs
crown lands was prohibited by pro-
| vincial embargoes in Ontario in 1901,
| in Quebec in 1910 and in New Bruins
| wick in 1912. Present imports of Ca
| madam pulpwood are confined 10
wood grown on the freehold lands.
| For some time American manufac-
turerS have been apprehensiye or the
| possibility of an embargo on all pulp
wood from Canada. In June OF this
year the Canadian House of Com
| mons passed a bill which gives the
governor in council authority to es
| tablish a complete embargo when
ever he sees fit. The American pulp
and paper industry considers the sit
uation so serious that it has called
upon the forest service TO undertake
study of the possible new sources
OF pulp tim Der in the United States.
A survey has already been made iRdi-
eating the pulpwood resources in
Alaska and in the western United
States The available raw material
in the southern part Of the United
States will receive the greatest at
tention in the proposed study,
~ -
The pulp and paper industry. a.
now situated in the eastern and
n northeastern part of the United
States, has not enough raw material
to supply it's needs on anything like
q permanent basis. The mill capacity
is very greatly in excess of the re-
naming supplies of standing timber.
In order that the national needs for
paper, particularly newsprint, may
be met. by the American industry,
other sources of pulpw ood are there
fore exceedingly important.
Southeastern Alaska has almosa
untouched resources in the two
national forests. amounting to az
least 100,0 900 cords, consisting OF
western hemlock and Sitka spruce.
More than half of the species suit
able for pulpwooda o. are western este 81 ee an
species in southeastern Alaska are
suitable for the manufacture oS
nevsprint AS the virgin stands are
cut, the percentage OF spruce as
shown by previous cuttings Will IN
stands even more desirable for, pulp
wood. The forest service estimates
thai the two national forests can pro-
duce in perpetuity 100000 cords
annually or enough o,ni ,ssnrat TO e91ai nor nor
shnn,ion sham ha1f in 'as the 'Uia U1dted states.
The water-power resources are.
aside from the timber, the most es-
santiaI natural resource il the pulp
and naner Industry in Alaska is to be
deyeioned and one Of the reasons
whv greater development has not
talon nlace up to date is because of
tha lack of definite information with
refarence to Alaska's water-pover
resources. UnqAestionably authorfta-
tive information, such as is contained
in MT Dorts report, will tend to
stimulate ard hasten this develop
ment- This report shows 100000
horsepower available, s,of. which 324,-
uoU bower sites OF 5000 horsepower or
more, which can be developed for
about Sl1o per horsepower,9 large
mart of it very near the lower figure.
There is enough water power al
ready in sight which can be devel-
oned very cheaply to produce 1.oop.-
ma tons of newsprint paper. or
enough to supply nearly one-haif the
newsprint consumption. This can be
done Immediately, while, unQuestion-
abiy. further investigation will show
enough water-power resources to de-
yeIop the entire estimated output OF
/ 600, 600 tons in terms of newsprint
paper. ~
Add TO this the additional factor of
eheapn wood material, which can ke
delivered to the mill sites for not TO
exceed $6 to IS per cord. and the
hearing OF Alaska on the pulpwood
situation in the United States is OBJ
VAVb6s So.