Evening star., 1924-07-18
UMBERMAY COST
MORE THIS FALL
Building Revival Rather Than
Forest Fire Losses Given
as Cause.
BY j. G. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, July 1S.-Prospective
home builders, contractors and lum-
ber dealers who have been specu-
lating as to the effect of forest fires
on the Pacific slope may calm their
fears. There is little likelihood of
an increase in lumber prices in that
section as result of fire losses, and
reports of damage in many instances
seem to have been vigorously over
stressed
Dispatches received within the last
IL hours from reliable sources In
Oregon and Washington indicate that
the damage to green timber from
fires SO far has been remarkably
small, compared with the first snap
estimates. In Oregon fires have been
confined mostly to logged-off lands.
and the damage to green timber has
been extremely limited.
LOSSES Not Yet known.
Much reforestation work has been
wiped out, however, and the pros
pective loss along this line will be
considerable. The forest service de-
clines to place a figure of the dam
age, but in the past losses have usu-
ally been about ore-tenth of the first
filled eyes.
In western Washington as in
western Oregon, the damage has been
only nominal, and the total loss west
OF the Cascades will not be much
above normal at this season of the
year, when some brush blazeS are
inevitable Rain and cooler weather
this week have combined to better
the situation so far as brush fires and
blazeS in cut-oVer land is concerned.
In the Panhandle of Idaho and in
northeastern Washington conditions
are worse than west of the Cascades,
but the money damage to green tim
ger and logging machinery will be
less than 100000, according TO the
chief warden of the Washington For
est Fire Association, in charge of all
patrols.
Damage Put Under SI.OOO.OO0.
In California reports from the
northwest indicate the damage viii
be somewhat heavier. but experts in
Portland assert that the total dam =
age to green timber on the whole coast
is not expected to exceed Sl.000,000.
Some fires are still engaging the at
tention OF fire fighters in the kla-
marh Tahoe, SeQuoia and Santa Bar
bara national forests of California,
but the more conservative author
tiles, while they do not minimize the
possible danger If the blazes get be
yond control, do doubt that damage TO
y
California seems to have suff cred
severely this year from alarmiStS.
The effect of unfavorable weather on
fruit and grain crops was far over
estimated in reports made early this
spring, as harvesting activities since
have proved. The foot t-and-mouth
disease was much less widespread and
dangerous than some reports painted
it, and the damage from the annual
| forest-fire menace is believed by lum
| Der men in other sections likewise to
| be exaggerated.
Higher Lumber Prices Seen.
The damage to timber has not at
| fected business on the Pacific coast
! as the amount burned is inslgnlhcan'
| com rared with the available supply
| Many lumber authorities expect q
| steady advance in prices by fall, bul
| as a result of revival OF building
| and not as an aftermath of fire dam
age.
| Building operations in representa-
| tive cities increased 10 per cent over
June 1923. and there is every reason
| 10 believe that this rate OF activity
has been more than maintained tins
month, although the saturatlon pom
| of building undoubtedly has peer
| reached in some localities douglas
! fir Drices have been steady. but pine
! quotations are slightly lower IN some
sections.