Evening star., 1929-12-01
BIZ ROBERT FRoTH1NGHAM,

hemloek for the manufacture of pulI
FOR news print, constitutes move OF
marked significance in the fortunes oi
Alaska. 1t points the way for the trans.
fer Of the news print industry of the
United States from Canada to Alaska
rs the principal source of future supply
1t is conServatively estimated by the
United States Forestry Service In
Alaska, which conducted the details OF
this transaction, that it will result in
increase of not less than 10000 in the
population of Southeastern Alaska
which will be concentrated in Juneau
the capital, and the city of Ketchikan
These two immense plants. the con-
struction of which will start next
Spring, will be the first of their kind
to be established in Alaska and will give
employment to 5000 persons. practically
all of whom will be brought in from
the States, including an excellent op-
portunity for skilled paper makers. In
ctdentally, these two big deals represent
another triumph for Federal bureau
teamwork which is a story in itself.
Most significant of all, however, it
signalizes the abandonment of archaic
methods of territorial trade development
and the inauguration of definite sales
policy. for which Col. W. B. Greeley,
former chief Of the United States For
estry Service, is largely responsible. The
success of that policy is indicated in the
character of the International Paper
Co., the largest manufacturers of paper
In the United States, who figured in
the bidding for the leasehold of nearly
100000 acres of the finest spruce and
hemlock forests in southeastern Alaska.
A combination representing the San
Francisco Chronicle and the Los An
geles Times will establish their mill az
Juneau, and the Zellerbach group, the
largest news print manufacturers on the
Pacific Coast, who will locate at Ketchi-
kan. Each plant will have a daily ca
pacity Of 500 tons of news paper.
United States Puts Statesmen on Job.
It is generally admitted by the more
thoughtful and forward-looking Alas
kans that this latest exhibition of sales
manship on the part of the national
government comes near to settling the
question Of the advantages Of govern
mental leasing of lands over actual own
ership by the exploiters. for which ex-
Chief Forester Greeley feels measur-
ably proud.
Mr.. Greeley says that having wasted
nearly five years listening to PROPOSE
tions from promoters who came to
Alaska with the idea that it would be
comparatively easy to obtain water
power and timber rights from the gov
ernment, with the expectation of re-
turning to the States and organizing
companies to finance their schemes, he
decided to ascertain what might be &C /.
complished by interesting nationally
known concerns of experience and
financial ability in the advantages of
AlaSka's forests and water power.
According to B. F. Heintzlernan, as
sistant district forester for Alaska, was
sent to the States for years selling
campaign. As a result five large cor
porations became sufficiently interested
TO send their engineers and timber ex-
pertS to ascertain the facts at first hand
Advertising for bids followed.
In other words, the United States
Government is out for business on a
competitive basis instead of handing out
Alaskan 'plums" to party favorites.
And, when the conservation policies of
the Government are taken into consid-
Grafton, the far-reaching benefits to
Alaska wiz be quite apparent. All the
engineering work prerequisite to the de-
velcpment of these two plants is COM
pleted and it is expected that conStruc-
ton viii start next Spring.
1000 Acres Cut Each Day,
The consumption of news print alone
IN the United States neceSsitates the
cutting of approximately 1000 acres Of
pulp timber every working day. Con-
servative estimates of the Forestry De-
partment place the total volume Of
virgin timber in Southeastern Alaska
at 10000, 10000 board feet, composed
entirely Of pulp wood species; west
ern henlock and Sitka spruce, afford
ing an annual cut of 1,5o0,000 cords Of
pulp wood of 800 board feet each. This
Is Sumcient for the production of
1000 900 tons of news print paper an
lTy = TO-
Up TO now the news print needs Of
the United States have been supplied
by eastern Canada. which has reached
Its maximum development, while the
consumption of news paper continues
to grow rapidly. The industry has
shown consistent development based
on the law Of supply and demand. The
argument has been advanced that the
government withdrawal of timber and
other lands from private ownership
constitutes barrier to the investment
OF private capital in leases. OF greater
significance, however, is the fact that
the continued expansion of the pulp
wood industry has brought the Pacific
Northwest. British Columbia and Alaska
within economic range of the great
Eastern markets.
Alaska possesses some definite adyan-
tages over the Pacific Northwest for
these immense news print plants, which
have come TO be the rule, in that the
exceedingly large blocks Of timber
necessary to meet the needs of these
outfits are obtainable in Alaska at a
minimum initial expense, carrying
charges and the danger of fire losses.
the bidders for these vast timber land
leases were aware of the Hoover ad-
ministration's conservation policies.
100000 Acres in Reserve.
Most of the standing timber in
Southeastern Alaska is In the Tongass
National Forest, which the Department
Of Agriculture insists shall be preserved
for future generations. This reserve
includes 100000 acres, carrying a
growth Of timber Of commercial value.
with an average stand per acre of
$4,000 board feet, comprising a total
of nearly 10000, ,000, 900 board feet, sub
divided as follows: Western hemlock,
"A per cent: Sitka spruce, 20 per cent;
Western red cedar and Alaskan red
cedar, 3 per cent each.
The average mature spruce is five
feet in diameter and 160 feet high.
1t flourishes from tidewater to an alti-
tude of ! 500 feet. 1t Is a magnificent
tree. It is manufactured into all the
usual forms of lumber and particularly
airplane stock. Studies in conServa-
sion by the Forestry Bureau estimate a
rotation period in growth of between
IS and 100 years.
Allowing 90 years, therefore. as the
period during which this virgin timber
can be reproduced, approximately 1900
900 cords of wood of 600 board feet
each can be removed each year during
that period. The Tongass Forest crop
produced In this period will have per
acre volume at least twice the average
volume now found therein.
Stumpage Alone Sold.
The conservation policies of the For
estry Bureau, therefore, provide that the
IL L. Ec...r ell Ia