The Daily Alaska empire., 1931-01-05

Alaska mining industry, shipping minerals of all kinds outside. Why shouldn't the Alaska ioggers be permitted to ship portion of their
 logs cut outside if it would assist
 them to carry on the industry
 Theoe logs are one of the richest
 and most abundant natural sources
 of wealth we have left in the Ter
 ritory. In both the fishins, and
 mining industries a considerable
 part of the wealth derived from
 the products leaves the country due
 to outside interests; whereas in the
 logging industry practically all the
 money derived would return to Alaska to be used and circulated
 here, increasing our wealth and population.
 Use of Machines
 Below, the loggers are using log splitting machines and ship ping manufactured rough sawn logs after splitting the round logs to any foreign markets who can pur- chase and pay. There are at pres ent three large log splitting ma chimes in Alaska the same as op- erated on Puget Sound which are capable of saving in half or into quarters two hundred thousand feet of logs daily for domestic or out side markets. One log splitter is operated by the Ketchikan Lumber and Shingle Mill and two others are operated and owned by Parks and Selig. They were purchased at considerable investment to aid the logging industry in Alaska.
 If round logs are prohibited and cannot be exported from Alaska due to policy formulated years ago, why not try a constructive innovation to the policy with con- ditions as bad as they really are and permit the loggers to operate log splitting machines and to ship out portion of their logs cut as manufactured quartered and half sawn cants to Puget Sound in order to alleviate this stagnant and dan- gerous condition the industry is now in. The logging industry in Alaska is facing severe crisis and some definite constructive solution must be offered immed- lately to better conditions. The solution must bring back for our logs money and credit to carry on the industry and enrich the Ter ritory.
 "The outside markets have sent repeated requests for Alaska spruce logs Quartered or halved and would ] consume as much as the loggers | could prepare for shipment. Log splitting machines are already here i in Alaska ready to manufacture for | shipment. We believe permitting a , certain portion of our logs to be manufacturing by log splitting ma- chimes and shipped outside month- ly would be a progressive move ment and a method well worth | trying if it can bring money back to the industry and Alaska. Il
 This method Of shipping our ! timber should be given a fair chance in Alaska as we'll as below and may prove of considerable as- sistance in these uncertain times when every progressive method available is needed and should be iSed in order to give the loggers an opportunity to operate for the winter. It will create activity and during the winter months logging and preparing ship nents for foreign markets, and bring back funds which are badly l e e d ed to continue operations the entire year.
 The Alaskan logger needs every assistance and cooperation in ord 1T to meet competition and pros per. Let us try that which may prove progressive for the industry n Alaska.
 "(Signed) Steve Selig, J. R. ieckman, R. M. Parks, John Koel, t Parry Jenkins, Fred Hickman, John Mckay, J. R. Reynolds, Ole Dahl