Hungry Horse news. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1948-current, 1955-07-29
Park Timber Land?

ment acquiring state lands within boundaries Of Ola
cier National Park
When Glacier was established in 1910 there were
about $1,000 of land owned by the state within
confines of the park The land has produced viz
tualy revenue for state school and capitol build
ing funds during the years.
Finally in 1858 it appeared that all obstacles were
removed for trade of the land in the park for fed
orally owned acres in eastern Montana.
This has stalled, and the Hungry Horse News be-
ieveS that the fault lies with the federal Bureau of
Land Management.
Factors to be considered include that since 1858
value of timber on the park acres has increased at
least three-fold. by unbiased appraisal the timber
worth $7500o in 1885, it is worth nearly s.
now. We base this assumption on prices being paid
at Flathead National Forest timber sales.
The Hungry Horse News is opposed to logging
federal state-owned acres in Glacier. We wish we
knew of suitable club to bring the satefederal land
negotiations to conclusion.
The following is an editorial from "The Peoples
Voice., liberal leftSt newspaper published in Hell
ena. We believe their information about the Bureau of
Land Management is correct. MR.
Here Is their editorial:
$4,000 At STAKE
SHOULD STATE CONSIDER SELLING ITS
GLACIER PARK TIMBER
Several years ago the State Land Board through
its then commissioner w. P. Pilgeram, entered into
negotiations with the Bureau Of Land Management for
the trading of than nine thousand of val
udDc LnDeTldnQ IN GLACIER NdllOndl FdTK IOr 1cQcr-
al parcels of land located throughout the state.
The result of those negotiations was that on jan
uary co. 1858 the Land Board accepted an offer by
BLM which included in exchange for the park timber
land: 116, 223.87 of federal land which the
federal government reserved all mineral rights and
7O,925.43 acres on which Washington proposed the
turning to Montana of all mineral rights except
for fashionable (atomc) minerals.
Then, on September 1, 1858, the federal bureau
came up with an alternative proposal to increase by
more than 10000 acres the total on which mineral
rights were reserved by the federal government and
at the time to reduce by over half-to a. Az IS
acres-the acreage which mineral rights would be
conveyed to the State. This revised land trade the
Land Board has consistently refused to accept. Fin
ally last week the Land Board requested the Bureau OF
Land Management to honor it's earlier proposal OF
January, 1858.
Two years have elapsed since BLM first attempt
ed to renege its January 1853 proposal to transfer
mineral rights than seventy thousand acres to
the State of Montana The federal government through
BLM has given indication whatsoever that it In
tends to live up to the trade agreement it proposed to
the State two and one-half years ago. Instead, BLM
has in so many words told the State that the trade
must be made on the scaled down terms presented
in September 1858 if there is to be a land trade.
What brought about this exhibition of bad faith
by BLM is matter wide open to conjecture How
ever reports have heard correct, at the bot
tom of the entire matter is OIL There is strong posi-
bility that the $1,000 which BLM now wishes
to retain mineral rights may be underlaid with OIL
But, whatever the reasons of the federal bureau
for going back its January 1858 Offer the fact
mains the State of Montana is receiving precious little
revenue off its more than nine thousand Of tim
Der land in Glacier Park This in face of the fact that
the timber sumpage on that tract of State land is
conservatively valued at three quarters of million
dollars.
Since it does not appear that BLM will act on this
except on it's terms it is in order to suggest that
the State Land Board consider the immediate adver-
Using of this large block of timber for SALE Certainly
$75O,OOO or more off our Glacier Park timber would
be very substantial addition to the School Perm
anent Fund.- the interest from which goes toward pay
ing the states share of the School Foundation Prog
ram.