Hungry Horse news., 1955-01-14
Lumber Output at Record Level

Record 1854 Flathead National
Forest timber sales plus other tim
Der harvesting saw the lumber in
dustry contribute more than SILL
100000 to the Flathead economy
during the past year.
The 1854 agricultural income
was estimated as $7,249,551 by
Walt Mauritson, county agent.
Total timber cut in and near
the Flathead during 1854 is esti-
mated at more than 10000, 900
board feet. For wholesale value
purposes $75 thousand board feet
is used.
FLATHEAD FOREST RECORD
Of this total Flathead National
Forest had record timber cutting
of 90,941 900 board feet compared
to 1853 with 1874, 900 feet; 1852
with 55,720,000 feet, and 1916 with
32,834,000. Each of these wears
were records.
Flathead National Forest is be-
lieved capable of a sustained tim
Der yield of 100000 board feet
year after year. The need to SAL
wage and control the spruce bark
beetle resulted in timber harvest
ing on federal lands rising to so
per cent over the sustained yield
point.
TOP SALES YEAR
George Weyerman, Flathead Ma
tional Forest assistant supervisor,
compiled the timber cut figure of
90,941 900 board feet for 1854 and
also record sales year of 1884,
917, 900 board feet under contract
for cutting. This results in an an.
ticipated cut for next year on Flat
head National Forest lands Of
about 85,000,oOO board feet.
Center of Flathead numbering is
Columbia Falls where the mills in
1854 processed about 90,OOO,OOO
board feet, and shipped out more
than $500 carloads over the Great
Northern railroad, a 35 per cent
increase in outgoing railroad haul
ed lumber shipments over the pre-
vious record year of 1853.
EOOAL PAY HOLLIS
LAUNDERING in and near Column
bia Falls provide payrolls of over
$3,500,000 year for men who
work in the mills and in the woods.
Other principal income .provid-
ing factor in the area was construc-
ton of the Anaconda Aluminium
Co. plant that during 1854 provid-
ed payrolls exceeding $4,000, 900
for the year.
| Five years ago, Flathead Ma
tional Forest contributed about a
third of the logs milled with state
4 hands and private las.ds contribut-.
ing about third of each. Now the
federal land is contributing nearly
I tWo-thirds under the spruce bark
beetle control program with i'm
proved access roads to encourage
sales.
OVER HALF SPRUCE
OF this years 9O,941 900 board
feet cut on forest service land,
49,754,000 board feet was spruce,
. Weyerman commented. Virtually
, all of this was spruce bark beetle
infested. Salvage resulted in utili-
Zation of the timber resource and
removal of infested trees. An in
! tested tree dies in about two years,
and in two more years the wood
becomes of questionable worth for
lumber. The fir-larch harvest on
, forest lands totaled about 35,000,-
900 board feet in 1854.
, The 1854 cut resulted in a return
OF $443,0 900 to the U. S. Treasury
, from stumpage sales A fourth OF
) this amount, $117,500 will be re-
turned to the counties included In
Flathead National Forest on ar
area basis to be used for roads and
schools. Flathead county's share
. will be about 100000. In addition
10 per cent or $44,3 800 will be re-
turned to the forest for road i'm
: provement. An additional $50, 0O(
, was received in the timber sale.
for stand Improvement.
/ NEW ROADS
Weyerman's report of 1854 tim.
a Der activity shows that about 10(
: miles of main haul timber acceS;
Y roads were built by loggers during
1854. These roads, he added wer,
S important to the whole tirnbel
t economy.
e The outlook for 1855 includes thu
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