141 



"The practice of designating certain good blocks of timber to the large mills was followed 

 again in 1913 with the sale of 145 MMBF in Spring Creek to the Lanphere-Hinrichs 

 Company which later became the Warren-Lamb Company."' 



"By 1924, special favor was once again granted to the Warren-Lamb Company for a 

 fifteen-year agreement for the especially good timber in the Spring Creek area." .... In 

 1926, a large sale was awarded to Warren-Lamb Lumber Company for sixty -two million 

 board feet. The stumpage was set at $6.00\MMBF. Warren-Lamb officials state to the 

 Forest Service that they could not pay over $3.50\MMBF because of the large investment 

 they would need. In 1926, they did get the sale for $3.65\MMBF. The Forest Service 

 officer justified this special treatment on the basis that immediate cutting was needed for 

 the over-mature timber."" 



This special concern for the large sawmills of the Black Hills did not end in the twenties and 

 thirties. There has been concern about how the small business operators have been treated under 

 recent Forest Supervisors. While we cannot prove allegations beyond a shadow of a doubt, it 

 appears that Pope & Talbot has been able to negotiate more favorable solutions to timber-sale 

 contract disputes compared to how the Forest Service treats purchasers with less financial 

 resources. 



Since the 1970's, the federal government has had a program in place to protect the small business 

 operations who depend upon federal timber for their survival. In the Black Hills, the small 

 business share has been reduced in recent years. During periods when the small business set- 

 aside program is triggered or likely to trigger the Forest Service seems as if they would prefer 

 the small business program to go away. They consistently use the same excuses of the 1920's, 

 that some timber must be harvested very quickly and that can only be done by the larger mills. 



^ Sawmills of the Black Hills, Martha Linde 1984. 

 *. Sawmills of the Black Hills, Martha Linde 1984. 



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