144 ALASKA 



On the Tongass National Forest the following stumpage prices 

 prevailed in 191 7: 



PerM 



Cedar $2 . 50 



Spruce 2.00 



Hemlock i .00 



In general, therefore, it is safe to say that there is very little profit 

 in manufacturing lurnber in southwestern Alaska. Wages and 

 supplies are high. Unless there is an active local demand mills 

 cannot operate successfully. Competition on the general mar- 

 ket is out of the question. 



The manufacture of wood pulp is a different proposition. The 

 finished product can be marketed successfully in the Pacific 

 Coast cities to the south like Seattle, Portland and San Francisco. 

 In addition to accessible timber there are many excellent water- 

 powers within reach of tidewater. Consequently pulp mills are 

 being installed even tho a large initial investment is required 

 which makes their minimum period of profitable operation at 

 least 10 years. Both hemlock and spruce are being used. 



The shingle business is profitable enough in normal years to 

 justify placing an Alaskan product on the general market where 

 red cedar is abundant. But it only occurs sparingly. The miUs 

 which have been operating are therefore small affairs merely 

 supplying the local market. 



While all woods work is best carried on along the southern 

 coast in the summer time, estimating, at least, in the interior 

 can be done-most advantageously during the winter. There are 

 no mosquitoes then, the wet places are frozen over, and there is 

 enough snow for snowshoes or skies. Of course it is cold, but a 

 dry cold in which much lower temperatures can be borne than in 

 a wet climate. Travel, off the short railroad lines, is entirely by 

 dog team, reindeer or on foot. 



Two factors prevent rapid and cheap work. The timber is 

 small and the bunches of merchantable trees are unevenly dis- 

 tributed. As explained above the character of the soil determines 

 in large measure the composition and quality of the stands. 

 Hence the timber fit for sawing is confined to the river bottoms 



