34 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



every user has an opportunity to 

 obtain timber to meet his needs, 

 personal or for commercial use. 

 in such quantities as he requires 

 and at reasonable terms. The 

 settler secures the material re- 

 quired for his personal use free 

 and without the need of a per- 

 mit. The miner may use the 

 timber for mining development 

 that stands on his claim, and he 

 can draw on the National Forest 

 supplies if need be without the 

 necessity of purchasing from pri- 

 vate owners at such a toll as the 

 latter might choose to levy ; and 

 he knows that if he develops a 

 mine requiring large amounts he 

 will not later be embarrassed in 

 obtaining the material without 

 which he cannot proceed. The 

 fishing industry is using large 

 quantities of piling for fish traps 

 and docks, and this is obtained 

 promptly, under a simple pro- 

 cedure, and at reasonable cost. 



Material is in the same way being furnished from 

 the Forests for wharves, bridges, and other structures 

 required by public and private agencies. 



There are upon the two Forests over 30 sawmills 



AN ALASKAN SAWMILL 



There are upon the two National Forests over thirty sawmills. It is the policy of the Forest Service to 

 encourage the development of the lumber industry. Approximately 40 million feet of timber are 

 cut annually in the National Forests under sales, in addition to material secured by settlers for 

 personal use. The largest single timber sale has been for thirty-three million feet. 



which furnish the bulk of the 

 lumber products used in the re- 

 gion. It is the policy of the De- 

 partment to encourage the de- 

 velopment of the industry, not 

 only for small mills producing 

 lumber for local community use 

 but for larger establishments for 

 distribution to meet the demands 

 of cities, and of the large mines, 

 and for export. The largest sin- 

 gle timber sale so far made has 

 been for 33 million feet. A num- 

 ber of large sale.; have, however, 

 been under negotiation. Two 

 different bodies of 600 million 

 and 300 million feet respectively 

 have been offered for sale, for 

 the establishment of a wood pulp 

 industry. The financial situation 

 has prevented the consummation 

 of these large sales, but it is con- 

 fidently expected that in a short 

 time the sale of timber will re- 

 sult in the development of indus- 

 tries manufacturing lumber and 

 wood pulp on an extensive scale. 

 The Chugach Forest is furnish- 

 ing ties and poles for the con- 

 struction of the Government railroad. Were there a 

 developed lumber industry, with adequate facilities for 

 local transportation, much of the sawn material also 

 could have been obtained from the National Forests. 



LOADING LUMBER FOR EXPORT 



Already a^ certain amount of timber has been exported from the Tongass National Forest in Alaska to 

 the United States. A number of important shipments were made in 1913. The demand then fe.ll 

 otT on account of the depression in the lumber market. Recently there have been shipped as much 

 as one million feet of special spruce lumber for use in the constiuction of aeroplanes. The Sitka 

 ftpruce is regarded by manufacturers of aeroplanes as specially suited to this purpose. 



