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LARGE SALE OF TIMBER 



THIEF FORESTER GRAVES of mature but inaccessible timber can 

 went to San Francisco in Septem- be put on the market only if sale con- 

 'ber to make final arrangements tracts are let on terms which will justify 

 under which a California lumber com- a very heavy initial investment in trans- 

 pany will purchase 800 million feet of portation facilities. In entering into 

 timber on the Sierra National Forest, such contracts, however, special safe- 

 The timber has already been awarded, guards to protect the public against 

 after public advertisement, to the high- monopoly and to prevent an undue spec- 

 est bidder, but under the terms of the ulative profit to the purchaser are em- 

 advertisement the final signing of the ployed. 



contract will not take place until the "The National Forests contain, in all, 

 company has been shown on the ground the equivalent of nearly COO billion feet 

 what timber the Government will re- of timber now of merchantable size, be- 

 good forest conditions and provide for sides young growth for future harvest, 

 serve from cutting in order to preserve Because of its remoteness from market 

 reproduction. and the wild, mountainous country, 



The company will be allowed its full without transportation facilities, in 



800 million feet, but naturally it will which most of it lies, only a small per- 



not be allowed to cut clean. As a rule centage can now be sold on any terms, 



the Forest Service reserves something Most of it would cost more to get it out 



like one-third of the forest stand in than it would bring. The sale of less 



applying forestry on Government hold- than one-fifth of one per cent of our 



ings. A marking board made up of one total supply to one company leaves 



man sent from Washington, one from plenty of room for competition by other 



the District office in San Francisco, and companies. 



the local Forest Supervisor will care- "The timber which has been sold to 

 fully mark a sample area, to show how the California company lies well back 

 the restrictions on cutting will be ap- in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and 

 plied. Representatives of the company will require the construction of 70 

 will then go over this area, after which miles of standard-gauge railroad to 

 Chief Forester Graves and his assist- open up the area. Since this road will 

 ants will, it is expected, make final ar- also open up other National Forest tim- 

 rangements with the company in San ber and will be a common carrier, it 

 Francisco, and the contract of sale will creates another safeguard against mo- 

 be signed. nopoly. The company is given a cutting 



"The Forest Service," said Mr. period of twenty-two years to remove 



Graves in speaking of this sale, "has the timber, besides an additional two 



received a number of inquiries whether years for the construction of logging 



in selling so much timber to a single and manufacturing facilities. The sale 



purchaser the Government may not be was publicly advertised for six months 



opening the way to a monopolistic con- in order to give an opportunity for all 



trol of local lumber markets. Other who wished to compete for the contract 



correspondents are disturbed lest the to make bids, as is done in all large Na- 



sale prove a bad bargain for the Gov- tional Forest sales, 



ernment through the rise in value of "No business organization would un- 



the timber in the twenty-two years dur- dertake the heavy investment necessary 



ing which the company will cut. in such cases unless the handling of a 



"Such large and long-time sales of large body of timber and a sufficient 



National Forest timber as that to the period in which to remove it under 



California company are a new develop- practical logging conditions are assured, 



ment in the Forest Service. Great bodies The great difficulty in making such 



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