FOREST POLICY. 



to depend. Skidding by horses during the winter months forms 

 the rule. Sleighing over ice roads to the lakes or rivers. Wages 

 of workmen about $28 (with full board) per month. Large amount 

 of timber consumed by the iron mines of northeastern Minnesota. 

 Logs are worth $3.40 on stump, and $8.09 at mill. 



The leather industry is small, hemlock lacking. Nine tan- 

 neries use 107 cords of bark, 37 barrels of extract and a little 

 gambier and quebracho. 



Relative to paper and pulp industry, no data are given by 

 the i2th census. Possibilities are very good, since there is plenty 

 of spruce. Big Weyerhauser mill near Duluth. 



6. Forestry movement: Since 1876 a forestry association 

 encourages prairie planting. Bounties for prairie planting since 

 i8gi. Arbor Day since 1883-1884. The Hinckley fire, of Septem- 

 ber I, 1894, through which a large number of lives and many mil- 

 lions of dollars worth of stumpage were lost, caused the creation 

 of a forest fire warden system, effective enough to prevent a sec- 

 ond Hinckley conflagration, but insufficient for the absolute 

 safety of forestal investments. The legislators hailing from the 

 prairies antagonize outlays benefitting the wooded portion of the 

 State. The State auditor is "forest commissioner." 



Town supervisors and the mayors of cities are constituted 

 fire wardens and are fined for neglect of duty. Remuneration 

 only $2 per day for not to exceed 15 days annually (two-thirds 

 paid by county and one-third by State). The chief fire warden 

 ($1,200 salary) is appointed by the State auditor; he maintains 

 and superintends the activity of the fire wardens; has authority to 

 mass them at points of danger; controls an emergency fund of 

 "$5,000 for suppression of fires. Annual forest statistical reports 

 of great value, by General C. C. Andrews. 



Forestry lectures by Prof. S. B. Green at the Minnesota 

 State College of Agriculture. 



The proposition to establish a national park at the Chip- 

 pewa Indian reserve ceded to the United States was enthusiasti- 

 cally upheld by the Minnesota Federation of Women's Clubs and 

 by the railroads. The influence of the lumbermen caused partial 

 defeat of the park bill. As the law stands, the agricultural lands 

 of the Chippewa reserve are to be opened to settlers; the pine 

 lands, after the tirnber is sold at public auction, will form (with- 

 out the President's proclamation) a national forest reserve. 5% 



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