
é 

73 
One of the questions contained in the letters of inquiry was as fol- 
lows : 
Is there danger of the timber supply failing? 
To this, twelve replies in the affirmative were received and nine in 
the negative. Five correspondents stated there was no danger of the 
supply failing unless the timber was destroyed by fire, and that the 
undergrowth would make good the loss by consumption, and one stated 
that the timber would last for a hundred years. 
With respect to remedies for failing lumber supply, the following sug- 
gestions were offered : 
Import from Oregon. 
Ship more lumber from the East. 
Protect from fire. 
Post notices to prevent setting of fires. 
Encourage tree planting. 
Plant Oak, Walnut, and Hickory. 
Impose heavy penalties for cutting small timber. 
Timber should be owned by private parties. 
The principal uses made of timber in this region are the manufact- 
ure of lumber, railway ties and timber, mining timber, telegraph poles, 
charcoal, fencing, and fuel. 
LUMBER. 
Yellow Pine (No. 7),* White Pine (No. 2), and Black Pine (No. 9), 
White (Engelmann) Spruce (No. 11), and Red or Yellow Fir (No. 19), 
are the principal timber trees of the region. They furnish most of the 
common and a portion of the finishing lumber. Considerable White 
Pine (Pinus strobus) from the lake region, Redwood (Sequoia sempervi- 
rens) from the Pacific coast, many of the hard woods also, and Southern 
Pine are imported for the finer kinds of work. } 
Approximate estimates, based upon reports received from some of the 
principal lumber dealers of the region, make the consumption of lum- 
ber for the year 1886 as follows: Native, 46,000,000 feet, B. M.; im- 
ported, 15,000,000 feet. 
Nore.—These figures can hardly be used to convey an idea of the quantities of 
lumber manufactured at home or imported into the region, and unless the large but 
quite uncertain quantity of unsawn lumber used in the mines is deducted, they seem 
to be far below the actual amounts used, as will appear from the following results of 
an independent canvass among saw-mill men and statements of railroad companies. 
From these an estimate of between 150,000,000 and 200,000,000 feet of native timber 
and of 40,000,000 to 50,000,000 feet imported would appear to represent more nearly 
the amount of lumber consumed in the region. 
Idaho.—¥F ive mills out of six report an aggregate cut of 4,550,000 feet, while an es_ 
timate places the whole amount of native timber used in the Territory at 17,000,000 to 
19,000,000 feet. (See also page 93.) 
Montana.—Nine mills out of eleven report an aggregate cut of 19,592,000 feet, mainly 
for mine timber, but exclusive of railroad ties and cord-wood, of which large quanti_ 
ties are cut, 
Wyoming.—Only one mill ont of five reports cutting 500,000 feet, and estimating 
the cut for the Territory at 8,000,000 feet outside of railroad and mine timber. 
a —— 
*The numbers refer to those used in the account by Mr. Sudworth in this report. 

