40"? 


(7 
able. Ina recent communication received from the superintendent of 
the Western Union Telegraph Company, at Omaha, Nebr., he says: 
We are not now using any native poles, but, for what renewals are made and new 
lines built white Cedar poles are shipped from the East—obtained mainly in Mich- 
igan and Ohio. In the lines built several years ago pine was used. 
The superintendent of the Colorado Telephone Company at Denver 
states that telegraph and telephone poles should be cut in winter, when 
the trees are not full of sap. Experiments in applying preserving 
processes for poles, tarring, charring, etc., have not been satisfactory. 
The nature of the soil greatly affects durability. There exists also 
this practical objection, that as contracts provide that poles shall be 
delivered ‘‘at the stake,” for lines of consicerable length preserving 
processes are not feasible. 
MINING. 
In connection with the mining industry in this region,a great amount 
of timber is annually consumed, of which it is impossible to give even 
an approximate estimate. But itis larger in the aggregate than one 
unacquainted with the facts would suppose. One mining camp in Mon- 
tana, Butte City, established only a few years, it is estimated requires 
at its present state of development not less than 40,000,000 feet, B. M., 
per year, of round and square timber of large size, not to speak of the 
countless number of small trees used for “lagging.” Much of the tim- 
ber used in Utah and Montana is now imported from the Pacific slope, 
as the home supply of good-sized or accessible timber, especially in the 
former Territory, has been exhausted, or timber can be produced more 
cheaply by rail from a distance. Much timber is required for fuel and 
charcoal, especially the latter, which is used extensively in smelting 
operations. The before-mentioned mining camp with its reduction 
works consume, it is estimated, 1,000 cords of fire-wood a day, or about 
30,000,000 cubic feet of solid wood per year. 
CHARCOAL MANUFACTURE. 
From the bestinformation obtainable, it is believed that the charcoal 
burners of the Rocky Mountain region are doing immense injury to 
the forests. They draw their supplies of wood almost wholly from the 
public domain, and although they profess to make large use of dead 
timber, there is no doubt that the growing forests are largely en- 
croached upon by them. <A person well informed upon this subject. 
recently expressed himself thus: 
The charcoal burner is the most conscienceless violator of law that we have, cutting 
everything down to poles 2 inches in diameter. He leaves behind him barrenness and 
desolation. The traffic in charcoal is so exhaustive upon the forests, and so injurious 
to the best interests of the State, that wherever permitted it should be done under a 
license only, by the giving of a bond, and by the rigid enforcement of conditions and 
penalties. There are no reasons why the charcoal burner should longer be allowed to 
prey upon the timber and young forest growth. On the contrary, many strong and 
urgent reasons exist for limiting his operations, 

