73 



One of the (luestioius eontaiiied in the letters of inquiry was as fol- 

 lows : 



Is lliero danger of the timber supply failing ? 



To this, twelve replies in the affirmative were reeeived 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 Oregou. 



Ship more Uimber from the East. 



Protect from lire. 



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 lied 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 strohus) from the lake region, Kedwood [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 rei)orts 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, 18,000,000 feet 



Note. — These figures can hardly be used to convey an idea of the quantities of 

 lumber m.anufactured 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 betwee^ 150,000,000 and 200,000,000 feet of native timber 

 and of 40,000,000 to 50,000,000 feet imported would aj^pear to represent more nearly 

 the amount of lumber consumed in the region. 



Idaho. — Five 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 cu.t. 



Wijoming. — Only one mill out 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. 



The numbers refer to those used in the account by Mr. Sud worth in this report. 



