Lumbertnen Suspend Operations to Help Park Authorities

Superintendent Le'wis in Washington Gathering Data Re*ardin'"P,,rivate":;:*"Y$::tSif*,ff.""daries-

Washington, D. C., March n,-All lumber companies Officials of the National Park Service have repeatedly ownilg timber land within the boundaries of Yosemite Na- pointed out that private lands within national park bountional Park have suspended operations pending the outcome daries cannot be preserved by the Park Service. "Private of the controversy regarding the acquisition by the govern- owners are legally entitled to do with their lands what they ment of privately owned lands in the park, W. B. Lewis, wish," Stephen T. Mather, Director of the Service says, and superintendent of Yosemite, now in Washington, stated only through prompt action by Congress or by private entoday. terprise, can these lands be made a part of the park.

Assurance from the lumber companies that not another tree will be cut on pri'"1" i""ar-irrir y."r gives officials of

No "Big Trees" Affected

the National Park Service adequate time t6 determine the Thro3S! a recent exchange of property between the Navaluation of the entire area of privately owned property in tional Park Service and lumber interests, the p_ark -acquired the park for presentation to Cbngress next wiriter, in-the the beautiful timber land along_the Wawona Road_leading hope that fifty per cent of the mon*ey necessary to purchase from Mariposa Grove into the Yosemite Valley. While the the land wili be appropriated, the other half to be raised cutting of the timber on the land which the lumber comby contribution.

Lewis came to washington to ascertain the exact area or

iffi::,:'t"*:S ;f$n-; ff,ttti

the privately owned land, which is approximately 10,000 highways, is-not as.scenic as most.portions of the park and acrei and is practically all held by lumber compdnies, and is so situated that it is seldom vislted by tourists. to compile the assessed valuation of this area. Contrary to the general impression, there is no intention,

How Problem Arose

whatever th€ outcome of the present controversy regarding

The present controversy has arisen, Lewis explains, over the p.rivate la14s within the boundaries, to cut any lequor.as, the cu[ting of timber on lands within the boirndaries of Lewis said. The timber 9n tlre private lands is yellow pine Yosemite which have been privately owned ever since the and sugar pine, all of the Sequoias being owned by the park was originally created from the public domain. Or- government. iginally some 20,000 acres within the boundaries were so The suggested boundary changes in Yosemite by which held, but the government has gradually been acquiring this 7,0@ acres of the privately owned lands would be eliminated land until now only approximately 10,000 acres of the total and a larger area on the east side of the park, in the region area of 753,000 acres are held by private interests. The known as Devils Post Pile, acquired, has not been approved essential problem, Lewis points out, is simply one of the by the President's Co-ordinating Committee. disposition of the remaining privately owned lands, which "The committee has definitely concluded not to recomwere heldiy private interests before Yosemite Park was mend any change in the bounadry for the present, the Dicreated. These lands were acquired by their owners be- rector of the Service said in a recent statement, "hoping that cause of their timber value and they are entitled to com- it will be possible to secure private lands within the park pensation just the same as if the lands did not happen to boundary 6y purchase or by exchange for government timbe located within the borders of a national park. ber outside the present boundary."

R. F. HAMTLTON ATTET$DrNG TEXAS CONVENTIdN

R. F. Hamilton, manager of western sales for the Pacific Lumber Company, is on a two weeks' trip to Texas. Mr. Hamilton attended the convention of the Lumbermen's Association of Texas, April 10 to 12.

E. E.

Chas.