Arizorra's Growing Industry-"Lumber"

By Robert V. Baker, Secetary:Man4ge\ Lumbecmetrts CIub of Arizona.

Arizona is not commonly thought of as being a timber State. The average person is unaware of the enormous amount of excelleit itanding pine timber that is listed with the State's numerous resources. It is indeed fortunate that Arizona has been late in developing its lumber supply, for, under supervised cutting, future generations will look more and more to this State to supply much oI the sorely needed pine timber.

Figures taken from a recent survey made of the Arizona forests by the U. S. Forest Service in co-operation with the National Lumber Manufacturers Association, show to us that Anzona possesses in standing timber under government control, approximately twelve billion feet. The U. S. Indian Department controls another five billion feet of timber on fndian Reservations and there is about fiftv million feet in private holdings. The State itself, with its forty-six thousand acres of timber lands owns approximately 230,000,000 feet, making a grand total of about 18,000,000,000 feet of timber within the State boundaries.

Our Arizola forests consist chiefly of the Ponderosa species of pine, commonly known to the forestry departrnent as "Westerir yellow pine," but referred to by State operators and consumers as "Arizona native white pine." Lumber that is produced from this species of timber affords an exceptional wood, soft, light, white, and of even texture, which accounts for the high esteem in which it is held by the consumer and builder, not only for its extreme beauty in the finish lumber for interior work. but for its easv workable features.

The Arizona pine is characterized by its straight, clear trunk with its long narrow open crowns of hugely bent branches. The bark of the tree is of a reddish hue and is peculiar in the fact that it is made up of numerous small concave scales.

The average life of this species of pine is from three hundred and fifty to five hundred years, and grows to a leight above the ground of from one hundred twenty- five to one hundred and forty feet, with diameters ranging from two to five feet. These trees form extensive forests in altitudes of five to nine thousand feet, but also thrive in altitudes as low as three thousand feet. A great many of the trees in these forests are over-matured. beinE very noticeable by their spiked tops, i. e., where the top"of thl trees appear to be dying. If these trees were cut down and opened up, you would find that they would contain a great percentage of rot.

This timber area is not only important to this State for its lurnber- production, but its carpets afford us grazing for approximately 290,000 head of clttle and 280,0@-sheep-.

It also is the main water shed for our large irrigation projects in central Arizona, and the streams that feed our rivers originate in this regio.n.

It has been found that artificial reforestation in the Arizona forests is not practical because of the excessive cost. and slow growth. Where extensive cutting is being carried on, natural reforestation is thg method depended upon as it has proven to be the most efticient and eionomical means. Under this method, a few matured trees are left standing to reforest the adjoining cut-over area. With our present available supply of some eighteen billion feet of timber, and with the present plan of operations being pursued by our State manufacturers under the supervision of the U. S. Forest Service, it is said that no man can look far enough into the future to see the end of this timber supply.

The first saw mill of importance to start in this State was built in Flagstaff, Arizona in the year 1881, by A. W. Ayer. Two years later this mill was taken over by the Riordan brothers and has'been operated ever since by them under the name of the "Arizona Lumber & Timber Company." It is truly said that the brothers, Mr. T. A. and Mr. M. J. Riordan are the pioneers of the lumber industry in this State. The mill was primarily built for the purpose of producing ties for the construction of the Atlantic-Pacific Railroad, which is now the Santa Fe. In these early days of the industry in this State, conditions were very crude, the logs being hauled to the mill on four wheel trucks, drawn by oxen and mules, the annual output being about twelve million feet. Fifteen years or so later, the mill at Williams, Arizona which is the gateway to the Grand Canyon of Arizona was constructed by the Saginaw-Man- cons istee Lumber Com istee Company, and has been under their'supervision ever since, they being one of the largest shippers in the State today. In 1909 the third large mill in the State was built in Flagstaff by Mr. J. C. Dolan, Ed McGonicle, and John Verkamp, and was operated under the narne of the Flagstaff Lumber and Timber Company, it being taken over later by Mr. Tom Pollock of Flagstaff who ran it until after the war in 1918, at which time this mill was included with the Cady Lumber Corporation's purchase of the Cooley mill which was also operated by Mr. Pollock at what is now known as McNary, Arizona. In the past year the Cady Lumber Corporition has taken over-the Standard Mill at Standard, Arizona. During the past two years, this company has made extensive improvements in all three of these mills, replacing the older and inadequate

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