Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 9.djvu/188

170 John Minto. from our side of the line, and men who had lived long enough near the center of the Cascade forest reserve, are now perma- nent residents of the Yukon Valley. In the spring of 1907 the United States Forester sold stump- age off land in California near the Oregon line at $2.00 per M. The mills in Marion County had to get stump age much cheaper to compete in the San Francisco market with those on the McLeod River, 350 miles nearer. It is understood that this year the Forester is selling lodge-pole pine railroad ties. The reports, however, have not yet come to hand. The report of the cut in Wyoming for the year ending June 30, 1907, was 233,000,000 feet, board measure, valued at $644,202.26. Oregon's account of the same date is 28,643,589 feet, board measure, sold at $48,526.50; but the Forester's accounts are of range rentals as well as lumber sold, for the latest of which I am under obligation to Hon. F. W. Benson, Secretary of State for Oregon, as will be seen from the following letter : State of Oregon, Hon. John Minto, Salem, May 29, 1908. Salem, Oregon. Dear Sir :— Responding to your request of the 26th, to be advised of the amounts received from the National Govern- ment from five per centum of the sales of public lands and also ten per centum of the amounts received from sales of forest reserve timber, and rentals, etc., have to advise you as follows : On account of five per centum of the proceeds of the sales of public lands : 1899 $ 1,475.84 1900 4,404.06 1901 , 11,763.45 1902 15,113.55 1903. . 23,365.90 1904 90,135.24 1905 64,562.24 1906 , 28,212.37 1907 22,489.56 1908 74,011.17 $335,533.38