The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-08-31
THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.
Some Startling Figures as to Tim
Der SteaiIng-Extent and infiu-
ence Of Irrigation Works.

Some Startling Figures as to Tim
Der SteaiIng-Extent and Influ-
ence OF Irrigation Works.
The Secretary OF Agriculture has is
sued lengthy report on the Forest
Conditions OF the Rocky Mountains, :"
in which much information OF an in
teresting character is given. The for
est area OF the Rockies includes large
portions of Idaho, Montana and Wy
oming Territories, and also OF Col
orado. There are also smaller tracks
in Utah and New Mexico. The inn
portance OF the districts surrounding
these forests has largely increased.
The pioneer days are rapidly disap-
pearing before the energetic push and
advancement OF railroad building
and settlements, and, to use the words
OF the report, with the changed con-
ditions OF life in communities instead
of in isolated log huts, change in the
manner OF life and its adjustments to
the demands OF civilized existence is
called for" In point of population,
the Rocky Mountain region has grown
very rapidly during the last seventeen
years; in 1870 the inhabitants number
ed only 263, 236, whereas in 1886 the
total exceeded 100000. The assessed
valuation, exclusive of mines, increas-
ed during the same period from less
than 800. 900, 900 to over $3.50, 600, 900.
The growth is largely attributed In the
liberal Government policy in reguard
70 railroad grants, mineral claims and
land entries. About one-third of the
total grants have been for educational
purposes, and under the desert land
act 1,i93,548 acres have been given up
at 81 an acre. Under the timber Gull
ture act, about 400,O 900 acres have been
entered.
In 1887 the Commissioner of the
Land office instituted service of spec
ial agents, and in 1878 special ap-
preparation OF $500 was made ito
meet the expenses OF suppressing dep
rotations upon timber on the public
lands" Yet during the seven years
ending 1877 nearly &S7,O0O,OOO worth
OF timber was stolen. or this loss
about half million dollars was re-
covered by the efforts of the special
agents, who collected from depreda-
tors $4,000 more than they drew for
salary and expenses during the period.
Much OF this stealing was from the
district covered by the report, and the
losses are regarded as especially Sc
S>fious from the fact that the climate of
the region is not naturally favorable
to tree growth, at any rate not to the,
termination Of seeds OF coniferous
trees, which form there the natural
growth. These unfavorable conditions
are moreover increased by wholesale
clearing, which lays bare the thin
soil to the influence OF drying sun and
winds, and by the frequency OF fires
which destroy the seedlings Under
the circumstance the rapid selling
and granting OF timber lands is not re-
garded as good policy, and the conse-
quences of a similar course in France,
Switzerland, Spain and Italy are
quoted in support of the argument
The forests OF the Rocky Mountains
sustain an important relation to the
western half of the Unitol States, if,
indeed, their influence is not more
widely extended. They are mostly
situated on the lands of the General
Government, and are not subject to
State or Territorial control. In the
opinion OF the department. the meas
ures in force for their maintenance
and protection are Extremely ineffect-
ual." The Rocky Mountains them
selves include all the mountains in
North America between the Great
Plains and the Pacific Ocean, extend
ing to the Attic Ocean on the north
and to Mexico ON the south. The
greatest exsanse is between the thirty
eighth and forty-second degrees OF
north latitude, where the system has a
breadth OF 1000 miles, chiefly in Utah
Colorado and Nevada The highest
peak is Mount st. Elias. in Alaska,
which rises to an altitude OF l9.500-,
feet above the sea level. The noun
tains are generally massive and rug
ged, with vast solitudes and deep can
yons in their midst. The average
elevation in Montlna Is 5000 feet; in
Idaho, 400; in Wyoming, 5000; in
Colorado, 1000, and in New Mexico,
$500.
Land in this region appears at first
sight TO be worthless, but experiments
prove it to be extremely fertile. On
the great Columbia plains OF Eastern
Washington no wheat was sown few
years ago, and no one thought Of SOW
ing any. but now some of the finest
wheat fields of the world can be found
on it. The arabic lands of the Rocky
Mountains are mainly in the valleys,
which have gathered the detritus of the
mountains for ages. The soil is there
fore very deep and fertile, SO much so
that two crops can be obtained in one
year. The extraordinary mining de-
velopement Of the region and its i'm
mense grazing resources are widely
known and appreciated, but its agri-
cultural possibilities are not at present
generally appreciated. In some locali-
ties in the mountains farming opera
tions are carried on successfully in the
mountain districts, but as rule, the
aid of irrigation has to be sought, and
always with gratifying results Colo
RADIO has 1000 miles of main irrigating
canals, $500 miles of second-class
canals and 10000 miles OF bitches.
Wyoming has over 800, 600 acres under
irrigation. In Utah there are 1910
miles of main and 1850 miles of tribu-
tary canals, irrigating $4,000 acres.
New Mexico has as much land under
irrigation as Utah, with projected
works OF far greater extent Idaho
and Montana have both considerable