Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-11-06

mountain range and its spurs, and to de
tached clusters OF mountains. Nearly 81
OF the territory west OF the Rocky noun
tains 10 mountainous, and here is the great
est and most valuable body of timber. Ii
size and appearance the trees here partakt
OF the Washington territory and Oregon
type; while trees in the Eastern portion o
the territory resemble in appearance and
growth those Of the Atlantic coast.
Timber does not grow in the valleys OF
in the bench lands. but along the margin o.
all the streams there usually grove q mar
row fringe OF poplar, cotton wood, quakinl
asp, alder and willow. These are unfit for
lumber, but are used for fencing log houses
| and barns.
Railroads now trav6rse nearlye every prln.
cipal valley and transportlumDer from the
tlmDered district, for consumption in the
inherent cities, towns and mining camps,
where it is sold at reasonable prices. The
smelling furnaces and quartz mills use a
large amount OF wood for fuel, and, in the
shape OF charcoal, for smelling purposes.
but they are How rapidly getting to use the
excellent quality OF coal and ok being
mined and manufactured in the territory,
and will soon cease to use wood and char
coal altogether.
The greatest destruction OF timber is in
the forest fires which occur tt some extent
every year. During the past summer more
timber has been destroyed by fire in Mon
a than could have been used by our
entire population in a generation. During
the summer the weather was exceedingly
hot and dry. Little or no rain fell from
the middle of April up to the middle OF
September. Tourists teamsters, hunters,
Indians, prospectors and Others were care.
less about camp fires, and after leaving
them burning, the wind would set the leaves
and dry grass On fire around them, which
would extend to the timber and continue
burning until the fuel was exhausted or
the fires e~xtinguished by rains or snow ID
September. Our territorial laws provide
for those who set out or cause fires, if de.
tected, but detection is almost impossible,
because there is NJ particular person or
officer appointed to watch for fires, and ne
sufficient pay provided.
Reliable statistics are not TO be had
which would show the value of timber pro-
duced in the territory. According to the
reports OF the several county assessors for
the year 1888, there we're, that wear,
ninety-eight sawmills in operation in the
territory, and their product amounted to
67,474,575 feet of lumber, but this ia no
doubt far short OF the actual figures. 1
estimate, from the most reliable iDforma-
tion at hand, that there were produced
during the past twelve months 15O, 600, 900
feet OF sawed lumber in the territory, all
OF which was consumed within our own
borders. This, valued at SIS per thou
sand. would be worth $22, SOC, 600.
The introduction and use If wire for
fencing by our farmers and stockmen will
save us vast amounts of timber each year,
which otherwise would be used for thatpur-
sg
The railroads use coal exclusively for
fuel, OF which there is an abundant supply,
SO that the great consumption of timber
is for building and mining purposes, and
there is no danger but that the supply is
ample to meet the wants OF generations to
come. Yet these facts should be no reason
amy wanton waste OF our fine forest re-