Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-03-19
Forests of Idaho.

The writer of this article, in riding |
over the Oregon Short Line railroad, is
frequently amused by queries like the
following: "Where do these towns
and people procure the lumber and
wood that is used by them" "rhis
country is devoid of TIMBER" "All the
wood and timber used in Idaho must
be brought from Oregon" etc. We
are not surprised at these remarks,
coming as they do from strangers who,
in passing through the state, only see
the sage brush and dust. Could they
drive north from Boise or Shoshone
less than seventy-five miles all their
queries i'm this respect would be
answered, and instead of gazing upon
sage brush, which is indicative of the
most fertile soil, they would be sur
rounded by immense forests of red
pine and fir timber, trees whose tops
kiss the ever blue sky; whose boughs,
swaying in the breeze, produce sound
similar to the moaning of the sea ut
eventide. Nature has bestowed her
richest gifts on the Seem of the Noun
tains," and in her distribution of the
many good things which makes life
pleasure in Idaho, she has not forgot
ten to give us an abundant supply of
the finest timber. The residents Of
many parts of the state do not know
the fortunes that are in our mountains,
in the way of timber. The writer was
recently asked by prominent business
man in Boise to estimate the amount
of timber in the state. l answered
that l had been in Minnesota and Wis
consin, on the Chippewa, st. Croix
and upper Mississippi rivers, whit h
are great timber localities of those
states, many years ago, before the axe
of the woodman had laid low those
great forests, and by way of comparison
would state that within scope of
country 800 miles long north and south
and $50 miles wide east and west, in
the state of Idaho, l believe there is a
greater amount of timber now standing
and growing in Idaho than was ever
in the forests of Minnesota and Wis
consin combined. This has the APP
pearance of rather extensive asser-
ton, but if actual measurement could
be had 1 am confident that my esti-
mate is not to high. Recently the rep
resentative of an extensive lumber
manufacturing firm, of Chicago, Wis
tied the lumber regions of Idaho and
on his return remarked: 1--WE once
thought we had timber in Michigan,
but Idaho presents the grandest bo-
nanza for the lumberman l have ever
had the pleasure of inspecting" The
timber of Idaho Is composed mostly
of red pine, red fir and tammerack.
The trees grow tall. have seen trees
and not few, that would run 40 to sc
feet without touching limb and many
are from to 10 feet in diameter. The
grain and fiber Of the timber manu-
featured from these trees are very
firm, and the general character is q
very much harder and tougher lumber
than that made from pine secured in
any other part of the United States
Idaho's forests are unknown and un
explored. Comparatively few tree.
have been cut. Certain laws of the
United States, which will soon be OBJ
waited by statehood, has prevented
the wholesale slaughter of our forests
as has been the condition in OtheI
States. The timber of Idaho is easy q
access and expectation. 1t covers the
mountainous portions of the State
which are traversed by rivers, whereby
logs can be fioated to the railroads. II
the reader desires to view the wonders
of nature in regard to how bountifu
she has supplied us with forests that
are the grandest on earth, and noun
tain scenery that can not be excelled
in any part of the globe, the writer
would invite him to trip up the Pay.
cite or Clearwater RIVERA. l.. Tyner
in Boise Statesman.