Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-08-26
WORLDS Fair.

Hark, ChlcagO, August loS0.--lt Is Il
surprising fact that no country in the
world exhibits larger trees at the
Worlds Fair than does Idaho. 1t is
source of wonder to all that this
state, which has generally been con
sidered barren, sage brush plateau,
should have such a forestry representa-
ton. A gentleman who runs saw
mill at Tacoma in the neighborlng state
of Washington laughed at the idea of
Idaho making a forestry exhibit, and
he thought log cabin was the most
inappropriate thing the state could
have at the Far. He was 10th to be-
lieve the statement that Idaho has
ten million acres of just such timber
rs is shown at jackson Park. The
Union Pacific in their book entitled
"Idaho" say "The railroad travellers
crossing eastern and southern Idaho,
after traversing the vast extent of
sage brush plains, would hardly mag
inc that within the state there are i'm
mense forests of timber, in many
places so thick as to exclude the light
of the SUM-" This is the impression
that the overland tourist has gained
OF Idaho, and the forestry exhibit she
has made at the Columbian Exposi-
tion will go long ways toward dis
pelling this error.
The Idaho State building itself is
magnificent forestry exhibit with Its
uniform cedar logs and long fir jOist.
sJust look at this door" IS remark
heard many times day, and crowd
viii then gather around the huge pun
cheon door and swing it back and
forth to examine it critically, and to
convince themselves it is only one
piece. There are many varieties of
wood shown in the Idaho building,
and these are all seen in a small
shield with the state seal engraved
thereon, containing twenty-five varie-
ties of idaho trees.
But it IS in the main forestry build
ing that Idaho has made her technical
exhibit. The entire exhibit contains
just 40 pieces, but its size can be bet
ter judged when it is known that some
of the specimens weigh nearly ton.
There are eight sections of tree trunks,
tamarac, cottonwood, white pine, yell
low pine, red fir, red ceder, white
spruce and red spruce, each Of which
is from four to six feet in diameter.
These cuts are about three or four feet
high, and are notched on one side
about half the diameter of the tree,
thus showing the grain at different
angles. Half of the face is highly
vanished, and the other left natural.
One of these large blocks is set on
each corner of the platform which
makes Idaho's space abont twenty
feet by twenty-four. In the center
of the space is column, the base be-
ing a large section of pine the bark
only showing, and on top of this a
cedar cut into an octagOn. Above
this is a small house, rooted with
shakes. and sided with shingles. The
roof is six or seven feet long, and it
takes just five shakes to reach the
length. There are three large planks
of tamarac, red fir and red ceder, and
one large pine has been cut through
the heart. A white pine about four
feet in diameter has been quartered,
and section placed on top Of each
Of the four corners. There are sew
eral small pieces Of other woods plac-
ed promiscuously around the space.
Pocatello and Montpelier have each
contributed table for this exhibit,
which are worthy of special mention.
They are made of different kinds of
weed, and thousands of pieces have
been used. The top Of one is a repre-.
sentation Of our flag in different col
ored weeds.
The entire exhibit has cost the
state less than five-hundred dollars.
Other states have spent ten times
this sum, and have not as much to
show as Idaho. Some Of them are
very grand, but after all none Of them