The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1893-08-26
IDAHO At THE FAIR.
The Forestry Exhibit Attracts Much Attsn
tioa and Inquiry.

IDAHO STATE BUILDING,
JACKSON PARK, CHICAGO, Aug. S3.
Special Correspondence.
1t is a surprising fact that no country
in the world exhibits larger trees at the
worlds fair than does Idaho. 1t is a
source Of wonder to all that this state,
which has been considered, generally, a
barren, sagebrush plateau, should have
such a forestry representation. \ gen
tleman who runs saw mill at Tacoma
laughed at the idea Of Idaho making a
forestry exhibit and thought a log cabin
was the most Inappropriate thing the
state could have at the fair. He was
10th to believe the statement that Idaho
has 100000 acres of just such timber
as is shown at Jackson Park. The In
ion Pacific's book on Idaho says: The
railroad travellers crossing eastern and
southern Idaho, after trasersing the
vast extent of sagebrush plains, would
hardly imagine that within the state
there are immense forests Of timber, in
many places SO thick rs to exclude the
light of the SUM-" The states forestry
exhibit here has done much to dispel
the travellers error.
The Idaho building itself is a magnif-
icent forestry exhibit, with its uniform
cedar logs and long fir joists. Just
look at this door, is q remark heard
many times day, and crowd will as
semble around the huge puncheon door
and swing it back and forth to examine
it critically and to convince themselves
that it is only one piece of wood. There
are many varieties OF wood shown in
our building, and these are all seen in a
shield with the state seal engraved upon
it the shield containing - varieties OF
Idaho trees.
But it is in the main forestry building
that Idaho has made her technical ex-
hibit. There are just Is pieces in the
display, but its size can be better judge
when it is known that some of the sam
pies weigh nearly ton. There ar,
eight sections of Northumberland
cottonwood, white and yellow pine, rec
fir, red cedar, white and red spruce
each of which is from four to six fee
in diameter. These cuts are three o.
four feet high, and are notched on on,
side about half the diameter of the tree
thus showing the grain at different ang
les. Half Of the face is highly varnish
ed and the other half left natural On,
of these large blocks is set on each cor
ner of the platform which constitute:
Idaho's space, 20x2i feet. In the cen
ter of this space Is IA column, the bas,
being large section of pine, the bari
only showing, and above this is ceda
cut into an octagon. Above this agaiI
is small house, rooted with shake
and sided with shingles the roof is 81,
or seven feet long and it takes just fiv
shakes to reach the length. There ar
also three large planks of tamarac, re,
cedar and red fir, and one large pine la
been cut through the heart Small sam
Piles of other woods are placed promis
cuousiy about the space.
Pocatello and Montpelier have eacl
contributed table to this exhibit, an,
tAey are worthy of special mention
They are made of different kinds o
wood and thousands Of pieces have beel
used. The top Of one is representa-
ton of our flag finished up in differen
coiored woods.
The whole exhibit has cost the stat
less than 500. Other states have spen
ten times this sum and have no. a
much to show as Idaho. Some of then
are very grand, but, after all, none hav
such magnificent material in the rougl
as has our state.
1daho's space is near the south en-
trance of the building, on the mail
aisle. She is indeed surrounded by :
motley crowd. On the north is an ex
hibit Of iRdurated- fibre ware; on tn,
west some one has model Of n winte
wood thawing apparatus for saw mills
on the south is display Of cork and T.;
miniature representation Of the Baiti
more forest in North Carolina; acros.
the main aisle to the east is the magnif
icent exhibit of the Arnold arboretuu
Of Harvard university.