The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-03-01


THE wires on February q that the pres
Eent By executive order had made some
new forest reservations in tire stats OF
Warrington. fsw readers az the daily
psrs had any Idea % the magni-
frde cf the reservations. or the far reach
ing CONSCIOUSNESS which this act % Pres
kaent Cleveland might have upon the
welfare Of the state or what serious
check to its growth and development
might result taerefrom-
The full description OF the proposed for
ess reservations IL at hand. The largest
ara most important OF these Is described
a. follows:
NO. s. The Washington forest reserve
Il located IN the state of Washington. and
extends from about the le0fn degree Of
west longitude 20 near.y the I2zd degree,
and from the international boundary
soutbRard 70 a little below the 18Th degree
u latitude II contains an estimated area
o. as40 40 acres. The region embraced
extends over both slopes Of the Cascade
mountains and Ia exceedingly broken and
entirely clothed with forests The reserve
is one OF the most rugzef. difficult, least
known. and least ssttied parts OF the
United States"
A glance az the map OF the state os
Washington shows what this means. IL
takes Ia considerably more than one-ha1
Of the counties Of whatcom and Skagtt;
about ons-third OF Snohomish county and
the entire eastern half OF okanogan coun-
~. Included in the new reservation are
hundreds OF the most prominent mining
properties IN the state which are as ys,
unpatented. In snohognisn county are In
Guided nearly the whole OF the Monte Cris~
20 district, the Goat lake district. all the
mineral part OF Sultan river togethec with
Elk creek; stnlsguarnish in silvsrton. the
North fork Of the sdllaguaznish, and the
White Horse districts. or three-duarters
OF all of the mineral districts In SnohoEnish
county.
In Skaglt and whatcom counties eli the
new flnds around Hamilton. as well as the
Eaker. Sank Gear creek. and Seattle dis
tricts; al tho mineral on streams triou-
tary 10 the Skagit. such as Cascade,
Thunder. Ruby. Slate. Panther and Gran
tie creeks. are reserved.
In Eastern Washington the entire Met
how country 1. included within the new
reservation. AZ are also the stehekin. Rail
road. Meadow, Fish. Twisp. and Cascade
creeks; the Entrat. Chemaro. and Mead
rivers and the greater portion Of Lake
Chelan. TIE reservation comes to within
ten miles of Conconully and within NJ
teen miles of Palmer mountain.
Over tArss-quarters o. this entire 'ror-
est reserve there Is not q single standing
stick OF merchandise timber. the whols
country being rugged mountains covered
by scrub timber. only ct TO Be used for
mining purposes or as FIRE wood But the
country Is one Of the richest mineral belts
IN ths United States Included In II ara
thousands OF mineral locations In various
stages OF development. 10 many of which
thousands OF dollars have been spent.
while the most undeveloped claim repre-
sents the toll and hardship which soma
poor prospeosor has undergone that others
might come after him and profit by his
work
The future OF this state is largely bound
| up in the development Of the land includ-
| ed IN this reservation. II Il to the mining
| development OF this region that our citi-
| gems have been hopefully looking to re-
coup themselves for the heavy losses
| which they have experienced during the
| past few years OF depression and hard
/ times. and 70 start the state once more
| on the road 70 prosperity. Millions OF dol
lars worth OF wealth have already been
uncovered in the lands lying within this
| reservation. and capital Is being actively
| enlisted In the work O. further develop
| ment.
BY a simple executivs order. apparently
| without the fainteSt conception on earth
| OF what he was doing. what the character
OF the country was or WHOSE interests were
being iuperllsd. the president. in the clos
| ing hours OF hts administration. has with
| drawn tAls land from entry under the land
laws. under the pretext CT making "f,y-
| est reservation" q a barren. stony and
snow cad range ~ usountains which. how
| ever are stored vita vas, treasures OF
i mineral wealth.
| No more serious blow was ever inhict q.
| upon TINS ttatH NlfhN AfttN- - HltAsAAsA
islature could not. bad q passsd the nos;
| rsdica, measure proposed. have dons the
| state "a much damage ss VIII result IL
| tsjs executive order remains unu,odieed.
II g TOO late 20 bring the matter before
the present administration. bat as soon as
| President Mckinley takas his seat taers
shoud BE- very earnest and strenuous e.
fort made from Al parts of the state 70
have tsis order revoked. - Gar. 81 least,
- it Affects mining elasrus. Il Is Eaas.iy
o,undsr. committed :rom absolute lack Of
know,efse ~ anything connected wis
the subsect ard should Re recuaed at eucs
bescre the mining development % the stass
receives a perm A.lent set back
Fortunately the senate has. AZ The last
moment. prevented Immediate execution
cf the order