Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1899-06-30
WILL SOON Be SETTLED,
Special Agent Schwartz Tells Of His
investigations.

1 NnIUcti6dIUuo.
w. II. Schwartz. special agent
for the land office, appears to think
that there is fair prospect for the
immediate settlement of the forest
reserve question, SO far as the
Hump is concerned.
While in Lewiston Mr.. Schwartz
talked freely and said, among
other things:
"The government thoroughly ap
preciates the desire of the citizens
OF Idaho that speedy action be
taken in the matter of cutting out
or adding to the forest reservation.
Senator Shoup has made very earn
est representations to the president
and the department on behalf OF
the petitions from this state, and
has been ably supported by Sen
ator Heitfeld.
"But it should be borne in mind
that forest reservation sentiment
has never been strong in those
states where the reserves lie, and
hence the necessity for a personal
investigation before action is taken
by the department. This feeling is
national, as the forest reservation
law is confessedly law for the
benefit Of the whole nation, and
the people who are out in the west
subduing the wilderness and ad-
vancing the lines Of civilization do
not readily see the exact justice of
Withholding present opportunities
from them for the benefit of the
whole nations posterity.
Gas soon as the petition for set
ting a part of the reservation was
received by the commissioner of the
general land Office the investiga-
ton began. have already made
two trips into the Hump in con-
nection with the matter. The first
trip was by way of Elk City and
Badger. A careful investigation
was made of the timber from Bad
ger in and along the headwaters of
Crooked creek, Crooked river, Lake
creek and Sheep creek. There is
very little saw timber along these
waters, but there is very fine
conservative there in the shape of
dense growths of black pine and in
ferior frs.
"The second trip by me was
made from April Goth to May 21st.
l was accompanied by B. Murphin,
a mining man we'll known from
New York to the KlOndike. We
visited and inspected all the pros
poets and mines in the Hump where
it was possible to get at and view
the mineral discoveries. 1t would
do no harm to the general public
to add that we found we'll adver-
tised claims whose development
is sunk in country rock, and whose
mineral is nil, or, at best, a string
of bull quartz an inch thick and
carrying nothing but Silica. On
the other hand there are at least q
dozen prospects there that give
every indication Of developing into
good mines.
con this last trip we visited Big
Cove, and traversed the divide
from Slate creek to the Hump,
went down Ten-Mile creek from
the Hump to the Clearwater, fol-
lowed the Clearwater past Twenty
Mile creek, and then went south
again along the divide between
Twenty-Mile and John creek till
we were east of the confluence of
John Creek and American river.
From there we went east again
to the Blue Ridge, and then back
to Mill creek and north to the
Cove. In this section we found
quite lot Of nice saw timber
some Of the bodies in the Cove COM
pairing favorably with the Wiscon-
sin pine.
"There is little or no timber on
Ten-Mile creek north of the Hump,
some on the Blue Ridge, and some
very pretty groves on the divide or
ridge between Twenty-Mile and
John creek. Some good pine stands
along American creek few miles
east of the old placer camp. Mill
creek district is pretty thoroughly
burned over. We left the snow
about ten miles north Of the Hump.
and after that had good oppor-
tunity to see the mineral indica-
tions. They are fiattering near the
Hump on Ten-Mile. There are
fine indications we'll up on Twenty
Mile and along American river.
About four miles west of the place
where American and John creeks
meet some old placer miners are
working on a twenty-foot placer
Gaping that plainly cuts the whole
mountain for over a mile.
"Colors can be found anywhere
in the country, and there is every
fair indication that the Hump has
great future before it as the CEN
ter of rich mining district"
False Alarm.
From Fridays daily.
The fire bell sounded shortly
after 8 O'Clock this morn