Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-02-06


reserve system, as are also the other
mining companies around Deadwood
Lead City Custer and other Black Hills
camps.
The present agitation for the elm
nation Of tn southwest part Of the Bit
ter Root reserve is not the first move
nent in that direction. The same OBJ
Jegt was petitloucd for in 1899. Pc
t!t.ous were then widely circulated and
signed The petitioners were repre-
scented by the ablest counsel obtainable
and elaborate arguments We're filed in
support Of the petitions. But when the
purposes OF the reserve system became
better understood, when the objects
sought were made plain, when in fact
by Investigating the subject, those most
deeply interested in the lasting pros
perity of that country appreciated the
possibilities for cool that rested in the
reserve system, a great change of seq
timent took place among conservative
people alive to the best interests OF
that community. They could forasee
the enormous demand for timber which
a realization of their hopes in the de-
velopment of the mines would create
and they understood and appreciated
the necessity of safes guarding the
available supply which, though SEEM
ingly great, apparently inexhaustable,
is in truth very limited when compared
with the boundless possibilities of the
mining resources of that part of Idaho.
mo name connected with the recent
mining development of Idaho county is
better known than that of Mr. Frank
Brown of the celebrated Jumbo mine.
Mr. Brown had signed the 1899 petition
but after having longer experience and
after learning the benefits to be de-
rived from an application of forest re-
serve methods he said to me at the
Jumbo mine in the fall Of 1901, I signed
that petition but now since l under
stand the matter better 1 will sign and
circulate remonstrance against it If
you think 1t best to do So Another
mining man deeply concerned at that
time was Mr., Stevens then in charge
of the Buffalo Hump syndicate prop
critics. He had favored the petition
but thorough investigation convinced
him of the desirability, the wisdom of
continuing the forest reserve for the
protection of the timber that is of such
paramount Importance to the develop
ment of that region, and he assured
me that he would communicate his
views to his principals and recommend
a friendly attitude toward the forest
reserve. Other instances of the opin-
trf, Of. a.,
miners might be given.
las respects the present petition
will say that | have not seen it, nor
have been In that part oft he reserve
since 1t was circulated, but I am con-
fident a canvass of the conservative
the country involved, the men who look
to the future as we'll s at the present
in managing their business enterprises
Will show them almost unanimously in
favor of protecting and preserving the
forests as proposed In the forest reserve
system,
IF there is any difference between
quartz and placer mining as respects
the forest reserve policy the latter is
PAGER miner an adequate. permanent
water supply Is of vital concern, De-
nudation of the mountains Curtais his
operations Destruction of the timber
dtmiuishes the water storing capacity
of the earth. facilitates rapid run-off
IN the early spring and leaves the
placer miner with dry bitches at the
season of the year when he most needs
a full head of water for the prnsecu-
ton of his work. Many instances of a
shortened working season due 20 a
diminished water supply consequent
upon the destruction of the timber at
the sources of that supply might be
cited right in the Elk City basin, but
10 those who are converSant with con-
di,ions past and present in that local
ity, specific mention of cases is unnec-
essary, the fact is known beyond con-
troversy. Numerous long bitches that
OF themselves furnished an ample
workiuk head for fun season when
they We're first constructed in the early
days, afford "A fun head now only when
the snow is melting in the early
spring,
These principal bitches have had TO
be supplemented from sources of sup
ply not originally drawn upon in order
to get sufficient water for the whole
working season. Year after year the
complaint Is heard that the water
seems to fail earlier every season A
most cursory. examination will show
that, wherever the water is failing in
this manner, the bitches tap streams
whose watersheds have been subjected
To fires and denuded of their timber
Cause and effect are so closely connect
etd as to be unmistakeable. This fact
is written in the history of all our
placer camps in characters so plain
that he who runs mayread,
Your readers are familiar with the
the names of Mr.. James Surridge. con-
nected with the Newsome and Leggett
Creeks PlacerS and pf Mr. Picbar5S,>r