Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1904-02-06
FOREST RESERVE POLICY
TO PROTECT OPEN RIVER
Superintendent Frank A. Fem Discusses the
Question in Reply TO Recent Criticisms
From Local Sources

20
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forest reserve "ss called 20 'H- "l'e"-
ton Of Forest superintendent Fem re-
cartt,. t,.. --..-.--..-... ~ The Teller
-.t..
res iAei' Ht Nv" 9.''> '' '"''
question. They Hl7 arr eH3s3N"t1S TO
have the larEa trs.. ~ r.1Ir- country
q, to-. .J...,. ......... -, 80 ,l... -.s...,-.
Nu' '"' f'
Doubtless acting 10. What they believe
to be the best interests az the mining
tndustr, as well rs If the country at
,.-
rather SuPerhe'h Vie" OF tH' uia''er
and do not appreciate the vast i'm
portancc OF the timber question as IT
,..- .. ..,.,..., A.. e.. Cocoon, ,,,,,ts
VI 'iie P''P'' '"' ~ '''''' ''
as well. Miners. If unrestrained, are
VIGOROUSLY extravaganza In the use of
timber until such time as the near by
supply is exhausted and they are
brought face to face with the necessity
of securing from distant points what
timber products they absolutely re-
quire. Then. too late, they learn that
improvideuce brings scarcity and suf-
fering. The mining region in Owyhee
county affords fit illustration. In the
early days there timber was wastefully
used and as time passed without
change of method in this regard con-
sumers had TO go farther and farther to
obtain the forest products they needed,
The cost OF fuel and mining timbers at
last became practically prohibitive and
finally operations were brought to
practical standstill on this account.
AT present timber for the under
ground workings is drawn largely from
the forests of the Payette country and
much comes even from Oregon. The
use of steam as a motive power in the
mines has of necessity been superseded
by electricity which is generated at
Swan Falls on the Snake river, some
thirty miles away. where the electric
plant cost In all about 100000. Coal.
too, has to large extent taken the
place of wood for fuel. The original
supply OF timber in that section had
II been carefully husbanded and eco
nomically used would have lasted in
definitely 10 satisfy actual, necessary
demands.
I'VE hope the mines of Buffalo Hump
Elk City and the surrounding country
may prove to he as valuable as the
most enthusiastic promoter can imag
inc them. We should bear in mind,
though, that large mine is a con-
sumner of enormous quantities OF tim
Der products Think of the vast amour.
of timber required in the great mines
of The Occur dAienes and of Butte and
Anaconda Until one knows what It
takes to satisfy the almost Unsuitable
demands OF great mine it is impos-
sible to appreciate the vital Importance
of maintaining an adequate supply Of
timber or of preserving with scrrpu~
lous care what nature has provided
In the immediate vicinity. Probably no
other one item, In the actual working
OF large mine. is so important as
the cost of timber in determining
whether or not 1t may be operated
"As bearing on the relation of timber
to mining a most notable case is that
Of the famoIs Homestake mine In i've
Black Hills For years with the ex-
travagance SO characteristic Of min
ing population. the owners OF the
TIomestake called the forests of the
Black Hills taking the best for M
mediate use The poorer grades "
timber were disregarded They seemed
as do the people around Elk city to
argue that because there Is sufficient
think - IN sight for present reeds the""
win always hn enough fnr all purposes.
In the BLACK Inns where the lands
were cut over probably not t. exceed
one-half the serviceahle timber was
taken. no care WAS exercised In clear
ing up the cut over tracts and the in