Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1904-03-05

Root forest reserve, gave out an inter
view recently to the Lewiston Teller
in which he attempts a defense of the
principle of forest reserves i'm particu
: lar and incidentally their administra
tiOn.
We have read Mr.. Fenn's document
with great deal of interest and must
say that it is remarkable chiefly for its
inaccuracy of statement and erroneous
; conclusions. 1t smacks strongly of the
spellbinder rather than of the student
of cult recently adopted. He con-
tents himself with eternally' begging
the question firing off a string of un-
supported assertions and accusations
and prates voluminously of our duty to-
posterity, which we are to serve by not
cutting any timber, for with the acu-
men of the special pleader, Mr.. Fem
leaves his readers in the dark as to
how they are going to get any timber
without working an irreparable injury
upon the aforesaid posterity.
Nor does he enlighten us as to 1.-the
hows, or by what manner, he reaches
the conclusion that the miner is more
destructive to timber than any other
man whose business requires that COM
modify We submit that we have
year sand never have we. known. him to
fall tree for fun start fire to see
it blaze. - ~ 41Asl
In speaking of the alleged denudation
of Owyhee county of timber, Mr.. Fem
has this to say: 1.-The use of steam as
a motive power in the mines has, of
necessity, been superseded by electric
ity, generated by water power from
Snake river, thirty miles distant. -
Mr.. Fem seeks to convey the idea
that this is a calamity; whereas, a
company who would NOT substitute elec-
trio power fer steam when they can
drive their dynamoes by water is a
company that needs new manage
rnent badly. 1t is a we'll known fact
that many mines in the Occur d. Alenes
are being operated by electric power
transmitted from Spokane, a distance
exceeding one hundred miles, and we
have yet to hear of the mountains o1
that region being denuded of timber.
Of course electricity will not serve
for stulls or tagging any more thar
will hot air, and how the gentleman
proposes to overcome the lack of these
where there is a lack, does not appea
in his interview. Again, after dealing
in a general and ainless way with th
mines of the Coeur d 'Alenes and Butt
and what timber he thinks they Nigh
use and without explaining their bear
ing on the present controversy, he fire
off this ten-inch gun: Probably NJ
other one item in actual working of
large mine is so important as the cos
of timber in determining whether o
not it may be operated profitably."
is conceivable. from Mr.. Eenn's vie1
point, that this palpable truth ha
never occurred to the operators, but
is possible that this information wa
p,iven out for the benefit of the agr
cultural department. Again, ''the pee
pie around Elk City argues that becaus
there is sufficient timber in sight fo
present needs there will always be SUI
ficent for all purposes. Now, as
matter of fact, the people OF Elk CIT
argue nothing of the kind, they kno
there is not enough for present needs
measured by the present mineral SHOW
ings, but, like the major, they cann'
see for the life of them, what relief tt
forest reserve system is going to brin
them in this shortage.
True, Mr.. Fem gravely inform
them that, if they are not careful al
exercise a proper self restraint, wh'
the nearby supply is exhausted, tho
will be compelled to go little furth
afield; flash of inspiration, by II
way, which is worthy of the major. /
relates to Elk City, the threaten
~ shortage does not apply to that ella
of timber which usually goes to gene
ating steam, but to mining tlmoe
The timber here, generally speaking,
of such poor quality, known as ia
pine that when under ground a te
months, it has about the same consl'
ency and power of resistance as W
sponge. This species seldom excee
~ eighteen inches in diameter. There
also some red fir but it is very scare