Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1905-09-02

there is 1889, 200 acres which has been
withdrawn for the conservation of
waters, not one inch of which is used
for irrigation purposes within the state
of Idaho except enough for a tract of
less than 200 acres at Lewiston.
A Better Policy
A careful estimate has been made,
and this so far as possible, has been
verified by consultation with land and
timber cruisers who have gone over the
parts of the state and estimated the
timber on all the forest reserves. This
careful estimate shows that of the H.
951, 800 acres of land in forest reserves,
only 80 per cent is covered with mer-
charitable timber, and which if thrown
open to entry would net the United
States government over 10000. 900, to
be used in the reclamation Of arid lands,
and which money if used in the con-
struction, of storage reservoirs in the
mountains would insure more water at.
the time when needed than all the Ne.
serves in the state.
Little Merchantable Timber. "A
AS has been pointed out before there
are only two reasons that are supposed
to induce the government to establish
forest reserves. The original reason
for their establishment, and which is
still maintained is the principal reason
for continuance of the policy, is for
the preservation of the forests. The
forestry department was established
because fears were expressed that we
were using up our timber so fast that
within few generations the timber
supply would fall far short of the de-
hands. 1t was presumably for this
eason that the Bitter Root and Priest
liver reserves were established.
AS matter of fact on neither reserve
is over forty per cent of the reserve
covered by merchantable timber, or
timber that will ever become merchant
able. Very much of the area covered
where homes could be made by the
hardy settler, and prosperous commu-
mites built up. Under the forest re-
serve policy Of the government, these
reserves are shut to the settler, only
the miner being allowed to engage in
business there, and even he cannot cul-
tivate the soil, except by favor of the
forest superintendent or ranger.
A Fool Proposition.
Of Course the utter lack of common
judgement in the action of the general
government in the shutting off from
settlement and improvement of 60 per
cent of about eight million acres of
land, for the purpose of preserving for
future generations of 40 per cent Of this
total which is covered with merchant
able timber, and which could as easily
and las cheaply have been preserved
without shutting off from settlement
the non-timbered laden areas, is appar-
ent to every one. Of the portion of
these reserves which is covered by good
timber, in every thirty years the timber
is renewed. That is, trees die, or are
broken off by the storms and rot, or are
burned. So that at the end of 80 years,
the fosest is back just where it was in
the first place. A.
If the policy of the government, had
been to create forest reserves, which
should include only such areas as are
covered with TIMBER, and encourage Che
settling up Of good lands within these
areas by farmers and stockmen, mar
ket would be found for the surplus tim
Der and sufficient revenue be obtained
to more than pay the expense of keep
ing up the forest reserves. At the same
time the state would have been enriched
by settlement and cultivation of what
now remains unsettled and unproduc-
tive, with no good object in view.
Reservation for Irrigation.
Later, however, the establishment of
forest reserves was made for another
theoretical reason. That in this way
the water supply could be conserved
and in this way the lands lying below
the wooded heights could be irrigated
and made more fertile. That the main
tenance Of the forests in the mountains
does conserve the water in a way to
make it available for irrigation ,pur-
poses, is purely theory. 1t has not
been proven, even by argument, and ii
is extremely doubtful if it is susceptible
lie. "a = j.. Il IL -