The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-05-27


Welt touching the establishment Of
additional forest reserves ia Idaho
and answering the protests Of senator
Hepburn, Senator Fred Dubois refers
to the proposed Henry's lake reserve.
He wrote In part
HENRY'S LAKE RESERVE.
The proposed Henry's lake reserve
Is la the northwestern part Of FIRE.
mont county, south OF Montana, and
on the eastern edge Of the Yellow
stone National park. II contains
about 752, $40 acres. $1,000 Of
which are drawn. am particularly
familiar With this entire section.
having gone over IL many, many
times. The area embraced Is mount.
ainous aud rough, consisting Of 3
narrow strip along the upper south
cru slope of the continental divide
between Idaho aud Montana, ia
which rises Camas creek, an import
ant irriRating stream. and a projec.
tton souiherly Ia the mountains
bordering the national park 10 afford
protection to the north. Of Henry's
fork Of Snake river. The valley OF
this stream contains the only cultiva-
bic lnnd within the proposed bound.
aries, aud most 81 this IL excluded
from the reserve as the area ad Join
ing aud south u Henry's lake IL to
be exempt. There are only about
ooo0 acres Of agricultural land In
the entire reserve. This has been
practically taken up. aud the crea-
ton Of the reserve will not prevent
It's use or occupation by its present
oUbets. The entire region supports
no Industries bat grazing, except as
have indicated. farming along
streams. The timbered laud com
prised forests Of inferior lodgepole
piue, with occasional bodies Of red
hr. They arc not valuable for lum.
Der but are exceedingly valuable TO
protect the very important streams
which ! have mentioned which NO 10
form the head waters Of the Snake
river. Whatever supply there IL
should be carefully guarded. as IL
will all be needed in that section.
There IL eoBstant danger from Gre
aud overRrRzing. and the importance
OF the streams for irrigation makes
immediate protection very desirable.
WATER IS UTILIZED.
All Of the water In this part OF
idaho IL utilized aud there is no
possibility for increasing the acreage
except By irrigation. The north fork
Of Snake river already waters about
$40, 600 acres OF land south OF the
proposed reserve Ia Fremont county.
aud the reclamation service has sur.
veyed aud planned several reservoirs.
the creation OF which will be OF great
beneft in the reclamation OF arid
lands. The success of these reser.
voIrs depends largely on forest pro-
tectiou. Sheep and cattle men from
all over southeastern Idaho aud from
adjoining states contend for this graz.
ing country, with the result that il /
IL overlooked. aud the ranges and
watertlow suffer IN consequence. No
local interests will be disturbed aud |
those who are living on the proposed !
reserve arc anxious for relief and |
from grazing competition. suppose
the large sheep owners In southeast. |
ern Idaho who disapproYe of all |
forest reserves, because they have a
tendency TO this particular reserve.
II they are residents Of the region |
proposed to be reserved, they will be /
protected and the galners, ne they
will be the flrst who are allowed to /
take permits for grazing. Il is the |
policy Of the administration every |
where aud at all times to permit
reasonable amount of sheep grazing.
JACRsoN'S LAKE RESERVOIR. |
The greatest irrigation project |
which will be undertaken anywhere |
In the United States, in my judg.
ment, will be the one which con.
templates the storing of the head.
waters Of the Snake river. Jaokson's
lake will ba made into great resei-
voir, into which will be emptied the
waters OF Emma Matilda and Twin
Ocean lakes. Reservoirs also will be /
built around the Henry Is lake country
aud the storage capacity Of these /
various reservoirs will suffice 10 re.
claim from 1900, 600 to 1000, 900 |
acres Of new land, none of which can |
be cultivated with the existing water
supply, In addition 20 this, the
building Of these great reservoirs and
the conservation OF the food waters
will make sure the adequate supply |
q water for the lands 10 the Snake