The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1905-01-20
news FOR IDAHOiNS.
Weekly Letter From Wash
/ ington. D. G. ....
FRENCH ASKS IMPROVEMENT
Fast Bodies Of Timber Await
e#& &5 ~
ing Outlet.

ing Outlet.
Representative French appeared
before the Rivers and Harbors Com.
n,ttee Of The House OF Representa-
lives last week and made 4 very
tronR argument FOR the improvement t
,f the Clearwater. Snake and Colum-
,.a Rivers. He asked for Sa5, 900 for
ha improvement OF the Snake River
between Lewiston and PittshurI
& .apd.ngs; $25, 900 fur the Clearwater
River above lie vision; and $3.50. 900
for tho Improvement Of the Columbia
At Cello. In the course of his re-
lsnarks he said:
In urging all the above appropri-
ERtions, + would briefly cite a.:ijfaw
seueral icasons why they should he
rnadc. The country that would be
tiisectly benefited comprises all Of
f,orthcrn idaho, eastern Washington
And eastern Oregon. Indirectly all
Ethrce uf the States would he greatly
Benefited. The area OF tillablc land
&within the counties within close
#pr0x'mity to the rivers is 10000, 900
&acres, Of which about 4 $500, 00U acres
&are being cultivated, and much more
would he were freight rates lower
During the last ten years this region
Ri,as produced from 35, 900, 900 to Co.,
NO00, 600 bushels OF grain annually,
aOUut nine tenths OF which was
i wheat ahd one tenth oats, barley, rye
land other grains. The same coi,n-
tiles have produced annually for years
xlmost 100, 900 horses and cattle and
about one half Hon head of sheep
and hogs. They produced last year
for shipment s3,252, $50 worth. of
fruits and vegetables; about three
million dollars worth Of hay and
seven million dollars worth OF dairy
products. They have produced about
two million dollars worth Of wool and
hides annually for years, aud inn
ruensc wealth Of minerals. The
Cocur d'Alsne mines alone in 1904
produced about fourteen million dol
lars worth or ore. Vast copper mines
await better transportation facilities
and are contiguous to the Snake lsiv-
er between Lewiston and Piitsburg
landing. 1t Is estimated that the
white pine in Idaho alone would
scale 900. 600, 600 feet and it covers
10000 acres OF land. It Is said BY
lumbernen to be the finest body oil
white pine Ia the United States to
day. In Eastern Oregon. there is 9
vast forest Of Y elbow pine which, /,
isestimated, would scale $500. 900,
900 feet and whi:h covers $50. .OO(
acres. Tributary to these rivers II
Idaho, Oregon and Washington ar,
other tracts OF valuable tim ber await
Ing the means 10 reach the market,
OF the world. Last year $4,000 Gu
loads 0f lumber was shipped froa
this region. Besides this there ar,
many other products that / have lef
unmentiOned because have wanted
to be brief-products which are Q
vast importance to the people Ut tn
North~est.
The opening up OF these rivers L
navigatioa would in a very shor
time save In freight rates the amour
OF the expcnse that would be incurred
by way OF illustration; 1t costs ahou
lac per bushel to ship wheat to- tn
coast markets from these countie
tributary to these rivers. The dis
tance Is from two hundred to flv
bundled miles and the rate per busht
per hundred miles Is from four I
five cents. On The mississippi Rivel
between st. LOUIS and. New .Orlean
the rate per b,lshel per hundred mil.
isa little less than one cent.
other words. from three TO four time
as much Is paid for freight as wonl
need to be paid could we have watt
transportation. Could the freigt
rates he reduced ten cents per bush,
the wheat producer would still. |
paying greater Rates than be wonl
ray tot ffeighting on the Mississipl
River. Gould the rates be reduced ,
ons-half only of.that or Eve cents pt
tushei, and ! believe they could |
tr reasonable improvements OF IL
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