Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-12-25
MIR INTERESTS IN
IMPROVEMENTS
v.xy MILES OF TRAILS, ROADS,
TELEPHONE LINES AND FENC-
Is WERE CONSTRUCTED ON
THE IDAHO RESERVES THIS
YEAR.

Washington, Dec. 25.-Idaho has
na7ural interest in that part of the
r0nort of tn secretary of agruiclture
,,h;ch is devoted to the permanent
Imnroyements on the government &
rational forests. Such work as the
construction of miles of trail and
roads. telephone lines, drift and
nasture fences, ranger houses and
harms has opened up and improved
many square miles of territory in
tho six national forests in the state,
and for these and similar purposes
s7s.4o24S was spent during the
last fiscal year, ending June 80,
1908.
Five hundred eighty-two and one
fourth miles of trail and 11SA miles
nj road were built,1S7A miles of
telephone line was strung, and the
forest ranges were improved by the
construction Of 22A miles of pasture
fence. During the year, 81 houses to
he used for ranger quarters, and 10
barns for rangers horses were built
1e bridges were constructed, five cor
rails were built, and various miscel-
1aneous improvements were made
Many additional improvements are
planned.
In speaking Of the permanent i'm
provement work on all the national
forests the secretary of agriculture
has the following to say in his an
nual report:
The agricultural appropriation
act of 1908 included an item OF
100000, which was made avail
able for permanent improvement
work on the national forests. The
object of this work is to help open
up the forests to more use and pro-
vide means for their better and
more economical protection, through
the supply of means of communica'
tion and transportation. well-locatet
field quarters. fire lines, fences to as
sist in the handling Of stock, and
W0lcl RldCCS. ACoc
are essentially investments of CAPT
tai, which add greatly to the value
and usefulness of the forests.
The work completed during the
year included 3.4O0 miles Of trails
1900 miles Of telephone lines. 1O(
miles OF wagon roads. 40 miles of f1rt
line, ESQ bridges. $40 cabins ant
barns and 600 miles of pasture ant
drift fences. In addition to the sun
provided by the special improvement
fund, over 100000 from the gen
eral fund of the service was turned
from current expense fund to defra.
The cost Of this wo"k. but much o
The work planned and urgently need
ed could not be carried out becaus
there was nothing with which to pa.
for it.
Detailed estimates covering a to
tai of s2,0OO,OnO for permanent i'm
provements. which it was desired It
complete in 1909. were submitted t
congress. They showed for the en-
tlre amount exactly what it was pro
posed to undertake on each of tn
national forests, and what cost. TIL
amount provided by the apprOpria
ton was 100000. For 1910 esti
mates will again be submitted for tn
permanent improvements, the cos
OF which aggregate $974.9S1. Thes
estimates are the result of srecifi
and full itemized plans, which ar
on fla in the forest service. The
are In no sense a request for a lum
sum, the sending of which remain
10 be planned in detail after the ar
p'onria ion is made. It is urgen
mat this work should be provide
r..
Though the construction of tn
permanent improvements entails t.
need OF provision for their mair
'Ahance. the added efficiency Of tn
forests as economic resources secure
'hrough these improvements richl
.epavs the cost. With the nations
'rests as with anv other resource
'uelr returns depend on the ex'er
!" which development takes p'at
''fouoh iudicious outlaws Of cap
VI II the land is not to remain
''lhrness II mpst bo made serv
able to the needs of civilized ma
Ny constructive expenditures