The Owyhee nugget. ([Silver City], Idaho) 1905-1984, 1911-09-21
GOVERNMENTS ACTION
NOT PRAcmcAL

government in sending out special
agents to look up depredations of timber,
has had very injurious effect in this
locality.
The timber in this vicinity never was
of more than a local worth, as there
never was any timber here that was
what might be called a marketable
value, and was only used to supply the
local demand in furnishing mining tim
bers and for wood as fuel
The only growth of trees on the Owy-
hee mountains is red and white fir,
with juniper, scrub mahogany, and kim
dred growths, fit only for wood. TIE
red fir made fairly good mining timbers
and poor quality Of board lumb Der, but
all that could be utilized for lumber has
long since been cut and used in the
mining camps and surrounding ranches.
The most of the timber for the mines
or several years has been shipped fro N
other localities, and what remains in
the mountains is only fit for posts or
wood for fuel.
The agents sent out to look this mat
ter up, have not viewed the matter in
any particular way, nor exercised co M
mon ''horse sense" in reporting tie
matter to the government officials; or
else the department has mistaken idea
of the situation.
Why "lock the stable after the horse
ia stolen?" There can be nothing gain
ed by denying the Inhabitants of this
sparsely settled country, the right to
gather fuel and use the post timber for
improving their ranches. In doing SO.
the development of the surrounding
country, aud the mines of this locality
are much retarded, and in many cases
prohi bited by denying the settlers and
miners the free use OF the fuel and post
timbers necessary for their existance.
Besides there Is no forest reserve in
in this region and the forest reserve re-
strictions does not apply to a sparsely
timbered country like this.
The government is retarding or pro-
hlbiting the proper development Of this
locality by the action and no good can
come OF it.
While this will not put stop to
many OF the rich mines in this locality,
it will materially raise the cost OF opera
tion, and prevent the develop ment Of
many low grade properties, and at the
same time will rob many an honest lab
orer of work. 1t will make more tramps,
which may be one OF the objects and
aims of our present administration.
The Statesman of 18th inst. says in
part:
"This dilemma stsres the community
in the face by reason OF recent order
issuing from the interior department.
No more serious blow could threaten
the mining interests of Idaho, it is
pointed out, as the same ruling will
likely apply to the other sections where
shrubs and stunted growths that can
never become timber in the true sense
of that term have been and are used in
mining operations.
Put Stop To Wood CuttinB.
About month ago an agent from the
interior department of the government
visited the country around Della mar,
made some investigation and notified
the manager of the DeLamar Company
that he must not buy another cord of
wood Of the woodmen who have been
supplying the fuel for use in the com
munity under penalty of criminal pros
icution, and also demand that his com
pany pay the government the sum Of
$246,O 900 for wood already used. An EN-
barge was laid not to cut any more wood
in that section under pains and penal
ties.
Thi faction has had the effect OF stop
ping the wood industry in that county
and will, if carried out, close down all
the mines in 0wyhee county as they
cannot run the mines without fuel.
Timber Nothing But Shrubs.
Those acquainted with the section
around Silver City and DeLamar and in
general of the mountains in Owyhee
county declare that there is no timber
there; that is. no timber in the true
sense of that term, no growths in fact
that can ever develop into timber.
There are some species OF scrubby knot
ty mahogany and other species grow
ing here and there on the top of the
high hills and in the gulehes, the only
, source Of fuel the people have. Quite q
number Of men make il business o