The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1912-06-21
STATE FOREST RESERVE
Idaho to Protect Timber Ac-
Quired From U. S.
AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO
Tract Contains 90, 900 Acres in St.
Joe Country.
A dispatch to the Boise Statesman

i A dispatch to the Boise Statesman
from Washington, June l3, says:
| The department OF agriculture ha
Issued a statement explaining tn,
recent exchange Of lands between tn,
state Of Idaho and the nationa
government, under which the STATE
relinQuished TO the government 90.
O0O acres of school lands in forest
reserves and secured in return az
equal area OF forest reserve land In a
compact body. The land turned over
to the state has been eliminated from
the reserves and Is now the full pro-
perty Of the state. f
Before the end of the present sum -
mer the state of Idaho expects to
exchange from 10000 to 400, 900
acres additional on the same basis,
the exchange being satisfactory to
the government. In fact the forest
service would be glad to have other
sta eS make similar contracts and
turn over to the government their
scattered school sections, in return
for which the government will give
then large bodies of forest reserve
land of the same acreage and same
value. The departments statement
with reference to the Idaho exchange
is as follows:
ITO permit the state of Idaho to
obtain land in lieu OF 80, 900 acres of
school lands included in national for
ests prior to survey, President TAFT
has eliminated about four aud half
town ships from the St. Joe national
fores :. These lands will be held and
managed as a permanent state forest.
1.-The lands eliminated are: Town
ship Al north, ranges and 5 east;
town ship AZ north, ranges 3 aud 4
east, and sections s to s. is to %,
and 26 to 36, in township AZ north,
range east.
"This action by the president car
ries out an understanding which was
reach ed with him by Governor Haw.
ley and other representatives OF
the state Of Idaho about a year ago.
The state had tried to make indemni.
ty selections for various school sec.
lions lost to it through the creation
of national forests, but before the
acceptance of the states fling the
intended indemnity selections also
were Included 10 national forests. To
learn what relief could be obtained
Governor Hawley decided to go to
Washington and take the whole
matter to the White House.
"After hearing the arguments OF
the Idaho representatives President
Taft held that the state should be
allowed TO secure the equivalent 10
value 4 I the indemnity selection for
which it had applied, particularly
since the land would be for the bene.
1T Of the schools; but he also held
that it would be detrimental to the
public interest IL timberands which
had leen Included in national forests
for the protection Of streamflow as
well as perpetuation Of timber supply
should b. cut without regard for the
effects Of forest destruction, especially
the effect upon navlgable streams.
He therefore suggested a way out,
along the line Of an agreement which
has since been perfected in detail by
the state authorities and the forest
service.
"Und tr this agreement the state
undertakes to retain designated
body of and permanently for forest
purposes, provided the government
would permit title to be acquired.
The area designated comprises largely
though not entirely, the lands for
which the state made its original an.
plication. This 10000. acre tract
will, under the agreement reached, be
protected by the state against Gre and
other destructive agencies, aud ad.
ministered similarly to the national
forests. Timber will be sold only un.
der such stipulations as will insure
reproduction Of the forest, and favor
able strdamhoW conditions will bt.