The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1915-01-08

yes. All OF this area is not covered
with commercial forests but is set
apart to protect our water supply,
which means much for our future
prosperity.
Worlds Largest Siwmili.
idaho can boast Of the largest saw
mill in the world located at Potlatch
which has capacity of 10000 1eet
board measure lumber in "a hours.
In the near future ii is expected ano
ther large mill will be in operation
in our own city.
With tile increase in electrical
power and the building OF railroads
mining will become a safer and surer
investment as rlage bodies OF low
grade ores can then be operated. In
1860 gold was discovered in Idaho in
the district called by the Spanish
name Orofino, meaning fine gold. In
1852 the great waelth of the Boise
Basin was cdisoyered and in 1866
the output was $12 100000. Since
the establishment of our assay Of
flee in Boise over 100000 OF
gold and silver have been received
and made into bullion. Lead, silver,
copper, zinc, and many rare metals
are found in large quantities in Ida
no, the output for 1912 in metals
amounting to $23,500,000 and 40
per cent of the lead output of the
United States was mined in our
state. Our great mining area has
been scarcely scratched and as mod
ern science is making mining more
and more sure we must protect our
state from wild cat schemes.
Fights for Irrigation.
Much can be written of the history
OF irrigation in Idaho how the adj
vance guards, the engineers and the
men with visions, saw the possibil-
tiles of transforming the sage
brush desert into fertile fields. Al
ter them came the settlers, the real
conquorers of the desert. Upon the
successes of these settlers we have
depended. We need not go to other
states for thrilling stories, for in the
settling of these tracts incidents
have occurred which il written
would bring laughter or tears, or
make us thrill with pride as We read
of the difficulties overcome while
the desert was being made to bring
forth abundantly.
While Mr.. Splading and family
were the first white settlers, VIM.
Craig was the first permanent whiee
settler and located on a tract oil
land in what is now Nez Perce
county in lS43, but not until 1854
was irrigation commenced, when a
group of mormans from Utah settled
in the Salmon river valley in Lemhi
county
| Today there are under completed
Irrigation systems 2,707,S79 acres
of land; length of canals and later
Eals, 1879 miles. Under 16 Carey
act products there are 1908 ranches
with 336,435 acres in cultivation
Seventeen Carey act projects have
than the combined acreage of the
Carey act projects in all other states
i On the Twin Falls tract alone this
year on 149,311 acres it is estimated
$S,000,000 worth OF produce were
raised.It is estimated that through
the Carey ac tlaw $100, 100000 o.
wealth has been added to Idaho.
1t is estimated that Idaho has ter
million acres suitable for dry farm
ing. Many of the dry farm sections
already are noted for their hare
wheat and il has been eagerly sough
after by the great milling Interest,"
of the middle west. 1t has becl
predicted by some experts that witt
the increased acreage under irriga
ltion, causing greater evaporation
of water, that dry farming will b
made more sure and greater are;
can be utilized for that purpose.
II While we talk hard times, natur
keeps right on doing her part Tn
100000 acres of orchard kee
quietly following the laws of nature
field, pasture, forest, stock, al
increase, but the mind of man ofte
wavers. His God-given power Z
/ thinking and reasoning is often al
surd. He is impatient at the unerl
, | ing laws of nature and wastes man
years in striving against them. If "
lay waste the forests, ,drowa our il
+ rigated alnds, take from the SO