The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-03-04

as to form the basis of one Of the most
populous and prosperous states in the
Union.
partial list of It's potential indus
trial possibilities, in addition to its
very fertile but limited area Of arabic
lands, and 80 million acres of grazing
lands, are as follows based largely, of
course. on opinion. which, however in
the mineral features, has successfully
prevailed with eminentty profitable
results against the adverse opinion of
some of the highest authorities in the
land.
Lead, silver and zinc ores well de-
veloped, 100 million tons.
Gold and silver bearing copper ores,
500 million tons.
Gold and silver bearing silicious
milling ores 500 million tons.
Portland cement rock, several
thousand million tons.
Phosphate rock, high grade, between
70 and 80 per cent 10 billion tons.
Phosphate rock, second grade 40 to
so per cent. 100 billion tons
Sulphur, 100 million tons.
High grade coal, our weakest re-
source fairly assured, 10 million tons.
Idle water power, million horse
power.
Timber resources, 1875 billion feet,
board measure, including 20 billion
feet of pulp wood pine.
We have also an extensive area of
potash and nitrate bearing formations
that compare, to say the least, With
the best prospects that have yet been
disclosed in other states and did not
cost the national government five cents
to discover.
Home Market for Farm Products.
Add to these magnificent assets AN
infinite variety of rare minerals, many
of which promise commercial quantity
and profitable operation. Our miner
al and other natural resources are of
such magnitude and are Of such com
mon industrial demand as to afford an
extremely fertile field for legitimate
industrial investment and are suseep-
tible of ultimately affording a home
market for all the present products of
our farms.
Our agricultural resources are linz
tied by the rugged topography of the
safe, Mich consists of highly ele.
,rea nnd deeply erodel brad rla.
trau. its northern half dense forest
and it's southern half an almost tree
less desert. We have total maximum
area amounting to five million acres
of irrigable land. We have at the
present date less than two million
acres under irrigation and its produc-
ton has to depend FOR market on
the adversely of other sections of the
United States in crop production and
is hampered by an intervening freight
charge covering distances Of 500 to
5000 miles. 1t is a physical impossi-
'bility to shorten these long hauls OF
Idaho farm products to present mar
kets, and it is decidedly improbable
that the present per con mile haulage
rates will ever be much lower. These
facts put our agricultural industry at
"a definite and serious geographical
disadvantage that can only be over
come by the local development Of a
home market
The current proposition from Wash
ington Is that we trade the almost
priceless Industrial assets I have out
lined or at least our right to enjoy
progressive use of and tax benefits
from them, for a petty advantage OF
a government loan to finish few OF
our irrigation projects that have fall
en- down through some engineering
mistakes, but mostly through loose
financiering. There Is not any reason
WHY the government should exact a
permanent REIMBURSEMENT Il our nat
ural rights in the sun for this loan
while we are expected to contribute
our snare HS d SllI " oIiNi S''''N' 49,
the permanent establishment and inn
provement of national interior water
ways.
Irrigated Land Too High.
There is no question but what the
suffering settlers on our unfinished ir-
rigation projects should have recogni-
ton, and that a thoroughly unbiased
study be made of the possibilities of
economically completing some of these
projects, but If we take as an exam
pie the proposition in this line that Is
the nearest our nose, the prospects
in matters of cost are rather discour-
aging. | refer to the Boise govern
ment project, which, when it was first
launched, was estimated by it's engi-
neers would cost the settler $l2 pei
acre; later the estimate was raised to
$25 per acre. BY the time this project
is finished the water right that Will be
transferred under it and the contin-
gent drainage system involved, 1t Is
estimated by conservative judges will
cost the settler fully 800 per acre. His
ACQUISITION of the land either by home
stead settlement labor or relinquish-
ment purchase, will figure up in most
instances another 500 per acre, which
oye land op1 water cOStg. moi