Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-01-30
Wants RESERVE
IN THE THUNDER
MOUNTAIN REGION
Memorial to Congress Intro
duced in Legislature Has
for It's Purpose the Con-
servation of Timber.

The memorial introduced in the leg
islature asking that the Thunder
mountain region of this state be Great
ed into a forest reserve has attracted
not a title attention. Conservation of
the standing timber within the area is
desired 1t is believed the timber can
best be protected by the government.
The memorial vas introduced by the
committee on forests and forestry in
the house. 1t is as follows:
Whereas, the area within the
county of Idaho, state of Idaho, COM
monty known as the Thunder Noun
tain Country" consisting of approx
| mately 100000 acres of unreserved
and Incorporated public land, of
which not to exceed per cent is ag-
ricultural in character. the balance be-
ing rich in natural resources, consist
ing of extensive bodies of commercial
timber, ore deposits. water power pos
sibilities, wild game, and grasses and
other forage suited to the growing of
livestock, and
TIMBER DESTROYED.
Whereas, nearly 100000 acres of
| this area have been swept by forest
fires during the past ~ years, destroy
| ing approximately 700,000.000 feet OF
| timber; the mineral and water power
possibilities of the region are lying
dormant and unproductiVe through
| lack of transportation facilities and
means OF communication: the wild life
| is being eXterminated; grazing lands
| devastated by nomadic herds to the
detriment of the property owners and
residents Of this state: and the area
| is contributing little or nothing to the
| support OF the county or state gov
eminent or to the wealth of the sur
rounding communities, and
| Whereas, the inclusion of the said
area within a national forest would
eliminate the annual destruction of
| timber by forest fires: make it possible
for homestead settlers to secure title
| to their lands under the forest home-
1 stead act Of June II, 1906, without eX-
| pense to them other than entry and
final proof fees, and without the ne
cessity of awaiting public land sur
| veys would bring federal aid in the
construction of wagon roads, trails,
| bridges and telephone lines: give ade-
! quate protection to the game animals,
| birds and fish; establish a system of
| regulated range use, thus conserving
and perpetuating the forage resources
| for the benefit of the local residents
and taxpayers; make it possible for
the state to realize upon its equity in
the lands by relinqushing the unsur-
veyed school lands (sectionS 16 and
3s) and selecting more valuable lands
| elsewhere, increase the revenues of
the county and state through the re-
ceipt of 30 per cent of the gross re-
ceipts collected by the forest service;
| -, of ha ct 10 n cha
in the benefits of the federal aid road
act: and otherwise assist in opening
to development and use the vast nat
ural resources of the Thunder noun
tain region; now, therefore, be it
AREA DESCRIBED.
Resolved. that we, your memorial
! lists, earnestly request and recommend
that action be initiated by your hon
orable body to create a national forest
from the following described area
within the county of Idaho, state of
Idaho, commonly known as the Thun-
der Mountain region: Beginning at a
point where the middle fork of Sal
mon river crosses the south line of
section 49, township IA north, range
10 east, Boise meridian, unsurveyed
and extending thence west to the
southeast corner of section 70, town
ship IA north. range east Boise
meridian, unsurveyed thence south
one mile: thence west on the third
standard parallel north, unsurveyed, to
the southeast corner of section ~
township IA north range Z east, Boise
meridian. unsurveyed; thence north
to the township line between town
ships T. and 10 north thence west
three miles: thence north six miles;
thence west three miles; thence north
IL miles to the fifth standard parable
north; thence east on said parallel tt
; the middle fork Of Salmon river;
thence up the middle fork of Salmon
river to the place of beginning.