Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1919-10-02
BILL IN CONGRESS
TO ADD MORE THAN
MILLION ACRES TO
NATIONAL FORESTS
Thunder Mountain Country
Would Be Included within
Boundaries of U. S. Reserve
Plan to Incorporate Part
of Territory in Idaho For
est and Part in Payette

More than million acres of forested
land in central Idaho, including the
Thunder mountain district, would be
included in the national forest reserve,
under provisions of a bill introduced
in the house of representatives by Rep
resentative French of Idaho, and passed
by the house. The measure provides
FOR the addition of 1871 900 acres to the
Idaho and Payette forests. Early pas
sage of the bill by the senate is antici-
pated.
This district, though of substantially
the some character as surrounding areas
and through completely hemmed in by
the Idaho, Salmon, Challis and Payette
national forests, has never been embra-
ced in forest reservation.
GIVEN to TWO Forests
Under the French bill that part of
the tract lying north of the 4th par
allel will be added to the Idaho forest,
and the area lying south of that line
will be added to the Payette reserve.
The bin is strongly recommended by
the secretary of agriculture, who, in
report to congress supporting the bill,
says in part:
The region is distinctly rough and
mountainous, with q large majority of
slopes in excess of AS percent and many
of 80 percent or more. The precipita-
ton varies with the elevation from
fifteen to twenty five inches annually.
Above $500 feet altitude killing frosts
occur throughout the season. Approx
mately 400 acres are under cultivation
at the present time. Not to exceed
5000 acres, or less than one-haf of i
percent, have soil or topography suit
able for agriculture. Practically the
only opportunities for agriculture exist
on the benches and bars along the mid
die and south forks of Salmon river,
where alluvial soils are found at com
paratively low attitudes.
No Settlements in District
At present there are no settlements.
The log buildings of the first settlement
known as Thunder Mountain and loca-
ted on Monumental creek just below
the mouth of the west fork, are still
standing for the most part, but have
not been occupied for years. The post
office at Yellow Pine consists of min
er IS cabin, with no settlers or miners
nearer than three miles.
The postoffiee at Edwardsburg was
conducted by an unsuccessful miner
who finally turned his attention to
ranching. During boom days Edwards
burg was locally surveyed for town
site but no action was ever taken. The
town of Ro sevelt was established in
1901 and soon became quite settle.
ment Many of the buildings were of
sawed timber and substantial in char
aeter. 1t was located on Monumental
creek Just above the mouth of Mule
creek.
In 1907, however, landslide down
Mule creek damned the waters of
Monumental creek and the town is now
covered by lake. The more substan-
tial buildings were caught by the water
and are now floating about the lake.
The area is entirely surrounded by
national forests, and for this reason
as we'll as on account of the topogra-
ply, it is an integral part of the Pay
cite and the Idaho forests and is nee
essary to their satisfactory admins
tration and protection from fire. The
three areas are so interlocked that an
intelligent and comprehensive plan for
the administration, protection, and
Improvement of the Idaho and Payette
forests OemdHuS dlSO IhC OAtNhoAOA
of road, trail, and telephone system
through a large part of the Thunder
Mountain region.
Amount of Timber in District
Conservative estimators state that
the region contains fully 3,000,OOO,OO0
feet b. m. of such commercial timber
of yellow pine, Douglas fir, Engleman :
spruce, and lodgepole pine. The best
Of the commercial timber lies in the
portion; and, while at
the present time it is quite inaccessi-
BILE, it is nevertheless a forest property
Of high value.
The extensive areas which have been
swept clean by repeated forest fires
are reproducing well in lodge pole and
red fir. laundering is an unknown
in the region. No CONNER
cial mill has ever been run. One man
has small mill on Big creek, where
he saws lumber for his own use, and
small mills were at one time operated
1T the Century mine on Monumental
creek; at Eagle mines on Big creek,
and at the Sunnyside mine on Marble