The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-06-06
SAYS LACK Of ROADS
HOLDS BACK MINING
VICE-PRESIDENT OF IDAHO MIN
ING ASSOCIATION TELLS NEEDS
OF INDUSTRY

That the wealth production of Ida
$5O,OOO,OO0 to $5OO,OO0,O0O a year II
adequate roads were built to the re-
mote districts where untold wealth
remains hidden because of lack OF
transportation, is the startling state
ment made by ]. B. Eldredge, vice
president of the Idaho Mining Associa-
North Idaho Chamber of Commerce
yesterday Mr.. Eldredge said IN
part:
1t has been my good fortune to be-
come Intimately acquainted with your
former fellow townsmen, Judge VIM.
NJ Morgan. Judge Morgan and I are
fishing and hunting companions. /
do not know what the Judges former
reputation was when he lived at Mos
COW for truth and veracity, but since
moving to Boise it has become some
thing almost scandalous. He never
gets one less than a foot and half
and from that to three feet long and he
always goes the limit. But in spite
of this reputation Boise has adopted
him as one of it's most beloved cit
izens The atmosphere of Moscow for
turning out finished products is ex
emplified in the Chief Justice as one
hundred per cent. Moscow should be
proud of its distinguished citizen,
Judge VIM. M. Morgan, for no more
capable and conscientious judge ever
sat upon the supreme bench of this
state
I have been introduced to you as
vice president, with emphasis on the
vice, of the Idaho State Mining AS
sociation, mining, roads and tourists.
1t may be interesting to know that
only about 10 per cent of the known
mineral area of the state of Idaho is
susceptible to practical mining oper-
ations on account of the lack of trans
portation. Under normal conditions
Idaho produces from it's metals about
$50, O,000,0 900 per annum. If the in
accessible mining. regions of Idaho
were made accessible by building good
truck roads and the same transporta
ton provided in the undeveloped ter
ritory that obtains in the developed
territory, Idaho would produce not
$50 900, 900 per annum but S500,000000
per annum.
The mining industry of Idaho has
received little attention at the hands
of the legislature. The appropriation
since 1913 at the time of the creation
of the mining department of the state
have gradually increased
from about $4,000 per annum until the
last legislature gave the industry a
sum of $4,000. By COM
pairing the products of various indus
tries of the state a great injury is dis
closed. In normal times taking the
year 1916 as a basis for the reason
that war prices did not so much pre-
vail, we find Idaho produced in grain
$40 ,O00, 900. hay $13,000000, sheep, cat
tie and wool $26 100000, sugar and
beets $11, 100000, horses $S,00000O, !
dairy products $9,000000, and other
products in smaller amounts amount
ing in all to S115.OO0, 900. The min
ing industry produces $49,000,O0O for
he same period The last legislature
appropriated for live stock 1851 600.
5oad roads $3,600000 and $4,000 for
he mining industry, $4,000 OF which
S paid by the geological survey. In
,ther words, the mining industry that
PRODUCES 20 per cent of the total of
he year 1916, obtained at the hands
If the legislature eight-tenths of one
yer cent of the appropriations, and
hat due in spite of the fact that only