The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1920-01-15
MINING INDUSTRY
AND TIMBER LOSSES
Close Relation Ex-
lists Between Mines
and Forests
TRY SELL STATE LANDS
Land Commissioner Advocat-
es Policy for State Reven-
ue Purposes
TRY SELL STATE LANDS

H.
~ ly interested in the timber
question, as the policies un-
der which the great forests
of the state are administered have
direct bearing on the expansion and
progress of the mining industry. Mil
lions of feet of stull timbers are neces-
sary each year for the mines of the
Coeur d'Alene district and as the
mines expand in their operations and
now properties come into a productive
stage the timber question enlarges
And not only from "a standpoint of
actual mining operations, but prospect
ing water power facilities and various
other subjects enter into the PROPOSE
tion.
Worlds Greatest Pine Belt.
Few people, even of Shoshone coun-
ty, know that the largest body of
v hte pine timber in the world is In
northern Idaho and that in this tract
stands the only mature white pine for
est of any size now in existence. In
all the older white pine states there
| is a small quantity of first-growth
timber left, but the greater part of the
white pine lin these sections consists OF
small second growth.
The largest white pine tree in the
world was found in Latah county.
This tree produced over 2S,900 feet OF
lumber, a large proportion of which
was OF the highest quality. Estimates
place the standing white pine saw
timber in Idaho at 25 billion feet. OF
this standing white pine the state
owns ten per cent Standing second
only to the white pine comes the west
ern yellow pine of which the Idaho
forests contain % billion feet. OF this
the state owns nine per cent.
Ten Billion Board Feet.
In the state are $4,000 acres of for
est lands, containing more than 10
billion board feet measure. OF this vast
amount northern Idaho has $4,000
J acres with nearly nine billion board
feet and south Idaho holds the ball
ance. How to properly care for this
vast acreage and secure for the people
of the state their rightful returns con-
stitutes one of the grave problems Of
q state administration. In this con-
) necton the state land commissioner, ].
Fl. Nash has lately made some recon-
mendations to the governor and peo-
pie of the state which are worthy OF
the close study of every taxpayer and
l1it; - 1oh Mr oh 4 e
the sale of state lands as fast as pos
; sible and the receipts placed at in
: terest, which he points out, will give
far greater return for the state in
sttutions and schools than under the
present method of holding same. In
discussing te subject, Mr.. Nash gives
some pertinent and timely figures deal
! ing with the holdings of the state, part
: of the report being as follows:
Report of Land Commissioner.
Few people realize the magnitude Of
the states land interests, and fewer
yet, the Importance Of an intelligent
= business like administration.
+ Approximately 3,66SOO acres of land
= were granted to the state of Idaho for
q the benefit Of her institutions, Out of
e each township sections 16 and 36 were
= given for the benefit of our public
n schools, comprising about three mil
). lion acres; the balance was selected
n from the unapproprlated public lands
o of the state.
v Since these grants were made about
e 646,1OS acres have been sold, leaving
3,O21, ,S91 acres.
If OF this acreage about 2,29SS91 acres
IS is agricultural and grazing land This
= has never been properly classified and
v through lack of funds, which should bt
Il provided for this purpose, the state
IF loses thousands of dollars each veal
j. that should come from rentals alone
+o based on no less than five per cent o.
sc the value of the land. The conten
ton Is made by many, land the policy
has been followed by some past ad
mnistrations) that these lands should
be rented or sold at a low figure AM
by so doing, help the individual farme
" or stock grower, who perchance Is tn
III successful party in securing the leas
ie or purchase.
y have never been able to take thi
view. These grants were made 70
q the benefit of our public institutions
y and not for the individual citizen o
the state. Our penitentiary needs ex
=, tensions, and betterment, our untver
- stiles need new buildings. our insan
A.
(Confipued on Page a.