Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1920-02-26
RESOLUTION AIMED
At ROAD Up SOUTH
FORK IS CRUSHED
AT MINE CONGRESS
Change of. Opinion Results in
Committee When Truth Is
Placed Before Members
Griffith, Delegate from Ida
no County to Spokane Con
vention, Tells of Proceedings
BY Z. NJ. GRIFFITH

The Northwest Mining congress
which closed its session at Spokane
on last Saturday was from mining
standpoint one of the most notable
events ever held in the northwest
There was a large attendance, not
only of mining men, but of brokers and
business men from all parts of the
country, who are deeply interested in
the mining industry at this time, es-
pecially regarding the precious metals
a greater production of gold being nee
essary if the gold standard is to be
maintained.
1t was also notable that mach inter
est was manifested in. the proposed
highway or truck road into the gold
regions of Idaho county, which the
governm mt, through the forestry de
partment, is about to build, the con
struction Of which viii be commenced
at an early date.
Several resolutions were introduced
regarding the policy Of the forestry
department in the construction of
roads within the national forests. The
most important resolution was one ask
ing congress TO remove from the for
estry department to the interior de-
partment the matter of the construc-
ton Of highways within the national
forests While it was contended that
its~r~ould- apptys-4o Educational forests,
it was really directly against the pres
ent policy Of the construction of the
South Fork road into the mining dis
tricts CT Idaho county.
In as much as these vast mineral
districts have lain dormant for the
last twenty years or more, because of
lack of suitable transportation, and the
first effort made to relieve this situa-
ton by the construction of a govern
ment standard road into the gold dis
tricts, eliminating through the forestry
the representatives from
Idaho county at the convention, with
the exception of one or two, deemed 1t
wise to oppose the resolutions, prinei-
pally upon the ground that if the for
estry department was cOnsiderate
enough to take up tho matter of road
construction into these mining districts
and so long needed, we would indeed
be ungrateful to say the least, if we
opposed its policy in this matter. A
similar resolution having been adopted
by the American Mining congress at
St. Louis, last fall, caused many of the
at the Spokane con
vention, who were not familiar with
the real facts regarding the proposed
of the South Fork road
and the local issues at stake, to favor
the resolution, but after thorough in
vestigation of the facts was had,
change of opinion resulted and the res
olufion was finally adopted by large
majority.
If the people of Idaho county will
only consider for a moment the large
sum, aggregating something like $780,
300, that viii be necessary for the con
3truction of this road and what the
forestry department, through its Off
.es, locally and otherwise, has inter
,sted itself in our behalf, and to the
extent that very considerable sum
s now available for the first section
If the road and that further sums
Necessary for its completion are prac-
ically assured, they will have little
,xcuse for criticising the department.
f there is any other source through
which this big piece of road construc-
ion could be secured and sooner, it
lasn't as yet materialized, and is
therefore, too remote and uncertain.
II other words, ga bird in the hand
S worth two in the bush.