The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1922-01-26
MURRAY DISTRICT RICH
N TIMBER RESOURCES
REPORTS SHOW FIFTY MILLION
FEET OF MERcHANTA-
BILE TREES.
(By Adam Aulbach.)

In the two letters already publishe
nv the Miner, the writer's intention
was to convey an accurate idea OF tn
location OF the five mining districts O
the North Side of the Occur d'Alenes
their area approximately by definit
boundaries and the main water courses
that drain the extensive watershed
incidentally Identifying the district.
with a prominent prospect and min,
as a landmark. Only slight referenc,
was made to the great forests tina
cover the territory. because they de-
served more attention than could be-
given them in connection with a de-
scription of the districts
Impressed as the visitor must be
with the growth of timber that Dor
ders the highway between Wallace
and Prichard through Murray to the
Montana divide, one of the best noun
tain roads open to the pleasure seeker
anywhere in the Pacific northwest he
nevertheless obtains but very linn
tied view of the vast timber wealth
that lies just short distance beyond
his immediate vision.
The forest service few years ago
from which the writer draws his in
formation, cruised the three districts
drained by Prichard creek, namely
Summit Occur d'Alene, and Eagle. and
found that they contained 100000
feet of merchantable trees and sub
sequently John f. Murphy, manager
OF the Occur d'Alene Mining company.
informed the writer that his company
had 100000 feet of timber that he
was ready to dispose of as soon as
transportation could be secured, all of
which is Immediately available along
Prichard creek the full distance of the
liz miles of destroyed railroad. The
holdings of the forest service are also
adjacent or within easy reach of rail
transportation. as wagon roads, al
though crude at present reach into
the thick timber belts for miles and
miles to the Bitter Root base, where
the logs can be run down the side of
the mountains at normal expense
Seventeen side gulches form the
watershed of Prichard creek from the
north. and all but two (Bear and Butte) /
remain virgin forest. OF the num- !
Der, Gold Run, Alder and its branch, !
Accident, McCumber, and West and |
East Eagle creeks remain dense for |
est of evergreens. Bear and Butte |
creeks were burnt over some years |
ago. Alder and East Alder and the
two Eagle creeks run back from ten to
fourteen miles from the main stream
and embrace the principal wealth.
On the south side of Prichard creek
similar conditions prevail for a dis
lance of Is miles, a continuous forest
unbroken from the Bitter Root divide
on the east to the North Fork river on
the west, though the country covered
is not so large as that on the north
side of the creek.
There need be no apprehension that
these forests will not be cut down and
sent to market, or cut down locally,
sawed into lumber and rallied out. The
latter policy. OF course, would be the
most profitable for the county, because
it would insure additional labor and a
new industry, and not reduce tonnage
materially Even the tonnage loss
would be made up in increased rates
on lumber over logging in transporta-
ton.
Along the North Fork river undoubt-
eddy the log floating or water trans
portation is cheaper, but this system
cannot be adopted along Prichard
creek. Here it must be either to load
the cut timber and run it out by the
railroad or establish sawmills and con-
vert the logs into lumber The ques-
ton, however, is entirely in the prov
ince of the railroad people when the
railroad is reconstructed. They can
make provision by rates to haul either
logs or lumber, or both.
Prosperity will follow the recon-
struction of the railroad on Prichard
creek and this will be shared by the
business people of Wallace. This
ought to be apparent for the present
highway connects the North Side with
the county seat by a short pleasure
ride in a comfortable auto and re-
quires only three hours for the round
trip. OF course this only applies to
the open season, but this lasts eight
months, and every visitor to Wallace
may be counted as a customer. Com
mercially this foots up quite a sum
during a season. All fiscal business
on the North Side is now done with
the banks in Wallace. and as the North
Side grows the county seat will be
benefited correspondingly. Therefore
the South Side capital has everything
to gain by looking upon the North
Sides efforts to obtain the reconstruc-
ton of the washed out railroad with
a kindly feeling.
Frult CARRIED In refrigerated steam