908 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



AN ABANDONED MINING CLAIM 



In boom times the miner built his cabin at a point conveniently near his claim, living on in the hope 

 that the country would be opened up. Most of them have abandoned the country, and development must 

 wait until tlie area can be added to a National Forest and roads built to the mines. 



apparent that permanent development could come only have been burned. Timber with a potential value of at 

 with the importation of large quantities of heavy least a million dollars has been destroyed, and the 

 machinery for the purpose of working deep mines, jirocess of attrition by fire is going on each year, so 



that in time, if present condi- 

 tions continue, a great resource 

 will have been wiped out. The 

 region has become, too, a con- 

 stant menace to the surrounding 

 National Forests because of the 

 danger that the fires, gaining 

 headway under strong winds, 

 may sweep over into the timber 

 which the public is endeavoring 

 to safeguard. 



But the most serious aspect 

 of the present situation is the 

 inevitable injury which is al- 

 ready seriously threatening an 

 important element of the head- 

 waters of the Columbia River. 

 The Thunder Mountain region 

 is of unusual importance as a 

 source of water. It is a high 

 mountainous region, ranging in 

 elevation from 3,500 to nearly 

 10,000 feet. Most of it is above 

 6,000 feet, which means that 

 there is a comparatively heavy 

 precipitation. Of special im- 

 There was required the construction of roads to make portance is the fact that the snowfall is heavy, normally 

 possible the opening up of the rich mining resources remaining until late in the spring or early summer. The 

 of the region. This was im- 

 practicable without Government 

 aid, and the area was shut off 

 from possible aid of the road 

 funds appropriated for the im- 

 provement of the National For- 

 ests. Then the miners drifted 

 away to newer points of inter- 

 est, leaving deserted towns and 

 prospect works as witness of the 

 former mining activities. The 

 region became almost depopu- 

 lated. The old roads and trails 

 which had been built have been 

 largely washed out and de- 

 stroyed. Forest fires, which in 

 the early days were often set by 

 prospectors to clear oil the 

 ground in order to make ex- 

 ploration more simple, de- 

 stroyed millions of feet of tim- 

 ber. Lightning and carelessness 

 also started many fires ; and from 

 year to year great areas were 

 burned over, the fire rapidly de- 

 stroying forests which were of great prospective value mountains are broken and rugged and the slopes for 

 for lumber and for the needs of mining and other local the most part steep. While there are many rugged 

 development. Not less than 300,000 acres in this region peaks and lofty ridges, most of the area is not above 



A TOWN THAT IS NO MORE 



The town of Roosevelt was a prosperous miiiiiifi village, typifying the hope of the prospectors who in the 

 early days rushed into the Thunder Mountain country. In 1907 the town was wiped out as the result 

 of a landslide that dammed tlie river and flooded the valley. 



