FOREST RESERVES IN IDAHO. 15 



the year, and the. same are of much less value than if they were not subject to 

 such overflow and if the quantity of water coming down said river was not so 

 great. That none of the water of the Coeur d'Alene River is used for irrigation. 

 That the other streams in Shoshone County flow through a humid country and 

 not through an arid district. 



Afliant further says that prospecting and mining are one and the same enter- 

 prise, prospecting necessarily preceding the development and operation of the 

 mines. That while forest reserve regulations allow the location of mines within 

 the forest reserves, the restrictions thrown around the occupation of forest 

 reserves are such as to deter men from either prospecting or mining within such 

 reserves, as they can only do so at a great disadvantage. 



Aftiant further says that he is the owner of mining claims within forest 

 reserves. That he would not invest in mines in forest reserves, for even after 

 a prospector has discovered such a mine it is hard to find a ready market for it. 

 Many mining men absolutely decline to engage in mining within a forest reserve, 

 and it is only under exceptional circumstances that a mining claim within a 

 forest reserve is saleable at its true value. One reason for objecting to operate 

 within a forest reserve is that the restrictions are such that the miner is 

 hampered in the right to use timber necessary for the development of the prop- 

 erty, and it becomes necessary for him to secure permission from some agent 

 of the Government for almost everything which he does in developing his claim, 

 in building trails and roads to it ; and much of the time and money which should 

 be expended in the development of the properties is expended in trips for the 

 purpose of securing permits from the various supervisors and other officers within 

 the reserve. Under the rules governing the reserves a miner has no right to 

 take any timber, except such as is on his mining claim, for the development 

 thereof. It is often the case that there is no timber upon the mining claim, 

 but sufficient adjacent for the purpose of the miner, yet he must either violate 

 the rules and regulations of the reserve, and lay himself liable to penalties for 

 the violation thereof, or secure a permit to cut timber elsewhere than upon his 

 claim, which can only be done through the Department, thus causing great 

 delays. The timber upon the Coeur d'Alene River and its tributaries is valuable 

 and necessary for the operation and development of the mines in the district. 

 The timber upon the mining claims themselves has all been cut, and it is nec- 

 essary to go upon the adjacent lands to secure the timber for the actual use in 

 the operation and development. To deny the miners in the Coeur d'Alene the 

 privilege of using the timber on the adjacent lands would be practically to 

 require them to go elsewhere than vvithin the county for their mining timbers. 

 All of which would work great detriment to the mining interests of the country 

 and would deter others from investing and serve no good purpose, for the reason 

 that the water supply within this section of the State of Idaho is ample at all 

 seasons. 



E. J. Roberts. 



Subscribed and sworn to before me this 25th day of April, A. D. 1904. 



William II. Batting, 



Notary Piiblic. 



State of Idaho, 



County of Shoshone, ss: 

 E. M. Gilpin, being first duly sworn, on his oath deposes and says: 

 That he is a citizen of the State of Idaho, residing in the county of Shoshone. 

 That he is by occupation a prospector and miner, and that he is familiar with 

 prospecting and mining in all its branches. That he has been engaged in pros- 

 pecting for eighteen years. That he is familiar with forest reserves and the 

 rules and regulations thereof, having prospected within forest reserves. 



Affiant further says he has been informed that it is proposed to place the 

 Coeur d'Alene River and the country surrounding the same, including the lead- 

 producing section of the Coeur d'Alene, within a forest reserve. Having expe- 

 rience in mining within forest reserves, affiant says he believes the same would 

 be a great detriment and drawback to the development of the country. That 

 affiant has had experience in endeavoring to interest capitalists and mining men 

 in mining claims within forest reserves. That mining men of experience object 

 to investing in forest reserves unless the showing is an exceptionally good one, 

 the fact that the prospect was located in a forest reserve being such a drawback 

 as to deter them from investing there. Affiant says when it becomes necessary 

 5245— No. 67—05 M 2 



