28 FOREST RESERVES IN IDAHO. 



They are not to be referred to any Department, but at his recjuest 

 are to be forwarded directly to him. 



Very truly, yours, W. B. Heyburn. 



Benjamin F. Barnes, Esq., 



Assistant Secretary to the President^ White House. 



Senator Heyburn to the President. 



Washington^ April 6, 1905. 

 The President: 



Pursuant to our conversation relative to the withdrawal of the 

 ]3roposed Shoshone Forest Reserve in Shoshone County, Idaho, and 

 the statements concerning the reasons for its creation made by the 

 representatives of the General Land Office and the Forestry Depart- 

 ment on the evening of March 30 ultimo, at the White House, I 

 desire to suggest that the altitudes within such withdrawal are, except 

 as to the mountain peaks and higher levels of approach thereto, 

 easily within the limits of successful and convenient settlement. 



The altitude at Wallace, Idaho, is 2,728 feet. This would apply 

 to the valley of the South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River in a 

 vicinity of several miles extent, the altitude gradually decreasing 

 down said valley to Lake Coeur d'Alene, whicTi has an altitude of 

 about 2,100 feet. 



The proposed withdrawal, which lies to the south of the said river, 

 beginning at Wallace, except as to the mountain peaks, which consti- 

 tute only a small portion of the said proposed withdrawal, has a 

 general elevation of less than 5,000 feet, and there are vast quantities 

 of land Avithin the proposed withdrawal ranging in elevation from 

 3,500 to 4,000 feet. That said elevations are entirely within the range 

 of not only possible, but profitable and comfortable settlement and 

 residence, may be gathered from a comparison with elevations of 

 other extensive areas of settlement Avithin the United States having 

 a much less comfortable climate than the portion of Idaho under 

 consideration. 



In W^yoming the vast plains upon Avhich Cheyenne, Laramie, and 

 Rock Creek, and other centers of population are located, are all above 

 0,000 feet, Cheyenne being 6,105, Laramie City 7,153, Rock Creek 

 0,708. In Colorado the great plains and Avlieat fields about Denver 

 have an elevation exceeding 5,000 feet. In the Del Norte Valley the 

 elevation is above 5,000 feet; South Park, Colorado, is above 6,000 

 feet; the Gunnison Valley is above 7,000 feet; Colorado Springs is 

 above 6,000 feet; Manitou Valley is above 6,000 feet; the San Juan 

 Valley is about 7,000 feet; Greeley is 4,649 feet; the fertile and 

 beautiful valley of Reno, Nev., is 4,500 feet ; the Great Carson Valley 

 in Nevada is 4,700 feet; the Ogden Valley in Utah, noted for its 

 fruits, vegetables, and grains, is 4,300 feet ; Salt Lake Vallev is 4,300 

 feet. 



All of these elevated sections of the country are noted for their 

 production of grains, grasses, fruits, and vegetables, and are centers 

 of population, and which a generation ago were as unforbidding in 

 appearance and promise as the lands proposed to be Avithdrawn for 



