88 FOREST RESERVES IN IDAHO. 



country, now being taken up and settled, about and adjacent to the 

 Thunder Mountain district. To withdraw it is to paralyze the rapid 

 growth now going on in that section of the countr}^ 



The map furnished me does not indicate the fact with certainty, 

 l)ut I believe the proposed reserve covers the Thunder Mountain 

 mining district and the town of Roosevelt, which is one of the most 

 rapid-growing and prosperous new places in Idaho. There are 

 several thousand people in that section of the State, who went there 

 with the intention of staying, provided they could have the rights of 

 settlers in other sections of the country without being " supervised."' 



BITTER ROOT ADDmON. 



As to the addition to the Bitter Root Reserve, which includes the 

 towns of Newsome and Florence, there is absolutely nothing to be 

 said in favor of it. Like the Bitter Root Forest Reserve it is at the 

 head of streams flowing into regions where irrigation is not needed 

 and where the complaint is " too much water '' rather than not enough. 

 The town of Florence, which was settled in 1862, and which with its 

 immediate surroundings has produced over $100,000,000 in gold, is 

 still a flourishing and producing country, and is built up with schools, 

 churches, public institutions, and homes. A statement of these facts 

 should in itself be sufficient to make the consideration of the creation 

 of a forest reserve impossible. 



I have already discussed the town of Xewsome in a former protest ; 

 it is a growing and prosperous town on the State Avagon road. The 

 country lying between these Iavo points contains some timber, but it is 

 worth infinitely more for home making and agricultural purposes. 



SQUAW CREEK DIVISION OF AVEISER RESERVE. 



The SquaAv Creek division of the Weiser Reserve has some merit, 

 provided that Garden Valley, at the loAver end of it, is omitted, and 

 townships 17 north, ranges 1 east and 2 east, and toAvnships 18, 1 east, 

 are eliminated, inasmuch as a line of railroad is noAv actually con- 

 structed to Council, and is under contract for an extension over these 

 very lands. 



Mr. Pinchot has furnished me Avith a map showing these proposed 

 reserA^es, and I presume that you also haA^e a map of the same kind. 

 Should such not be the case you Avill please advise me and I will haA'e 

 the map furnished me handed to you. 



I am sending this communication to you under the statement from 

 ^Ir. Pinchot that the same Avill be forAvardecl by you to the Secretary 

 of the Interior, and by'the Secretary of the Interior to the President, 

 as I intend that my protest shall reach the President before any fur- 

 jher action is taken in regard to this matter. I also understand that 

 no further orders in regard to the creation of forest reserA^es as men- 

 tioned herein, or AvithdraAvals for forest reserA^es, Avill be made until 

 rifter any protest Avhich I haA^e filed shall haA^e been reached and 

 considered by the President. 

 Verv truly, yours, 



^Y. B. Heyburn. 



Hon. W. A. Richards, 



Commissioner of the Geneixd Lcnul Ofp,ce. 



