34 FOEEST EESEKVES IX IDAHO. 



The whole region has been carefully examined and mapj^ed by the 

 forest service and is shown to be a rough, mountainous country 

 broken by deep precipitous canyons, almost wholly without alluvial 

 bottom lands. The only open lands are on the ridges at altitudes of 

 from 5,000 to 7.000 feet above sea level, where successful cultivation is 

 naturally impossible. Approximately 90 per cent of the area of the 

 withdrawal is timber land which has been burned over, and the 

 remaining 10 per cent is merchantable timber land which has not as 

 yet been injured by fire and which will average 20.000 board feet to 

 the acre. The principal trees are white cedar, white pine, and 

 tamarack. 



From the field map. which shows the character of land in each sec- 

 tion, there are shown to be no bodies of agricultural land whatever 

 within the area withdraAvn. 



A survey of four townships, townships 46 and 47 north, range 5 

 east, and township 47 north, ranges 4 and 6 east, has recently been 

 completed. The temporary withdrawal of these particular townships 

 is specifically objected to by Senator Heyburn on the ground that set- 

 tlement is prevented. The report shows that in these four townships 

 there are approximately 90 squatters* claims, of 160 acres each, all of 

 which are located on the very best of the timber lands, and on none 

 of which the slightest pretense of cultivation has been made. On 

 most of the claims are cabins representing a cost of from $6 to $10. 

 The claimants can have no intention of making agricultural settle- 

 ments and are endeavoring to gain possession of the land for its 

 timber only. As soon as they have obtained title, they will undoubt- 

 edly sell to the highest bidder. 



In brief, according to our information, the whole area is good forest- 

 reserve land and is totally unfitted for agricultural purposes. If this 

 proposed reserve is eventually created, its chief object will be, of 

 course, to protect and wisely use the timber resources for the best per- 

 manent good of all the people, with special regard to the future 

 prosperity of the mining interests. The general policy of the Gov- 

 ernment in establishing forest reserves has already been thoroughly 

 discussed with vSenator Heylnu-n and need not again be referred to. 



(3) That the State of Idaho should not be prevented from making 

 selections within this area. 



Senator Heyburn apparently assumes that the State will lose its 

 right to school sections on lands the surveys for which have not been 

 approved. As a matter of fact, the State of Idaho will not lose these 

 lands, even if the proposed reserve is eventually established before 

 surveys have been approved. A decision to this effect was made by 

 the Secretary of the Interior on May 21, 1904. The State, however, 

 will naturally lose its right of lieu selection within this area if the 

 temporary Avithdrawal is eventually made permanent. This loss will 

 not be a serious one, because there are large areas of valuable lands 

 to choose from in other localities. 



The memorial recently passed by the lower house of the Idaho 

 State legislature tends to show that the State looks favorably upon 

 the creation of additional forest reserves. This memorial, addressed 

 to the President and the Secretary of the Interior, requests that new 

 reserves be established in Idaho "for the benefit of the agricultural, 

 mininof. and lumbering interests. 



