Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-03-23
THE WASTE OF TIMBER.
Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand
Acres Devastated Annually by
Railroads.

Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand
Acres Devastated Annually by
Railroads.
From the Chicago Republican.
The present consumption of wood IN
the. United States is enormous. One hun
1rsd and fifty thousand acres of the best
tintber'is cut every year TO supply Che de-
mahd for railway slecpers alone. For
railroad buildings, repairs and cars, the
annual expenditure in wood is SIS, 900, :
600. In a single year the locomotives in
the United States consume 500, 600, 600
worth of wood. There are, in the whole
country, more than 100000 artisans in
wood; and if the value of their labor is
$1,000 year each, the wood industry of
the country represents an amount of
nearly $500, 900, 600.
1t will be seen, therefore, how extern
sive are the interests dependent upon pro-
duction of lumber. Probably laws will
have eventually tobe enacted by the State
Legislatures 10 prevent such destruction OF
the forests as will be likely TO result in
natural injury to the country, and it may
be necessary to encourage the planting of
forests 10 meet the demands fthe future.
The above paragraph is full of material
for thought for all reflective persons,
Two hundred and fifty thousand acres,
probably, at least, swept off annually by
the devouring railroads alone. Does any
body know of a single company among
them all that is lifting so much as a finger
70 replace any of this terrible devastation?
Ties have an average life of less than ten
years. Most of the Western companies
own countless acres of fine timber grow
ing lands on which naught but wild grass
grows. Would it not seem the sim
plest dictate of common sense for those
of them that are comfortably situated, to
plant their thousands of acres of some
suitable, quick, medium, and slow-grow-
ing timber, upon the rougher uplands.
Those to whom they sold neighboring
lands would always be glad to take the
jobs of breaking, fitting and planting
their lands in the best manner, under
proper instruction. What could be wiser
as preparation for the near and far flu
turel A hundred thousand dollars judi
ciously invested in this way would soon
save ten times the amount to the com
pany.
Nearly or quite 2OO,OOO acres of the
pine forests of the country are said to be
falling beneath the woodlands AK per an
mum. Where and how is this compare
lively slow-growing tree TO be re-supplied,
who can tell No one! All that can be
said is, that the present is an age of de-.
vastation, in our country, at least, where,
TO destroy the great resources, in a single
age, which God hath given, for all time,
is regarded as matter of little or no
account. Perhaps such reck.essness is all
right, but we doubt it. We think if the
present Constitutional Convention, of Ill
inois gave the matter of forest culture
some proper attention and encouragement
within the scope of constitutional law,
that the time would be much better spent
than to further debate dead issues, that
seem to attract so much attention. Cen
trail and Northern Illinois needs nothing
more than forests to make it one of the
finest and richest countries that the sun
ever shOne on.