The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-11-02
The Burning of the Forests.

NV o''''S " NV o'SSto
From the New York Herald
Through all the summer from week to
week, we have had to record heavy losses
to the inhabitants Of this district, that
district OF the other from these forest fires,
from New York and the Canadas ont to
Oregon and California. On the northern
side of the great lakes thousands of square
miles of forest lands, involving the burn
inc cut OF numerous settlers, have been
laid waste, millions OF the finest forest
trees in the world have been destroyed in
Washington territory and in the States Of
Oregon and California, and even in the
Statr of Nevada and in Colorado, Wyom-
ing and Utah Territories, where the TIM
Der is limited TO narrow patches here and
there ON the mountain sides The causes
OF these hreS are, first, this wear, dry
season, approaching general drought
over the belt of the Continent indicated
the combuStible character of the forests
consumed, consisting mainly Of pines and
spruce whose leaves, IN II cheated term. -
III their greenest stlte, burn like dry shay
ings, sparks from railway locomotives.
the negligence Of settlers, emigrants and
hunters in regard TO their fires, and in
the full conbustible nature Of the dry
grass Of the prairies,
The immediate consequences of these
destructive fires involve the financial ruin
OF thousands of industrious people, the III
eyitable death Of many from exposure,
disease and want, and Il general depres-
sion Of the communities afflicted by these
yisitations in all their business affairs and
social relations. The ultimate conse-
IiicuurS ui these annual fires of the sum
llieI r ''h'' autumn II not arrested Will III
lGW yc'tS lilNqNe III Tue destruction OF
.le!r tlihpe[, T., uaihaSeS ana loSSeS 10 the
states ana territories concerned; winch
may never be repaired over all these
regions ol Tue great w est the great draw
DUCK - the general absence ol lllhber'
auo alI Ine !''nDeF'eSS countries are ram
tGS9 oL su2IecI 10 drouSilt anu latllLhe-
rom 41'n"eS0'@ eastward on po'h SiaeS
VI thc great laheS' we nave region oI
SPlehulo anu extensive forests put II
heeu9 no meteorolo9iSt TO INFORM lhe peo-
PIE vi lhl9 uiStfiel oi tne great lakeS that
their annual runtail dlmlnlshes with the
clearing away OF Their timber, and that
ther lIVing wells ana streams are gradu-
any drying up as the country IS laid bare
to tbs sun. ihe simple truth is that the
great want IS timber, must save what they
nave and plant more trees, instead OF de
stroyng what they have, II they would
escape the Danger from year to year OF
drought anu iam'ne. Minnesota and
scohslr, we doubt not, II completely
stripped ol ther forests, would be Us ram
!ess Is the tnnberIcsS plains Of Dakota
1t IS in tins view that Congress and the
Legislatures OF the States and Territories
concerned cannot too soon direct atten-
| ton rather 70 the enlargement than the
| destruction of their groves and forests
| 1pr even to the rising generation OF The
people this thing may become question
OF ilie or death We recur to this subject
Agalh because 1t Is one OF the highest mo
West IN STATES and Territories The inn
mensc and yet uncvjueuished ronflagra-
ton in Wisconsin Is without Il parallel
unless it finds one in the immense fire at
Nliramjchi. some thirtv-tive wears ago.
on which occasion, according to Marsh
lAaLlN