Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1871-11-09
Protect the Forest.

1--WE find in our exchanges estimates of
the value of the various products DESTROYED
by the overwhelming disaster which has
befallcn Chicago; estimates of the proba-
BILE amount TO be realized from insurance;
estimates of the actual loss in gold and
paper money; but nowhere have we seen
any estimate of the loss the nation has
recently sustained in the destruction Of
thousands of square miles of our primeval
forests. The confiagration of the great
commercial city of the West. awful and
overpowering as it must have been. has
been eclipsed In the sublime grandeur of
the burning forests. 4 new city will
emerge from the ashes of that DESTROYED;
IN less than five years every veStigc OF the
disaster viii have been removed. aud in all
probability by that time Chicago win boast
relatively stronger pecuniary position
than at any period In the past II will not
be easy to make amends for the unparallell-
cd disaster which has consumed millions OF
acres Of the best timber in the country.
The amount of lumber destroyed, which
j. estimated variou>ly from slO.oOy, go to
$50 .ouo.ooO !, tut a drop Ia the bucket
compared with the licki.g up of the mill
ions of acres OF rich umocr' lands. Take.
for instance, the total destruction of the
forests covering the peninsula between
tUid that all that portion of the State lying
last al the Bay and North OF point forty
miles above fort Huron has been practi-
cally swept hArr. The four thousand
>quare miles lying between Green Bay on
The last. and OK aud Wolf Rivers on the
West. have been dcnuded OF their yernal
covering. leaving nothing but blackened
trunks, valueic>>, worse than worthless.
since they simply cumbcr the ground. The
ares which have ragged throughout Michi-
gan and Wisconsin WerV preceded by de-
strucuve CONGREGATIONS in Minnesota; and
similar aPpAlliu. disasters IN Western On
tIrIo-
The "hig woods" of Minnesota. the vast
AMI rich numbering district OF Saginaw,
Ahd III, equally rich timber lands OF Green
Bay. FuA and Wolf Rivers utterly destroy
,H these arc sufficient IN themselves u
SLOW The nature ui the loss Tho nation has
incurred by tlr great hr-s which have pr,-
vailed throughout the West NJ present
writing 1t j. simply impossible to calculate
thc extent OF tie disa>tci. We ouy know
What we have sustained 4 great national
mi>iotuu" in the destruction oi thousands
81 square miles OF our best timber lands.
The probable cost lo the country NAV be
infer 'd from tile assertions made within
The past year. t. the fleet that the iinlt-r
tN-NsN va ah4t .. t-Au alitt " isChb~lI Nuulu
not furnish more than twenty wears sup
ply t. the country at the present rapid rate
81 consumption. lb-sc assertions were
based upon carefully prepared statistics.
rcinio- by the evidence OF the largest
land and mill owners. The havoc made by
AAc anu SAW. marvellous though IL wa.
ha> been rendered utterly insignificant in
comparison with the fierce wrath 81 the
forest flames. which have DESTROYED more
timber IN mouth tLan all The mili, in the
West could SIN through their saws in i've
years.
Its not the inevitable appreciation II
'hc cost ~ material FOR building shIn.. and
houses alone that We are thinking OF, al.
though that j. 4 matter OF the first i'm
Portancc.3 so muc. - the fact that our law
makers have Witnessed The Wholesale de-
>iuciion OF our primevai forests hN APP
proved modern appliances unmovcd The
experience Of the Old world seems la.,
Hpon them. oar people. who are quick to
prompt their representatives.. contemplate
ihc havoc made In ;he growth Of centuries
with The utmost serenity. No organized
'i"ri has ever been made. that We are
aware -, Tor the better protection Of our
i"rt>i>- No effort has bern made to regq-
-A'r The cutting Of, or 20 provide for the
growth or culture 81 timber. Theaxr ana
" annually denudc> millions OF acres OF
~" growth Of ocniurics fires rage through
out thousands Of acres, consuming every.
tang in their path. leaving black de-ola.
ilHi ~ their track, Yet Government looks
Ga ~ calmly a. though II had no earthly
lutercei IL the total destruction OF the be-;
portion OF is possessions II i futile To
attempt To stay the ravages Of couGasrs-
ton which sweeps over thousand, or mile,
81 forest laud>--man's efforts arc hopeless,
h"r". bot laws can be de- l,ea which Will
DIP much 10 reclaim tie waste places. pro.
VISIONS can he made FOR regulating the
cutting 81 lumber. and protecting and en-
tourasins early .rowths. All this ha~
been accomplished in other countries. Il
Remains for the people OF the [ niicd States,
anu especially such are directly inter
esitd IN the consumption .: lumber, TO say
whether or not similar provisions shall bc
HaHe ih this country i AE'ericrS AaAs-
Tlc:Hr,r.