New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-09-24
FOREST PRESERVATION.
THE ADIRONDACK PARK OPPOSED.

THE FOREST IN NO DANGER OF DESTRUCTION
BY SETTLERS.
TO the Edftor Of The Tribune.
SIR: Every guide in the Adirondacks is ac-
quaned with the fac that the Commissioners appointed
by the Legislature are in favor OF making ths VII"
region OF wood and water State park The TACT nau
been made public but few days before started for tine
woods and yet here IN the very heart OF the forest not
only every guide but the lonely dweler in his remote
solitary clearing had heard Of 1t. This morning. as
sat in the door OF log hut, II miles from the nearest
clearing, heard old man and young guluo u'scu'
inc tbe subject and am constantly asked my opinion
as to the probability OF its ever being DONE MY IN
variable answer is that do not THINK IL VIII p'.
They all have a vague, indefinite IDEA thaV so'ono"
will make great place of this reslon-a SUIT VI
Park have not seen the report of the Commissioners
and hence do NOT know all the arguments they adduce In
favor OF IT, know however, that 1t Is SAID tht III thS
way alone can the forest be preserved from OBSTRUCTION
while the two reasons for preserving IL aro' '' n
ts destruction would lessen the supply OF water III .u
state. and secondly, turn what Is no" ue"Sn'iu'
region for tourists and sportsmon INTO eoip"i"''
barren waste. ,,-.,,,o,,o Coo,
Now If seems 70 be accepted an indisputabe fact
that the destruction of the forests would AFFECT our water
snn, n II would do so materially, the question does
not admit Of discussion But this | do not DeleNe'
That thunder showers especially in dry tihes are III
c1iped TO follow mountain ranges. great oresV oc anu
large water courses rather than dry ana hoa'0u ' %
the earth is we'll known, but that these ioc" CAUSES
have any effect those protracted STORMS '"a io'C
tho sources of streams has never been proved speak,
=, rso ~ cultivated countries, not barren wastes.
I1,,,rotelv this ia not question OF theory with u.s.
Int ~ fact There il not the least evidence that the
Hudson does not roll the same volume Oh "atol ~ ~
sea TODAY that it did when the keel OF the nan moon
first cleared its BOSOM and yet for threeourhs Oh It's
entire length 1t has stripped OF It's forests Is
erroneous TO suppose that the Hudson depends haly
f a. sunnv Of water on its sources in the Adirondacks
When IL leaves the wood and enters on the open country
il is comparatively mere brook-its man supply
coming from the countless tributaries that enter IL on
zach side and that rise and flow through the cultivated
part of the State. Now If the clearing away Oh Tue
for over 900 miles has had perceptblc effect on
the dimensions of the Hudson the removal OF them Tor
rho remaining % or 80 miles will certainly not
Rut grant that the destruction Of the forests would
affect the supply of water how IS the conversion Oh tue
whole region into park going to preserve them by
stonninc lumbermen from cutting down treesf Almost
every rod of the watershed Of the Hudson ana Lake
Cbamplan has already been numbered over Twice. once
for its pine and for its hemocK ana spruce anu
now IL is done for the gleanings Andye athousn
M has been going on for nearly 40 years. 1t has had no
perceptlbe effect the forest and let every SUCK III
for lumber be cut out OF it to-day, still 1t would dc
dcnsor than our Western and Southwestern forests
pVp
made two years cover 1t with thick uhdersio"n
that eecualy shelters the earth On the other hanu'
the beauty Of the scenery will not be Affected Tor the
high mountains without lumber, ana tue aAo sholc
and large water courses have been skinned long ago.
and will remain as they are without any state protec
ton, so far as lumbermen are concerned.
Is park necessary to prevent the forest Deing cut
away bv settersl II this wild region were capable OF
henc turned into good farms 1t would be very question
A fnr
most OF it a thousand feet above tdewater ana com
nsod NJ soil that is either rocks sand and cOmpar
otivelv worthless for purposes Of cultivation Some
time ago two gentlemen from New-YOrk,were passing
little clearing in which man was endeaVorlhR 10 NURSE
nm little corn that struggling to grow amid inc
stones Poor man." they said, che is to be pitied;
what a hard life he has Of i'll! Tho man overheard
Them and looking up, leaning on his hoe said DON'T
pity me- 1 amt so poor you think am; don't own
but We acres pity my neighbor over there he owns co.
That is fair illustration Of the value OF the ahd mere
for eutiyaton-the more man has, the worse he Is on
and there ia no fear OF this vast Northern wilderness
disappearing before the AK OF the pioneer IL Is ho"
nearly 80 years since 1 first explored H. ana Ill Eohs
,hroneh IL this wear have not found more than three
or four new cearngs made that are intended rs tne
beginning OF a farm while some that were begun are
fast becoming absorbed again IN the Wilderness Ihe Oh
the Racket Lake. the largest in this region there were
I"++A'N'
deserted and are growing up to underbrush and the
Iae IL lansing into its original wilderness. The next
Forked Lake had one clearng-ths also Is abandoned.
lang Lake the next largest sheet OF water, and origin
ally colonized by few families, TO whom the iahd
was given by spectators. has increased Few
houses, owing to the influx OF tourists. Although
along the route I then went in by blazed trees.
n road-such as 1t is-now runs, L found but
two additional clearings Of some half dozen
acres Following the Racket River down for hundred
miles and only two Of the four five new cearings are
intended TO be turned into farms The rest are for the
hunter and tourist Striking back from the great water
courses you have at one extremity Browns tract once
laid out for large settlement, now little more imam
clearing and in the center. the Adirondack Iron Works
where when then visited them, were iorges' Shops
warehouses; a store, church. schOohouse, and some
fourteen dweling-hOuses, all occupied; now all are
silent and deserted, one building IN which dwels
Scotch family There they have lived alone for the last
Is years deserted village, it is slowly falling into
ruins in this far solitude, Thus it Will be seen That IN
the last 30 or 40 years land has gone back to its
original state of widness than has been RECLAIMED by
the hand of civilization. Certainly park Is not needed
10 protect such country from the of the pioneer
The only thing that directly or indirectly can effect
the destruction OF these forests is the Adirondack Rail
road II goes through the heart of the wilderness, and
IL has grant of land from the State mile in width on
each SIDE making belt two miles wide This, OF course
in time will be swept OF trees. Indirectly 1t Will have
still more disastrous effect the forest for II will lay
open TO the market the vast mineral wealth OF TINS
region the extent OF which is not known, nor will be
till it becomes more accessible. do not believe there
is richer iron mine in the world than the one near
the Adirondack iron works. There is literally an iron
dam across the Adirondack River here Now let these
mines be worked and the hardwood timber that forms
large part OF the forest and is useless will be used
for charcoal the manufacture OF ron The railroad is
now finished 10 within thirty miles Of Long Lake. the
very heart OF the wilderness, aud IL Is expected TO be
pushed that point before the Legislature meets again
Now the park II is to be of any use toward preserving
the forest must shut this railroad ana conslgn the
vast beds to eternal for the former cannot be
made 10 pay without the development OF the country
which presuppOss the destruction Of the forest nor the
latter be worked without the coal, which equally de-
mands the clearing Of vast tracts OF woodland Now II