The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-04-14
Our Disappearing Forests.


Lumbermen's Exchange, be said that al
the present rate of destruction of our
great pine forests for manufacture into
marketable lumber, it will require but
a comparatively short period before
these grand stretches of timber will have
been completely exhausted. Twenty
years, al the farthest, will see this result,
unless some preventive method be adopt
ed. Oh the criminal carelessncss Dor.
dering upon crime of our authorities ,onr
Congresses, and our State Legislatures,
whichever is responsible, who allow this
this process of depletion, of destruction,
OF ruin, to go on year after year, without
any let or hindrance. When the central
portions of this continent became the
abode of the viii ie man, it was one of the
most grand and imposing possible,
because of its grand forests primeval,'
spared by even the savage tribes,
in its native glory. But
how have our civilized ancestors, and
even our incorporates. abused the
privileges in this respect? New England
was loaded with forests. But our Yam
KEGS went to work to slaughter them.
And long ago the very houses they built
were left to stand alone, not tree left
to windward of them as a baracade
against the whistling and bowling
northwest winds of Winter, or the blood
chilling storms from any other quarter.
Long since the beginning Of the present
century those native forests were ruth
lessly destroyed, not by the axe of the
woodman merely, but by fire, for the
blank purpose of destruction.
This might not not have been alto
gether so indefensible had means been
resorted to for the purpose OF keeping
portions of the country still covered by
its natural clothing, as in some other
countries where every man who cuts
down forest tree is obliged to plant two
or more young trees to supply the loss,
and 80 keep the country from being
rendered treeless, and perhaps nm
inhabitable, because of the droughts
resulting from the destruction of
the forests, the natural promoters OF
rainfall. AS in New England, so nearly
everywhere else within the united States
territory, this process of denudation has
proceeded AS our population has pro-
ceeded inland and westward, the forests
have dwindled before them. They de-
stroy, but do not reproduce forests. A
similar process has been going on in the
South, more particularly since cotton
has become king. While slavery existed
the idea of preserving forests was con-
sidered foolish The planters did not
think it worth while even to preserve the
soil any more than the forests but when
one plantation failed through constant
| cultivation without any effort tor pre-
serving the soil, then an attack upon the
! forest was made, and the tirebrand fol
lowed the axe, or proceeded 1t, and a
new cotton field took the place where the
grand old oaks, beeches, magnollas, ma
pies and other trees, had stood, and the
T, old plantation, reduced to red earth,
was left to desolation or the slow process
of nature.
Westward the brand of fire and the
woodman's axe took their way and a
similar result followed and is following
still. The Western States and Terrific
ries are being despoiled of their native
forests, those grand requests OF nature,
the entailed wealth of her treasury. The
statement accompanying the announced
address of the Lumbermen's Exchange
gives the amount of receipts at Chicago
during the last year. rs being one billion
five hundred and sixty-four millions feet
Of lumber. How long can our forests
withstand the continual supply Of such
an enormous demal as that. and that
amount received ut one point alone? On
fhis Pacific Coast "a similar process is 60
ing on. Already some of our finest for
ests have disappeared, and only the
stumpage remains to show where the
grand old forests stood. a compare
lively few years ago the tops of Contra
Costa hills were covered with flne
growth of trees. They long ago disap-
peared. The mining operations IN
Nevada ard elsewhere have played havoc
with vast areas of woodland and left IN
their stead only desolation. In Oregon,
in Washington Territory, it is the same
story, doubtless, so in all the new States
and Territories, and not even the land
vet remaining in Government possession
is spared by the vandals of destruction.
Our Government makes but a feeble eff.
fort to preserve even its own timber, by
an occasional prosecution of timber
thieves, and these are scarcely found
guilty and sentenced ere a Presidential
pardon sets the criminal free for further
destruction. Governments, States and
National, should at once take this most
important subject into earnest attention
and saving action.
SUPERVISING THE MOSQUITO. -Profess-
or Fontaine gives some hints for abating
I 4 i