The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-04-14
Our Pine Forests.
SOME STARTLING FACTS AND FIGURES
CONCERNING THEIR DESTRUCTION
WHAT THE CENSUS WILL SHOW.

SOME STARTLING FACTS AND FIGURES
CONCERNING THEIR DESTRUCTION
WHAT THE CENSUS WILL SHOW.
Mr.. William Little, of New York,
recently furnished the Times, of that
city, with the following interesting
letter:
When on the 18th of May, 1873, you
published letter from Mr.. James
Little, of Montreal, on the subject of
the devastation of our woodlands, you
no doubt remember the incredulity |
with which his statements were re-
ceived by those pretending to lie in
formed on the subject; but you have
now the satisfaction of showing that
the warnings then given are fully
justified by the reports of the govern
ment itself now coming to light
through the medium of the lumber
| journals of the west, which may re-
mark, were as adverse to giving cur
rency to the facts then as they are now
urgent to have 1t recognized that they
assisted in giving the warming.
The facts that he presented were,
that of the whole 26 states, comprising
the New England, middle, western,
and northwestern to the Rocky noun
tnins. and Minnesota, had a supply
of timber in excess of their own wants
and the question was, how long the
supply for commercial purposes would
last the drain upon them? The white
pine being the wood of prime impor-
| tance, his remarks were that the sup
ply of this timber was confined almost
entirely to the three states of Michi-
gan, Wisconsin and Minnesota, and
that the demand on them was very
heavy for all the sections of the coun-
try that it would not be possible for
them to respond to it for more than
six or seven years longer.
The Northwestern Lun,berntdn now
states. from information derived from
the proper authorities, that the forth
coming report of the United states
census will show that the pine timber
supply of the northwest, in lSSo, was
in Minnesota, credited by popular e"-
innate with 40,0O0,O0O, 900, only 6,loO,
900 900: Wisconsin, from statement
, varied from 81. 900, ,000, 900 to 100, ,0O0,-
, 600 600, only 4O, 500, ,OOO, 900, and Michi-
ran. on both the upper and lower
Denihsulas, $4,000, 900, 900, making q
total supply of 81, SOC, ,O00,000 feet OF
+ pine timber. This paper at the same
time states that the aggregate cut and
destruction of pine in the three states
. is not far from 5000, 900 feet pei
| annum, so that, if we deduct the past
, winters cut, which has been an eX
ceedingly heavy one, there remains
: standing to-day in the whole north
$ west only 73, 500, 900, 600 feet, which il
: distributed about as follows, viz.
/ In Minnesota.........".. 5, 500, 900 ,OO'
In Wisconsin. .3S, 900, 600 ,00t
d. In Michigan. ....."........ .3O, ,ooO, O,OO'
Total 73, SOC, 90 ,000t
S From the above it will be seen tina
9 even now, when only three years q
. the six or seven mentioned by Mr.
Little have gone, these states hav
] reached a condition when common
l prudence would say they had not an
n other foot to spare. They are rapid!
~ growing in wealth and population ant
:, in all probability will have 100000
y inhabitants to supply within her owl
It boundaries in the next ten years, s
that the amount now remaining
would barely supply their own want
is for twenty years from to-day; bu
e what will be their condition in fou
y years from this time if the continues
- slaughter of the pine is kept up!
> In round numbers, Michigan
parting with her forests at the rate c
! 5000, 900, 900 feet year; consequent
r at the end of four years will only hav
n l0,O00, 900, 900, remaining to supply he
more than 2,000,00 people. Niscor
. sin will probably part with $1,000, 900
= 900 during the same period, leavin
he her with only 25,000, ,000, 900. and Min
d nesota, that has not a stock to-day ont
y quarter sufficient for her own want
) will be reduced to 5000, ,000, 900, lea'
Sc ing only 3S 600, 900, 900 of white pin
IS in the whole northwest, IAN amour
O little more than two years cOnsuml
"a ton of the whole country,) as til
reserve supply, not only for themselvt
IL but for the entire country. 1t is but tr
1t fling with the subject to speak of I'll
IS few patches here and there in our ow
/ state, and in Pennsylvania, Virgini
:, or elsewhere.
q Formerly, when the New Englan
states parted with their pine, there r
u maincd the forests of New Yorl
Pennsylvania and Canada to fall hac
, on, and these in their turn fell bac
l. on Michigan; but now the reserve
r themselves are about gone, and eve
,s Canada is forced to compete for SUI
:, plies in the forests Of Michigan an
% Wisconsin for the English marke
Z and unless something is ut once dor
e to stop the destruction of this indi
IS pensable timber, it will be 2
:, zone, and we will have only til
}, stumps remaining to remind US of o,
Il folly.
1t is to be hoped, now that the GO
e ernment has come into possession {
p the facts, it will take means to enlighte
d ten the public on this most importar
:. subject. An enlightened public opir
ion can do much to aid in stemmin
II the tide of destruction which is no
e. going on with reckless precipitancS
as A knowledge of the value Oftheir pr
=, perty will cause owners to be MOI
% careful of it and not be disposed
'e part with it to go abroad at one-tent
st the value it will have in a few year
he standing in their forests for their oW
~ wants. The substitution of spric
~ hemlock and other woods for such pu
n poses as they are suitable, by stoppin
I'd the frightful butchery of this timbt
r. which is now going on by the use
,,o circular saws, that turns one-quart'
' of the tree into Sawdust; by allowir
OF the young trees to grow; by the go
il. ernment Withholding its timber lant
from sale; by preventing, if possibl
the making of square timber in Il
ut woods, by which One-third of the tr,
of is cut into score blocks and shaving
10 furnishing the most fruitful source
sc fire, and by throwing open all ports
Nt the free entry of timber from al
,h country that may be willing to spa