Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-03-09
THE LATE FLOODS.

Almost every one has theory OF their
own as to the causes OF the late floods. The
New York San and Cleveland Penny Press
advance some idens on this subject that
are worthy OF attention, which we quote
as follows:
This great disaster ought 10 enforce viv.
ii and fruitful lesson upon the minds OF the
people of this state, especially us the rea-
son for this calamity In the Ohio Valley IL
chiefly To he found in the destruction of
the forests on the hills Of western New
York, western Penusy lvnnia, and western
Virginia where the head waters of the
Ohio are fed. That vast extent of hill
country hns been dennded Of It's trees and
the consequence Is that the heavy SHOWS of
the winter are lying unprotected under
the action of the sun and rain this season.
Instead OF being very gradually melted as
they wonld have been had the forests been
left standing, they are melted all at once
and rusl, down into the valley of the Ohio
IN AN overwhelming mass. This mighty
and destructive flood of the early spring
will probably be followed during the heat
of summer by corresponding draughi
and scarcity OF water under whose effects
the OHIO will become shallow, sluggish
stream of very little use for purposes of
navigation or any other purpose. The
same cause may soon produce similar re-
suits 10 this state As soon as the woods
of our Adirondack region are destroyed we
shall have in the spring terrible and de-
structive floods in the Hudson as well as
in the Mohawk.
fFrom the Cleveland Penny Press.l
Even the floods which have devastated
the valley of the Ohio are not without
their application on the tariff question.
/. The tariff excludes Canadian timber,
and raises tn, rice oil timber in the home
market.
2. The high price and high profits tempt
people to the rapid destruction of the
fore.ts To the very mountain tops, and
woods are ruthlessly swept away and into
the market, which by reason Of their dis
tance from market would not pay under
the low prices Of free trnde.
3. In this needless way the forests at the
head waters of our streams are stripped
away, aud the snow. covered niountain
sides laid bare to the sun and rain and
atmosphere.
4. The foliage which held the moisture
as ina great sponge aud protected the
snow frem sudden melting, giving forth
the water slowly during spring and sum
mer to sustain the streams and enrich the
valleys, is gone and the first tllaw and
rain hurl down the whole precipitation of
n season into the narrow channels of the
rivers, which, incapable Of doing the work
OF u whole year in u single day or week,
overflow their banks carrying death and
destruction in every direction.
5. The whole rain and snow fall Of a
winter being thus hurried 10 The sea before
spring has fairly opened, no moisture is
left in the uplands to supply the necessary
showers of spring and summer. Great
droughts follow; the streams show dry
beds, and the rivers dwindle down to un-
navigable creeks the earth dries up AMI
| the fertile plains and valleys become arid
and barren wnstes.
This in no fancy picture, but the actual
experience OF mankind in every long
settled country on the earth. Much Of south.
ern Europe has been made desert waste
by the destruction OF the forests through
| ignorance in course OF ages. The same
consequence is overtaking this country by
the selfish rapacity Of monupolists aud the
ignorance ui congress, which, by means oi
u protective tariff, place. II premium up0,
the rapid and reckless destruction Of gu.
forests.
| The headwaters OF the Ohio in the moul
tains OF Pennsylvania aud Wet Virgins
are stripped and bare. The people OF New
York are becoining alarmed for The sources
of the Hudson. Michigan streams are be-
coming des rnclive torrents in early spring
and dry beds Of pcbbles aud mud in sum
mer. All the rivers Of The northwest ar,
beginning 10 experience the same sad fate
Every old settler cnn count many stream
IN his neighborl0od, once Ill-d with waite
all the year round, which have either ei,
iirely Disappeared or dwindlei TO insignii
icance.
There can he no streams II the forest
, are cut away.
There will soon he no forests IL the gov
ernine.t continues u offer premium o
their destruction.
; When the tariff commission WAS sittinl
In this city lumbernan, whining ~
more protection, complained that eve
with tle present tariff, there were som
= forests Ia Michigan which IL did not pay I
u cut, and he wanted more, 40 that the lul
4 stump in the southern peninsula could l.
hewed away At a profit before we admitte
'. the first stick from Cansda.
Is not this, In view Of The certain an
fearful consequences, simply Infamous?