Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-04-25
THE REIGN OF FLOODS,

The failure of the Adirondack Park bill
in the New York Legislature, only makes
the obstruction Of the forests in the beautiful
lake and mountain region of our neighbor
State more certain and rapid than would
otherwise have been the case. Landowners
and lumbermen will now exert every effor,
to make the most possible hay while the sun
SHINES. The great santarum and pleasure
park OF New York and New England is
doomed. All along those lovely chains of
lakes where the Rushton canoe has carried the
sportsman and he tourist; where the dccr's
Startled eyes have reflected the flash of the
paddle, and tie gamy trout has leaped &c
catch the fcathered lure, will creep the
blight OF d' struction. Slowly but surely
the hillsidcs will be stripped OF
their lovely pines and spruces, and
the streams will be full of SCARED and rottine
logs. The fierce sun will beat down on the
bare hillsldes, and turn the sweet cool
streams to slagnant, .ep;d pools. All around
the crystal lakes, shrinking under the sum.
mer heat, will extend belt OF desolation-
mala iial boys filled with spectre. like stumps
with the Garth falling away from their roots.
lhls spectacle is not unfamiliar, even now,
to those who have voyaged through the Adj
irondack lake region. Some of the most
Charming sheets Of water, few years since,
are now surrounded by desolate tracts Of
dead forest, caused by the dams of the sa
| which bn
flows the banks, and sc kills everything
| around. Other lakes S.c nov mere ponds in
The midst of blasted All ,!!.cary hills from
which the forests have been cleared by the
| woodman's axe.
But 1t is not alone, or chiefly, the dcsola.
ton OF this beautiful mountain park, ard the
| changing it from a delightful health resort
to mslarlal wilderness, which we regret
we Delleve that still greater cause for APP
prehension and sorrow exists in the prospect
OF the dismantling of the Adirondack water
shed. Already this country is experiencing
The beginning of what is destined to become
reign OF floods. Every spring the papers
are lull OF the tale of horror, heplcssncss
and death. Enormous and increasing DIES.
tructlon OF life and property is the inevitable
result OF the breaking up of the snow aud
ice nelus every season. Says a writer in the
Bay state N0nthly: "rhe damage arising
from the Ohio flood of 1882 has b, en- cstimat.
ca at Twelve millions of dollars that of 1888
at thrty-hve or forty mililrs of dollars IT
'hcse estimates are approximately correct
what must have been the damage from the
| flood Of 1884"
Inc chief cause of these floods, in every
section where they prevail, is acknowledged
70 pe 'he annihllation of the forests which
formerly covered the watersheds of these
sections. SO little protection is now offered
against rapid dissolution Of the snow tina,
II practically passes off in food, as soon as
'he spring rains set in, and lie warm spring
sunshine pours down upon the hillside. If
there were large tracts of forest land whore
the snow might lie for weeks and months
and be gradually absorbed by the ,hawing
soil, these terrible floods would be in larcp
measure averted. AS it is, the water-sup.
pies OF our rivers are choked TO Overlooking
LOT lew weeks in the spring-torrcnts rush.
ing down the hilsidcs like rain of a roof
ana then the other extreme prevails during
the thoughts of summer. The water SUNNY
Is exhausted; the spring and hillside brooks
are drled up. Natures reservoir has moth.
Ing left with which to supply the demands
OF the. thirsty lowlands, and so the rivers
dwindle to mere wadys, the brooks dry I'M.
ana the greatest suffering and harm to in.
duslries and trade result.
This is destined to be the condition Of fine
valleys which depend for their water SUNNY
on the Adirondack watershed, if thc dog.
tructlon OF forests in that section in allowed
TO goon The lordly Hudson will dwindle
IN summer lime TO comtemrtible crcol,
putting stop to all the trade and travel
which now passes down its broad channel
In Inc spring 1t will be another Ohio
carrying desolation to the cities and VILLAGES
on It's banks The reign of floods will he
begun In the very heart Of the land of for.
es's' Can it be possible that the people Of
new YORK will suffer the land owners md
lumbermen OF the Adirondack region to
destroy by lobby at Albany all efforts AT
forest preservation put forth by the leading
men and press OF the State? 1t is high time
that every journal in the State constituted
Itself specially appointed committee of the
whole to awake public sentiment and arousc
pubic indignation. Let there be 'boom,
Tor forest preservation in the Empire state
and when another opportunity offers let the
Adirondack Park bill be presented with q
backing which will terrify the mos, auda
cious lobby that ever bcsct Legislature