New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-10
FOREST PRESERVATION.
MASS MEETING AT CHICKERING HALL.
SPEECHES by MAYOR EDISON, CARL SEIZURE AND
oTHERs-A FORESTRY LEAGUE FORMED.
Ii "a al

Every seat was occupied at Chickering Hall
last evening at the meeting in favor OF the preser
walton of the forests Among those on the platform were
Mayor Edison, Carl Schurz, william W. Niles, N. 6ano
Dunn John @. Boyd and DIR. Ferdinand seeger. oh
mores Band the Union Glee Club envened tho pro-
ceedIngs with appropriate music during the evening.
Mayor Edison, on taking the chair was received with
great applause He said
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN The necessity for the preser
question for scusson the question should be how best
10 preserve them how to overcome a tue na
these forests even they may be replaced In the course
of years with decduous trees and you provide a tne
led to the appalling destruction OF life and
property upon Ohio River and its tributaries within
Fnnatey can vet choose as to whether her rivers and
her fertile valleys shall be preserved and naintaned as
arteries Of commerce, aforing unexamped taciues Ior
manufacturing or permit them TO become at times the
channels OF devastating foods and AT Others shallow IN
profitable streams such peris are surely threatening e
future this State and we have reached period when
in order to avert them legislation becomes necessary 20
the people OF the State represented In us senate
and Assembly and in its Executive Chamber, let us
ts nropd nesition in this great Of states;
IT, while alternate food ana drouth are WORKING Ihe Ge
structi0n OF the accumulated wealth Of otDer regions
NewYok is to 90 forward IN the prosperous ENJOY nenI
Of secd-tme aud harvest II our canals ana our rivers arc
to continue TO carry upon their boSOms the products OF
our great fields and of actoresto continue
unquesoued check upon excessive carrying rates nc
erect legislation preserve the Adirondack forests lap
plause.l
l.. L. Chttenden, Parke Goodwin ard Henry A. Herbert,
regrettipg their inability to attend Among the vice
presidents OF the meeting named General Grant
President Arthur; the Rev. Henry Ward Bcecher, the
Rev. Dr. Howard Crosby, Chauncey NJ. Depew the Rev.
Robert Collyer Cyrus W. Field and Joseph H. Choate
Ex-senator John G. Boyd read the following resou-
tiona. which adopted unanimously:
Whereas. Abundant experience has indisputably de
monstra.cd that the indcrmnate destruction OF forests
both in world and the has been productive OF
iamcutahle
manner which large sections or the eaItns surface
ntatlons have locally aternated with seasons Of
extreme drouth. The natural receptaces OF the rain
falls and the which formed the sources OF uniform
water supply and OF perpetual rivers ana springs nave
been cut Off The meteorological equilibrium OF nature
has been calamitouSly disturbed, and extehslve
regions of otherwise fertile territory and ssiu6rlous
climate have been reduced to the CONDITION
of barren and uninba0table wastes: and
Whereas, The Adirondack wilderness constitutes the
OF IT'S woodlands Is absolutely necessary 70 preveht te
occurrence large portions OF the state adjacent thereto
of alternate DundatiOns and drOuh similar TO those
which have been productive OF such disastrous seqes
elsewhere, and for the maintenance OF an unalnE sup
ply Of water to our canals aud principal rivers ana
WIc,sas Tho best energies of Government should be
prosperity Of the people and the supervision protee
ton OF every accessible natural resource which con-
morcal interests Of the State; therefore
Res,red that we denand the immediate passage o.
stop forthwith the further destruction OF the Adton-
daSs Thar or any he organized by this
meeting lie objects of which shall the promotion. by
country and tho creation OF forestry department in the
National and each of the state Governments
resolution adopted appointing all the vice-pres
ldents Forestry Committee with power to add to their
number.
SPEECH OF CARL SEIZURE.
Mayor Edison in introducing Carl Schurz referred 20
the recommendations OF the latter As Secretary OF the n
terror respecting the protection OF forests on tho pubic
lands OF the West Mr. sohurz when the applause which
greeted him had ceased, said:
thank the Mayor for having referred to the fact that
q. SECRETARY OF the Interior occasion to treat this
subject practically am proud Of the fact mat one OF
the first acts which was my gOOd fortune 10 utko lho
consideration the issuing Of instructions to the sub
ordnates OF the Government Land Department TO- use
their whole power under che law. and stop the taking ot
timber from tue public lands ana thls as ar as II theh
Law to prevent and arrest the destruction NJ the forests
al tat time my efforts and the reasons gave FOR them
were ridcucd and denounced rs the notions OF teoi's
ica. from little country called Prussia, utterly IN
adaptable to this great Empire am glad 10 see that
! public opinion has changed somewhat. lhe subject
under discussion is only part OF great national prop
lem FIFTY years ago u very ia,h ph i ~ .
At that time the timber supply OF TINS COUNTY, was con
ierd inc vhanstible for CENTURIES To come What the
ndifiop to-dayi Reliable s.asticims tell that the
timber supply of this country Will not Tor twenty ycars
he even to satisfy the growing requirements 81
or oruatipn and that perhaps IN fifteen years we
shall RIM short and he obliged To supply the deficiency by
from the countries Of the Old World has the
fertility OF those countries disappeared also unu hnaiy
when the forests had been destroyed ehlcD ne itI
wa. completely gone There fi prevailing ~ TINS
country which exceedingly dangerous one ana tiat
is make money to-day mo matter WAT WIN Dceone Oh
| us to morrow. You scarcely fake mp newspaper
without finding the statement that great many 9l tc
water courses of the country which have been able TO
drive the largest mill wheels are now %arcey aDle 10
drive the smallest Ask the Mississippi River seanhoat
mem they Will tell YOU that the hfsr ct h.C uso
TO navigate The river would now run aground IN nto
minutes THIS is the rcsult or the disappearance of the
forests from the banks In New-Eugant they are con
sjdrrug whether U il not necessary 10 begin repatng
the forests. That Is done IN almost eNcry cNlht'
country to-day. They are our great water Reservoirs
If we have only the c0n9OncSt u ol CH, ~ II
have the least regard Tor the prosperity OF INC g'ne
aons that to follow US we shOd see 20 IL thit an
the OF science should be exhausted TO nurture
them that they may accomplish the great purposes LOT
which nature has planted them We are cooly told that
thcsc woods are simply to be cut of. Imagine large
MARI of the CITY OF NcwYO destroyed by fire. That
would he a great calamity. But the city c0ud be re-,
iIf as ChicagO II the Adrondacks are Destroyed
thev cannot he replaced under century They can
never he restored. think the whole people OF New
York should ask their representatives 10 SEQ that ls
| great wrong should be stopped. lApplause.l
| The following were appointed a committee to urge
| the Legislature TO take effective measures for
f3rGner Iohn Hooper f. b. Thurber W. " Niles. Parke
Chauncsy NJ Dcpew Charles Hauselt. Algernon suit
van john b. Haskn, Geor.e Jones' the Rev. Dr howard
Crosby. the Rev. Thomas Armitage James IL Seyn"nr'
! DR. r A. (iunn Dr. Charles f.. Francis Louis f.. Post
william Caldwell J. H. Johnston, Dr. Joseph W;
! MCc;nire s. s. Leo, James de Vaudeville
George +. smith, Phillip Bruins, stewart E wosdroTi f.
! q Whitman ] Seaver Page. Clar, Bell, WIN. H. Wiley
a n Miller DIR h. p. Miller John q. C,egg. Or. Ferli
nand seeger, and Edward Crosse, with power 10 sad
| 10 their Number. The Rev George W uaiiagher
heboli Of the forests Henry Be- Oh, who received an
ovation SAID that lie was there TO advocate the
Of he people before him. lie was in
these animals if the woods were Destroyed Two, wo% De
dcirncmt" He was frequently interrupted by laughter