Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1886-06-04


EDITOR HERALD: Mr.. Shirley c.
Ward, prominent attorney Of
Los Angeles, has with great
public spirit consented to serve the For
est Commission OF California in stopping
the fires that annually destroy SO much
public property. and in bringing 10
Judgment depredators on the State
School forest lands. l hereby announce
that all persons giving material aid IN
this matter will receive generous allow
ance for their services as far as the funds
of the Commission will go.
The necessity of action is again dem.
onstrated locally beyond a doubt and
from a new but most reliable source.
Mr.. John f. Jackson. for many years
County Surveyor of Los Angeles, and
who in his long residence has become
officially acquainted with every mile OF
this and the adjoining counties. recently
made at my instance thorough map oil
the forest and brush lands of Los Ange-
les. San Bernardino and a part OF San
Diego counties. Mr.. Jackson made nc
charge for his invaluable services in this
matter and he deserves the warmest
thanks of the people for the excellent
work done.
In speaking Of his experience In
Southern California Mr.. jackson in
formed me that there was not single
i'm oortant watershed in this section that
had not been more or less devastated by
fire. Equally, that there was not an
important watercourse in the section
that had not within his personal ,knowl-
edge materially changed in character.
Every one OF our watsrcourses, Mr..
jackson SAYS, is now bringing down
more sand, boulders and debris than was
formerly the case. The same rainfall
now creates more rapid and destructive
foods than formerly. The perennial
flow OF the streams with equal amounts
OF rain is less than ii was many years
ago. This fact has been independently
noted by Mr.. James Craig, distin.
guished engineer and member of the ge-
illogical society Of France. His observa'
ton was on the water of the Precipica
canon, which subsequent to the great
Edwards fire on its watershed dimin.
ished seriously In its summer flow.
Mr.. jackson estimates that thousands
upon thousands of tons of the mountain
soil is being removed from the uplands
and deposited Ia the valleys to the dis
advantage OF both mountain and valley,
especially to ths damage OF the water
holding property OF the mountains.
This effect he attributes altogether to
the destruction of the forest and brush
lands, principally to their destruction by
tre.
Mr.. John T.. jackson ia a man thor
oughly conversant with the country. He
has occupied for years positions of trust
and Importance in regard to the lands of
which he speaks. He Is now the land
valuer of the s. P. R. R. for the south
ern country. His warning words should
not go UNDECIDED. Our people depend
for their existence on the perennial
character Of the springs and streams.
These depend for their existence on the
integrity of the forest or brush covering
of their water sheds, for this covering
acts as the reservoir which collects and
holds the water during the rains to dis.
tribute it again when the long dry sea-
son comes.
As Forest Commissioner of California
it has become my duty to look out for
the interests Of the people in the preser-
walton Of their forests and watersheds.
Nothing, in my opinion, is mora Grim
inal in this regard than the robbing of
the State School Lands in forest, and
nothing'is more dangerous to the whole
community than the burning of the wa
ter-sheds of our springs aud streams.
! sincerely hope that these dangerous
and criminal practices will cease. l
should regret greatly to make any one
suffer, no matter how just the cause.
But the duty OF Forest Commissioner to
the people is clear, the necessity for ac-
ton is great. This arson in our noun
tains must come to an end. Let no one
then go on in these dangerous practices
hoping to escape his just dues. If
canght. all depredators or incendiaries
will be brought to judgment.
ABBOT KINNEY,
Forest Commissioner of California.