The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-06-23
In a Red Wood Forest.

80 viz WOhiub tbC lCu OOuS
9l northwestern California, says a
santa Rosa letter in the Louisville
C0nrter- Journal. There are small
groups in Mariposa and Calaveras
counties, in the Sierra Nevada noun
tains, and more extensive areas in
santa Cruz and Monterey counties,
hong the coast south of San Fran.
,isco, but the only considerable for
ssts available for commercial and
local building purposes extend from
Inc Oregon line south about four
hundred miles. The belt varies in
width from twenty to a hundred
70 One popularity of it is its
apt beginning at the Oregon line
amending at the Russian river in
ooneoacounty. From this body OF
tlm'G California is mainly supplied
VIII builting and fencing material,
ahd'ast Quantities are shipped by
stea.ers ant sailing-vessels to Aus.
trail, New Zealand, and the islands
of tn Pacifc,and by rail to several
sectios of theUnited States. Hun
dredsf saw-mlls and thousands OF
ax'me and lotgers are engaged in
the Wok of desthying these forests,
and corerting TIN mighty trees into
lumber and shinges for the use of
men wb inhabit tie timberless re-
gions. eureka. seaport in Hum.
boldt cunty, and Guerniville, the
terminus of branch of the San
Franciso and North Pacific railroad
10 Sonona county, ,sevmty-two miles
from San Francisco, are the centers
Of the mbering industry, from each
Of whi0 many million feet of the
manufactured article are annually
slipped The march of the army of
ar-menand sawyers keep pace with
tie extnsion of railroads. But it
( oH be several decades, perhaps a
cntury, before the present growth is
cnsumtd, and as the redwood is a
rapid grower and producer, there
vii in that time be a sufficiency of
younger growth to supply local de-
MAIDS At least.
Atramp through a redwood forest
atfeds one with q sense of fear, lone
Ines. and littleness. The writer
sGqopanied by the manager of a
uTnkg company of GuernivilIe. re-
Gently took half-days ramble
thnugh the big tree reservation, be-
ginning one and a half mile west of
that place. No adequate idea can be
conveyed of the impressions received
bya"t "tenderfoot" in the center of a
forest where such gigantic trees stand
in solid phalanx. Three trees, selec-
ted at random in different parts of
the forest, measured respectively
eighty. seventy-six, and seventy
four feet in circumference six feet
above the roots, and the first branches
appeared to be at least $50 feet above
The ground, to which point there is
no apparent dimunition of size. A
comparison of those standing with
others Of equal size and height that
had beed felled proved them to be
more than $50 feet from root to top.
most leaf. To see an isolated tree of
such proportions is an interesting
spectacle. but to be in a narrow path
where they are in such proximity to
each other as to momentarily change
one's course is novel experience,
yet q strangely pleasurable one.
In the early morning the solemn
Itillness is only broken by the faint
all of squirrels retreating into or
from their homes, hun
lreds of feet above you. or the twit-
er OF the innumerable birds as they
iutter in the topmost branches. But
when the ocean breeze of the after
loon sweeps with violence through
he thicklv interviewer branches
there is a commingling of
'ound so fascinating and yet 80 un.
'arthly that the immagination easily
iistorts them into music from voices
md harps in spirit land.
These forests, besides furnishing
ne agriculturists in adjacent valleys
Ind foot hills abundant and cheap
building and fencing material, per-
orm another important function.
The leaves absorb the chilling mois-
ure OF the sea breeze in summer and
Freak the force of the northwest wind
n winter. This is very important
consideration with wool-growers and
ialrymen in the openings, and with
rultgrowers ana vineyardists, in the
adjacent valleys and foothills. The
crest protects the former from ex-
rene cold in winter and the latter
rom late frOsts in the spring.
The redwoods are not continuous
'Ver the territory called the "Red-
wood region" They occupy it in
.roups and forests, leaving wide
stretches of mountain and tableIand
IN which grass grows luxuriOusly
IeVeral months of the wear. and then