The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1891-06-20
CALIFORNIA; GIANT TREES.
The Government Talking Steps to Save tho
Famous RadwNOods from Destruction.

The Government Talking Steps to Save tho
Famous from Destruction.
1t is gratifying to learn that the land
Office at Washington is ut last taking
steps to preserve the giant rcdwoods of
California, which nrc famous the world
over as the greatest trees in existence.
These majestic monuments of nature
are in danger of utter destruction, and
1t is high time that something were done
to ave them. In the first place, they
are being killed off by the mountain
fires which are very frequent on the
slopes of the Sierra Nevadas, and are
due to the carelessncss of sheep hcrdcrs
who lead their fiocks far up in the
mountains sides. In fact, there arc
few of the giant trees of California,
which are now wholly uniniurcd 10y
fire. There are also snwmills build
ing in the ncighborhOod of somo
of these groves of giant trees;
and, strange as it may seem, they
have not the slightest conjunction
about destroying them, although many
of the larger trees are, of course, diff
hcult for them to handle, and this fact
has helped to keep them from destruc-
ton, says the New York Sun.
In the Visalia district there arc sew
eral groves of enormous trees, the largest
of which Is ono hundred and six feet in
circumference. These forests are very
impressive on account of the grand
trees they contain, and, although tho
land was withdrawn from public entry
five years ago, n colony of enthusiasts
81 lN~rf,t, l. 80 In,,t 10000 a,
onstrating the practicability of Bell
amy's ideas, have settled in the neigh
borhood, and it is stated that they have
destroyed some of the trees.
There is a general feeling in Califor-
MIA that all this region of forest trees
on the western slopes of the Sierra Neva-
das should be withdrawn from settle
ment. The government Is already talk
Ing steps to protect the rcdwoods Ivy
"ithdrawing from entry the sections
'hich contain groves of these gianttrccs.
turing the past two years the general
md Office has made u careful ~investi-
alton of tho Stockton, Visalia, Mari
osa, and other districts where the
liant trees are found, and reports have
cen sent to Washington of the exact
tuation, number, and size of these
sees. This was done in order that the
overnment might nave all the infor-
iation needed for carrying out meas
ures to protect the forests.
These trees are always found ut an
elevation from six thousand to seven
thousand feet above the sea. They are
q little south Of the Yosemite valley,
and south and east Of San Francisco.
The most famous Of these groves is the
Meriposa, which contains about three
hundred and twenty giant trees and is
carefully guarded from forest fires by a
company which makes a business of
carrying ex~cursionists to see the great
trees, Tho redwoods in this grove cover
about four square miles. With proper
protection the giant trees of the Sierra
Nevada slopes will, for many years to
come, be among the greatest natural
curiosities Of California. Tho general
land Office has entered thoroughly upon
the work Of saving the trees which still
exist, and there is every prospect that
the various causes which have beer de-
pleting their number will be removed,
and that the trees will still be for many
decades q source Of great interest to
tourists.