The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-28
DESTRUCTION OF FORESTS.
CARELESS CAMPERS AND RECKLESs
HERDERS IN CALIFORNIA.
MismnnaEement In the Yosemite Valley
Suggestions for Protection from Fires
Should the Government Resume Control

| Mismnnarement In the Yosemite Valley
| Suggestions for Protection from Fires
| should the Government Resume Control
RAYMOND. CAL. Fob. S-The creation OF the
Yosemite National Park by Congress hos
brought to an issue two important questions
affecting tho interests Of California One re-
| lates to tho preservation of the forests and
streams. and the other to the control and man
| asoment OF tho Yosemite Valley. California
has Board OF Forestry that Is supposed to
protect her forests from spoliation and de-
struction by fire. but as very little timber land
Is owned by the Stnte-a reckless system
OF land policy having thrown nearly all the
school sections into the hands Of Spectators
the Board has been restricted in it's operations
to efforts to enforce tho general laws relating
to depredations on Government timber lands.
and even in that direction has not been
sustained by tho Juries in United states
courts. Tho sums appropriated by Legisla-
lures for tho use Of the Board have never been
sufficient to employ an adequate force OF forest
guards. and the hoad forester has been COM
pellcd to undertake tho impossible task OF
guarding thousands OF square miles Of timber
lands from the inroads OF lumber men. timber
thieves. and incendiaries. 1t Is estimated that
forest fires destroy 500, OOO,On0 worth of tim.
bcr annually in California. and To prevent that
N'SttuctiSn mo Stutc uiiOWS It's boutu VI
Forestry only $4,000 n ycar.
In tho Coast Range most Of the forest fires.
probably are started by careless campers and
hunters. but in the Sierra Nevada The ilrcs arc
tho dclibcra'" work OF tho hcrcrs OF cattle
and sheep who bum or the brush in tho fall
to stimulate the growth uf food for their stock.
Only m"n who have followed tho sheep trails
and are familiar with The forests OF tho high
s!erras know the enormous extent Of the de-
va@'a,'on caused 10y the irresponsible vanaa'S
who feed their focks ON tho public domain.
The great belt Of FIR that lies 90 hiEi to be 10.
ccssb'c at present to lGMhcvmrn Is virtually
ruined already. The shcSp hcl,lcrs have fired
tho forest annually for many yenrs. killing tho
lnrEer trees Ivy scorchlnG then, at the base. and
every spring the sheep lavn cytcrminat"l tho
tender sprouts that spring un from fallen seed.
thereby checking rcforestntion.
Last year the Secretary of tho Interior in
structed Capt A. i. Wood Of the Fourth Caval-
ry. acting: superintendent of the Yosemite Ma
tional Park. to keep cattle and sheep ont Of the
park. and tho instructions were carried out
efficiently Tho cavalry patrol early in the
season warned tho hcrtlers aeains: trespass-
ing and pointed out t. them the boundary
lines. and when tho warnings wore Disregard
cd the troopers arrested tho h"rlcrS and dogs.
compelled them TO march across tho rnscrvu-
ton to headquarters. and elected them from
the park nj n Doin. II hundred miles from their
nocks. which wrrc LEFT Cor u week or ton
days 10 the mrr"y of h"GrR. coyotes. and
mountaineers. tho natural enemies Of tho
she"pman In uther ears 40 . than loo, 600
sheep have EraHcd on the !and now included
in tho bark. and In the fall the niu,!n,ains have
been envcloncd in III" smoke from hundreds
OF forest fires. Last year tn" only obs .urat ion
~ the Iua,, %iekod up Iy 5o.jtr', sheer scu,.
and by the troopers in nccelera'ing pursuit
For tho first tn,n in many years. tourists who
saw the valley and tho iioun,nins unobscursd
by clouds Of smoke. aud found the hllsides
and meadows e 'thrd with vegetation. and tho
labor Of lighting fire
Tho sh"enmr,n were easily dealt with. be-
deprived Of caro- and protection for oven few
DAYS but the cattle men Were It'll" harder to
haaaH IN the ra.k thsy s Sd tsm % herds
themselves until rounding up time. Ono cow
man taking tho he n''yIce q a country lawyer.
had been driven out by tho troops. and Capt.
Wood detcrmined to give him lesson. In the
"rderei Lieut. Davis take detail "f t rnt
and drive the cattle ont through Bloody Canon.
hniooty Canon y, Is a. roesy g9rg" Leading from
gorge never could be collected a=ain. w
power to 10 ANYTHING like tia t. " - Wv
I've got flty armed mon at my command"
de- II Il ft tty c"n'o'" and rather think can
" - TN IN x lawyer" persisted the other.
cattle out thr1ugi, !;ioody CANON '>'''
The Captain who is not noted for his pa
M" W WIN ra %s TIN Il, in bnI his
:ateh yoa nsde ths !n@s i III run s you out
The cattle were rounded ND and driven home
the next day.
The protection Of the park last year demon;
annually sweep the timbercd slope Of tho
Sierra Nevada arc set by stockmen. and that
hihit the grazing of cattle and sheep on pnb die
lands in tho timer belt. Either the timber
! he state. made inalenahle. and placed under
the charge of the Board IT Forestry. or Con-
land f r5m 20 SS Oh ,mn
and employ two or three troops of cavalry to |
protect it. Tho maintenance Of n sufficient
water supply for rrigntng tho vnSi plains u
the San Joaquin can be assured only by pre-
serving the forests on tho watersheds ofthe
beginning to appreciate the importance Of for
est protection.
The question. Of the proper management and
again by tn" establishment OF q national park ,
that completely surrounds tho Yosemite grant |
1864. The valley is managed by a cumbersome
CommiSsion ~ nine. composed Of the Governor |
una VIZ tppoiEtces. VINO receive no con! pen |
vice rendered it is popularity believed that tho
Comm!ssion has been under fro for sew
two Legislative committees. Many, OF tho
charges made against tho Comm lssion were
griie nI -, md isapDointments The lisur-
valley hnTo made great cutlery and tried t?
create tho IMPRESSION that their fancied
thrne years tHes haye busted themselves in DO;
d issunding tourists from gong there and in
dlssrnVrilhE s,iprripr scenery ELSEWHERE.
Ma king all due allowance for prejudice and |
sore heals; II Is lamentably true that the state
OF California has not shown adequate uppre-
ciati2n OF TIP great trust rcposed in hcr when
tne AH mh inliey was committed TO her |
enough money to keen roads md trails in
proper condition. and tho States nttemptsat |
hotel bpdinG in TIE valley have been dis:
gfaeolui iasIiinres WIN nn unlimitcd supply |
Inarr!cd by the forces 81 nature and requiring
no cutting: needing only to be hauled half
mile the state built a tlmsy structure Of un,
sensoned lumber that has TO be braced II and
repaired every year and watched fhrblHh tho