The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-01-31
THE CALIFORNIA BIG TREES.
How They arc Beine Destroyed with Axe
saw, and Blasting Powder.

How They arc Beine Destroyed with Axe,
saw, and Blasting Powder.
v1sALIA. Col. Jan. 22.-f the groves Of the
SeQioid 0ioantea, the famous big trees Of Call
fornia. are to be preserved for another genera
ton to see and wonder at. the national Govern
ment will have to act very soon. The ruthless
destruction OF these forest kings that is going
on through the entire belt Of the groves.
wherever tho Government has not already
thrown its protecting hand. Is beyond appre-
citation by any ono who has not seen it.
These trees grow nowhere in the world but
along certain well-defned belt OF the west
ern slope OF the Sierra Nevadas. at an eleva-
ton OF about 5000 feet. where thoy are scat
tcred in irregular groups. numbering perhaps
a score. through distance OF about two hun
dred miles. Ono would think that objects SO
unique. TO say nothing Of their beauty and
grandeur and their marvellous age. would DO
safe from tho hands Of the lumberman. and
particularly so since the mountain sides are
covered thickly with forests that are just as
valuable. for money-making purposes. as the
sequoias. But the lumberman is all-devour-
ing. He has attacked those few groves OF
giant trees as II his sole purpose in lifo was to
exterminate them as quickly as possible.
North OF tho Yosemite Valley tho Calaveras
grove Is untouched Thirty-flve miles south
Of tho valley II tho Maripos1 grove, which Is
included in the Yosemite grant. and is thero-
But the Fresno Flats grove tho next one in
the belt ~ a scene Of destruction: Il belongs
Their policy has been to slaughter tho trees
without regard to age or size, beauty or gran
Wreck T * ' Giants Of the forest fifteen. twenty
and thirty feet in dam If; G te E,HnEna
e easily With thu the saw, have been shattersd
trees trees six ten. or dozen foot, high, are, al
about an army Of witnesses to the maleyo!SSnt
iIys feet deer. cut and sawed into one side
WhsD Rs efen I'M nhs sni
limbs that now cover the ground its work Of
destruction viii pc inst about e,2 n 1t
OF years: and has turned its attention almost
entirely TO the seauoias.
than any other sort; the zenl which y shown
r. tho Of the SFHyHS eGua no S9 wr
fet tnaa tie ' sugar sa'S' Pine. S Wifi when
mountain stones arc dcnTely covered; Tho
lumber comlaniess could have made Just as
ba asa q n"Sderi they had let tho bic trees
alone and turned to ths SUGAR pines Pine s,o,o
ps"SHei bst between the north and south
boundaries Of Tuare county alone there are at
least ten mills. every ons. Fl which is indastrI.
ously working away at the big trees. Their
owners evidently lcitr thnt tne national Iov-
eminent will some day awaken TO he wisdom
Of throwing protection around these unique
groves, and tnoy are determined to get lust as
much money out OF them as possible before
that day comes.
In the Fresno grove. which is on the line be-
tween Fresno and Tu!are counties. the GEN.
eral Grant National Park preserves q few Of
the big trees. 1t T. only square mile In e
grove. The rest of It is rapidly disappearing.
:, A little to the southeast the seuuoin National
Park Includes the North Kawpah ami South
Kaweah groves. which were withdrawn from
sale In time to save them from destruction.
Through the remain Ter Of thu groves one
comes upon the same scene again and again.
Eyerywhere axe. saw, apd blasting powder
are doing their detestableNHork with speed and
1t has been proposed to extend the boun-
darles OF the beaHoia Park so that Il will
county and cover the mountain slope from the
summit OF the Sierras nearly TO the lower tim
Der line II the proposition Included the whole
belt Of the sequoias from the most northern
grove to the most southern tree It would be
still moro heartily approved by all thoseI,ex-
c9ptinR always the mill ownersLwh9 nave
] their preservation In any other way