The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1893-04-27
NO.. 2l.


a large lot Of walnut timber, in Ken
lucky. They claim as the Posi- UNI
derstand it, that they on v examined
eigty trees, and on them being rep
resented TO them as fair samples of
the entire lot, the payment was made.
and when they came to examine their
puchasc the other trees failed to be
as represented; which brought about
the action for recovery. Their rep
rcsentaives passed through town last
Monday, en- route to kentucky, and
had with him a kodac manipulation,
who will photograph the entire lot Of
trecs--12, 0o0 to l5,000--to lie used as
evidence in the case
The amount of the money involved
in this wholesale slaughter job
is not stated; but it is probable that
$4,000 walnut trees, with the AK
used as cultivator and reap:e, in
stead of an cxtcrminator-tha is
cutting matured trees, and leaving
the younger ones to mature in success
sion-would furnish annually, for
many years, abundant supplies for an
immense furniture and venccring es-
adjustment located at Big Stone Gap
and commanding the market of
the world 10 be taken into
the estimate is the value of the
net crop annually from the uncut
trees.
Even the most abundant OF the
hardwoods in this region are ,lisap-
pearing 50 rapidly under the present
reckless process Of cutting that
any industries depending upon
local supplies must be cphemcral
1t is ridiculous to say that forests
grow faster than cut, in the face of the
fact that the land cleared in a year
cannot be rctorested in less than half
ii century, either by natural growth
or cultivation. The more valuable
variety of trees cannot be matured
in much less than a century.
We do not have to read between
the lines of history to learn that
ancient cities, once populous, pros
porous and powerful, only houriShd
while well-wooded country was trib-
utary to them, and that when the
forests disappeared they became pic
turcsqc ruins in the midst Of mean-
cholly wilderness.
Gen. Ayers in his patriotic letter
withdrawing from the gubcrnatorial
candidacy, with happy cpigrammat;c
force, aludes to Southwest Virginia as
"materally the hope Of the State"
1t is the hope Of the State, not be-
cause Of its mines Of iron and coal,
which arc common to other sections.
but because it possesses, according to
the last Census Report, the only VAL
liable hardwood forests remaining
on the continent; which, preserved
and properly utilized, may make it Il
richest province in the world.
Not that your superior mineral re-
sources are undcrvalucd. They arc
yours to stay. 1t is your priceless
forests that are in danger. Upon
their preservation depends the per-
manence Of your prospective manu-
featuring industries. 1t is to be
hoped that in regard to this treasure
Southwest Virginia will not, Like
the base judean, throw pearl away
richer than all his tribe"
In my former article | said that
legislation, either state OF national,
could not preserve these grand old
trees. Directly this is true. But
indirectly both state and nation leg
islation can do much, by furnishing
a sound and elastic currency, the ex-
pansion of which will relieve the pres
sing necessities Of the owners of this
invaluable woodland area, thus re-
moving from them the temptation to
sacrifice these trees for the pittance
they will fetch at public vendue.
Therefore ! have coupled Foresty
and Finance as the suject Of these
essays If they have the Importance
| attach to them, you Of the press Of
that region, who, when you choose to
exercise it, "havc voice potential,
double as the dukes should agitate
tho mattnr IF am in error. Won