The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-13
FOREST RESERVATIONS.

| The Missouri, Platte, Arkansas and Ris
Grasde Rivers All Need the Trees
To the dweller in the Eastern states
! and also on the Pacific slope, it is al
most impossible 70 comprehend thai
there are vast regions beyond the
Mississippi and Missouri rivers almos
destitute of trees. But the Rocky
mountains, throughout their whole ex
tent, are more or less heavily timbered
and the very restitution of the neigh
! boring region renders If Of vital i'm
portauce that these mountain forests
should be conserved.
In these great mountains, especia "
on the continental divide" as il has
been aptiy named, are found the head
waters Of the streams that feed the
Missouri. the Platte, the Arkansas and
the Bio Grande.
No one viii question that on the con-
tinuance Of the volume Of these great
rivers depend the fertility Of millions
of acres of land. and the prosperity of
tens of thousands Of agriculturalists.
Furthermore it is now well known that
unless the forests are preserved the
rivers will run dry for half the year,
only to be converted into raging
freshets during the other half
Forests do not make rain fall; they
merely regulate its distribution. On
barren ground when rain falls IL runs
of as water from a roof; but when the
ground bears a growth of trees. with
accompanying shrubbery the rain per-
colates through the treeroots and is
there held as By a large number Of
sponges. whence il percolates through
the soil ia a gradual and even flow.
In the same way the snowfall OF win
ter is absorbed instead OF lying on the
surface TO be suddenly melted by the
first warm days OF spring.
LumberDen know little about these
simple laws of nature, and care less
Their only interest is TO cut down as
many trees as possible with the least
expense; but other people both know
ard care.
Under the public land laws the presi-
dent Of the United States may set apart
and reserve. in any state or territory.
any part of the public lands covered
with timber or underground. whether
valuable or otherwise, as public reser-
vations.
Under this provision FIVE forest re-
serves in Colorado have already been set
apart three others have been recon-
mended 20 De set apart and four more
are IN contemplation. Including the
actual and contemplated reserves the
total area exceeds nine Thousand square
miles. aud this does not Include the
great Yellowstone park or The Yosemite
valley.
The next step viii be 20 place these
reserves under government protection
Under the free-and easy methods which
prevail in the new states aud territories
timber thieves MAJ invade and deaude
the reservations. with little fear @:
state punishment; but with the ap-
pointmeut Of national foresters and
war3ens prevention and detection Of
invasion viii be easy
II necessary. the army viii D. en-
ploTed 70 protect these reserves. and
Iavless characters o. every stripe have
q wholesome respect for the swift jus
tice OF military rule The rational
forestry association Is n favor Of
This plan. and. 4 auT event, seine
s-riuceu. measures viii certainly -
adopted 20 secure these valuable rescr-
vatioas from fire and plzzdcr w. :
Bates, Il Golden Days