The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1896-01-20
PRESERVE THE FORESTS
Necessity forAelion Pointed Out
by an Authority.
VIEWS OF DR. A. D. HOPKINS
Useless to Talk of Reviving Com merce
by Waterways q nless Congress Pro-
tects Streams by Preserving For
ests-Destruction of Millions Of
Acres of Timber.


experimental station of the Agricultural
Department, who is one Of the best aurhOri-
ties on forestry in the country, is seeking
to get Congress TO take some further action
to preserve the forests OF the country.
He wants the government to purchase
and make reservations of the forests where
In are the headwaters OF important rivers.
He has made searching study OF the sub
Ject, and gives from his own knowledge the
evil effects of the destruction Of the forests
in Palestine, Switzerland, France and por-
tiOns of Asia, in whic b he had in vestigatio
He thinks that II is useless to talk of reviv-
ing commercial interests by waterway VS.
unless Congress protects the streams by
taking means to preserve the forests at the
beadwaters of the rivers.
DR.. Fernow OF the forestry division OF the
Agricultural Department, who is one Of he
best-informed men in the world on this
subject, and is doing so much to populdrize
forestry preservation among the people, has
already taken a prominent part in secur-
ing legislation in that direction.
Senator EIkius, Gov. McCorkle OF West
Virginia and ex-senator Davis are among
the leading men Of the State who are said
to favor the scheme OF DR.. Hopkins.
DIR. HOPKINS VIEWS.
In speaking on the subject, DIR. Hopkins
said: The subject OF forest protection in
the Middle Allegheny regions is one u which
not only the people of West Virginia, Penn
sylvania, Maryland, Ohio and Virginia
should be deeply interested, but it is one OF
national Importance as well. The beneficial
relation to all that vast area OF country
drained by the Ohio, Potomac, James,
and Tennessee rivers of the Allegheny
range OF mountains, with its forest cover
ings, may not be fully appreciated at the
present time.
1T is only necessary. however, to give the
matter a little thought and study, and refer
to the history or similar regions in Europe
and Asia that have been rendered desolate
wastes by the removal OF the forests and to
the attempts that are now being made at
enormous government expense TO reclaim
them. to fully appreciate the necessity OF
starting movement that will aid in the pro-
lection and perpetuation OF the forest cover
ing OF this area.
Commencing in the southeast corner OF
Fayette county, Pa, and extending through
portions OF Garrett county, Nd; Preston,
Mineral, Grant, Tucker, Randolph Pendle-
ton, Upshur, Webster. Pocahontas Nicholas,
Greenbrier, Summers, Raleigh, Mercer Wy
oming and Mcdowell counties, W. Va, we
find a region renarka BILE for its number of
important hcad-water streams. as well as
I or its wealth in forest resources. Here with
in an area OF little over 1000. 900 acres,
four great river systems have their sources
the Ohio. the Tennessee, the James, and the
Potomac-with Twelve primary, twelve sec
cndary and thirteen third-rate tributaries,
a total OF thirty-seven, more or less, I'M
portant waterways, and large number OF
smaller ones. altogether making an aggrc-
gate Of not less than 1000 miles Of head
water streams within the area.
LAID WAIST THE TIMBER.
THE primary tributaries of the river sys-
TEN mentioned above are the Monongahela,
LittleKaua wha, Grea Kanawha. Big Sandy
and Guyandnitc, of the Ohio; the North and
South branch and Shenandoah, OF the Pc
tomac; the Calf Pasture, Cow Pasture and
ia ckson Rivers. of the James, and the Clinch
River, of the Tennessee systems. In the
area mentioned there are at least l 500,
900 acres, covered with forest growth, of
which about 900, GOO acres are covered
with primitive growth OF understandable
timber, leaving some 5O0, 900 acres as farm
and waste land.
Much of this region has been occupied
by settlers and cleared for grazing and
other agricultural purposes. The dcpreda-
lions OF fire and other enemies of forest
growth have laid waste the timber in other
portions, and while inroads are being made
by timber operators, there are yet oppOrtu-
mites for securing by purchase, at reason.
able rates, reservations ranging from 5000
To possibly 3O6, 900 acres or more, which
include the principal headwater of the
streams and rivers mentioned.
ut has been but a cumpara lively few
years since hundreds of thousands of
acres of the wild lands of this region sold
FOR from 90 cents to $1.5O per acre, but
at present a large portion is held for specl-
alton by timber transportation companies,
so that the opportunity for securing for
public reservation acres OF any great ex-
ent at little cost is rapidly slipping away. |
Unless some more is made at an early date |
by land owners and corporations or by theel
State or Federal government, the destruC- |
ion resulting from the ak and fire will |