The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-03-13
KLINE & pOSFNRFRG First Foot OF Cherry

borders be summary stopped; and then.
upon an affirmative report by them. Inn
mediately proclaim such withdrawal and
stoppage, and threaten TO enforce the pro-
clamation by the army of the United
States. This is Substantially what has just
been done in the state of Washington by
President Cleve;and's proclamation Of
February q. 1897. constituting the Wash
ington forest reserve: the olympic forest
reserve; and the Rainier forest reserve, all
in the state OF Washington, and embrae-
ing about s000000 acres
Monstrous Assault
Such a rnonstrous assault upon their
pride, their rights their interests
end their welfare would be In
stantly resented by the people
OF New England. not by a respect
fth rtCnonstrance and memorial 10 con-
gress and the president. but by overt,
angry and unanimous resistance. even 10
the extent Of civil war. They could truth
fully say that King George had never at
tempted so high-handed an invasion upon
the rights Of their forefatheTs.
These reservations embrace near,y the
entire mining country Of the state %
Washington II they are allowed 10 stand,
our chef industry Wiz soon have been
b,otted out Of existence. and the develop
ment Of the state wiz have been disas-
-
there were two principal reasons for the
making OF these reservations: First. the
preservation of the forests Of the state
from the depreciation Of the owners Of
lumber mills: second. the protection Of the
watersheds or reservoirs as a means OF
obviating severe drouths and equs2izing
the climate In the future.
For the purpose of preserving the valu-
able forests of Washington. the proclama-
ton comes foriy-ive years too late. All
the valuable timber OF the Puget sound
country grew virtually on the sea level and
within about twenty miles Of the Sound.
This area has all been surveyed, and near
~ all patented. and for nearly half a CEN
fury the mill companies have been culling
its choicest timber and converting Il into
lumber IL can be said with substantial
accuracy that there Is little or 10
valuable timber within these reser-
Vations; they are, on the western
side Of the Cascades. covered with
an inferior class Of timber which no mill
owner would take as gift. even IL It were
accessible. which u is not. and on the east
ern side he reservations embrace no tim
her whatever except few patches useful
only for domestic and mining purposes
We make this statement upon the personal
knowledge OF highly respectable and trust
worthy citizens who are thoroughly ia
miiiar with the area covered by the reEer-
vations. The idea entertained by the late
secretary OF the Interior that the prOCla-
nation OF President Cleveland would be
very popular with all except those who
have selfish designs on the forests has no
foundation IL fact. 50 far as the state OF
Washington IS concerned Il s. the simple
truth that no corporation. syndicate or
person has OF ever had any design what
ever on the forests embraced IL the reser-
walton limits. for the sufficient reason that
these forests are absolutely valueiess for
commercial purposes.
AS 70 the protection Of the watersheds
ard equalization OF the climate. the reser-
vations are no more usefgl than for the
preservatlo 81 the forests. The two great
est rivers Of the state. the Columbia and
the Skastg rise in British Columbia. far
from the international boundary line. No
res~rt alton Of mountain OF prairie land n
ire state 81 Washington can affect the
head waters Of these rivers Most Of the
other rivers % tire state rise IN the mount
ain glaciers and cannot DC measmrahly at
fecIed by the prosecution OF mining enter
pr{ses It is welI known that the miners
arr especially careful 10 preserve all the
timber I'm the ue3gnborhood ol their mines.
for the reason that they End The trees very
useful as barriers 10 suowslides. and
wherever i, r. possible 20 take % the mines
up ln the mountains. BY railroad transpor-
tatlou the timber needed ia their work.
the miners transport * thstaer az large eK-
peuse. rather than cut do@n any % the
timber Ia IheiF ow-n vicinity fhey even en-
plov watchmen 70 preserve the timnsr on
The public lands from destruction by Ere
An INJURIOUS dimfnuttou rf The Talafal IA
the Puget sound cotnfrs l* f.ever thought
of b. ans one familiar w3lh che facts
When the timber "a CUT. new growth q
the same kind springs Rp with remark
aal4 ceIertry. ore tree cut Down vii II tnf
nexf tnres years - ordinarily replaced BY
SIX Ths nex underground IL more iuxu-