The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-10-26


tation we can maintain upon the soll-
the more perennial crops, such as grass.
bushes and trees-the greater will DO
the ability of the soil 10 store up the
precipitation as II falls, and the more
slowly viii II find its way through the
mass OF leaves and heritage before
finally reaching the rivers"
"What effect had the heavy rains OF
February and July, 1896, on agrlcn-
tnre, farm lands and commerce, and
what would be the result II they We're
TO continue iong7"
"The unprecedented rains OF that
year, besides preventing the routine OPP
eraiions OF the farm. destroyed stand
ing grain and hay, carried OF grain In
the shock, and In a number OF In
stances carried away whole stocks.
This, however, might be overlooked to
some extent ms temporary loss, but
when the damage done to the land Is
taken into account, The loss OF the sur
face soil from the hillsldes. the gully
ing out of the drains, and the conse-
quent removal OF all the rich organic
matter, together with the available
supply OF soil nutrients, the damage
done by even single season. such as
then experienced. cannot be overcome
In lifetime by the most Intelligent
system Of agriculture.
"The loss to the commercial world Is
not only the lessened product of the ru-
raj districts, but the loss OF time ocea-
stoned by the high water. the danger to
all floating crafts from storm debris
brought In from the tributaries to the
navigable channel. on the Monongahela
and Ohio all traffic was suspended for
nearly two weeks during the July food
OF that year, on account Of high water
and running logs When It is consid-
cred that for several weeks the river
was not navlgable because OF destruc-
tive foods, and that this summer the
same results follow from drought It 10
time the people living along these after
les OF commerce came to realize the
effect that forest destruction Is having
upon the river how. A few more repe-
titlons of this kind will do more TO
create public sentiment in favor of for
est protection than the teachings OF
half n century"
"Would the hills be washed away
much quicker without forests than with
them?"
"There is no doubt about that, for not
a farmer in the land will say that q
field in forest or In sod will be washed
as bad as one under culture. Even here
the comparison Is not strong enough,
for the rich organic deposits OF centur-
les which cover che floor Of the forest,
that really constitute the wealth of the
land, are light and easily transported.
II is not as firm and compact as newly
titled soil, containing, as do our ordi-
nary farm Soils less organic matter.
As soon as forests are removed the land
Is thrown open 10 the action OF the ele-
meuts. The full force Of the wind and
rain, instead OF being broken BY the
mantle OF trees. falls directly upon II.
causing its soft, yielding surface to be
scattered, as It were, to the four winds
Of heaven. This 10 followed by the
ploY or the tramplng OF cattle, all OF
which keep the barred surface raw and
defenseless. The increased rapldlty Of
the run-off carries with II a greater
amount OF material, for It is obvious
that the greater the velocity and the
more concentrated running water be-
comes the greater viii be the damage
II is capable OF doing. Clear the hills OF
their forests, level them to the plains.
carry to the ocean in annual floods the
rich soils, the only resource OF the az
rlculturist and the forester, and you
destroy heritage that should be
handed down through ages"
HAS the water supply perceptiblF
lessened since the destruction of the
American forests began?'
Eyes. To those who have not given
the subject study or consideration, this
may sound untrue. but from years Of
experience and observation / Wll say
there has been n steady yearly de-
crease IN the amount Of water stored
away during the wet season to keep up
an average flow during the dry season.
From the discovery OF this country up
10 the last hnlf century nearly all man
ufacturing was done by natural power
Then the streams we're numerous, their
aov continuous. and their latent power
could easily and cheaply he brought to
do the desired work. But all this Is
changed now. Great streams have
dried up. mills shut down.. and instead
OF old-fnshioned mill dams furnishing
cheap energy we see the steam engine
doing Il at much greater cost to the
people In general.
"hfong the MononRaheia ana Its tTl-
butarIes ffty years ago there were
hundreds Of sawmllls. Touring mills
md woolen mills that were propelled
by water power Uexcluslvely; to-day
there Is not one depending on water
power alone. These mills were nban-
doned absolutely and solely because Of
the Inadequate and unreliable power
simply, caused by the drying up OF the
streams In summer and Increased floods
in winter and spring. The once con-
tlnuous water supply has become In
termit,ent, and instead OF an easy
managed waterway Il became an I'M
| profitable md dangerous torrent
$50 you see the necessity OF the peo-
Die Of the cast doing something, and
| that sooh, to protect our wafer supply.
The western people are alive to this
| question, and II IL there alone govern
nent cooperation has been secured.
The east needs protection In this mat
Ter as we'll as some other parts OF the
country. In few years wo Will be do
| ing the very same thing tho people Of
the west are now doing n we do not
| take the step now. Other countries
have become awakened to the import
| nnce 'of this need only after their un-
Wise and greedy policy had brought
them face to face to tho grave problem
Of wnter supply Of drought ana a. de-
struollve torrents. Must we, the wisesi
the most highly civilized nation on
earth. no through the Same ordeal be-
fore we md out whore the road W.
arc travelling will lead us?"
The drought that has prevailed
throughout the country for The last
two months brings forciblg to mind the
wisdom contained IN Professor Cor.
| LnAIln tltorhn In rnnnrl Ia tho nfnIhcLlnn