The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-17
WORK OF SAVING FORESTS.
nm. RoTHRoCK'S LIFELONG SERVICES
IN PENNSYLVANIA.

Commerce, Health and Plcnsure-Now
Forestry Laws of That Commonwealth.
HAnn1sDuRo. Pa. July 14.-Since early child
hood, when his parents were frightened by his
Iona excursions to the mountains without
their knowledge or consent. Joseph T. Roth
rock has been q student OF the forestry ques-
tion, so that in his official place as the Forestry
commissioner OF Pennsylvania he Is qualified
70 undertake the great work OF restoring the
woodland Of this great Commonwealth Proi.
pothrock has also been a hunter, and some OF
the largest game on the North American con-
tinent has fallen before his u%nerring rifle. He
has had some thrilling escaEes from the In
dams while on Government surveys. but oil
these experiences It is difficult to get him to
speak. At least once in his life he was COM
pelled to stop short In his wild career ali Indian
who deliberately shot at him, and on several
occasions he narrowly escaped starvation.
Prof. Rothrock was born on April o. 1899. at
McVeytown, in the picturesque Juniata Valley
Of Pennsylvania. He was educated at Harvard.
and was a special pupil of Asa Gray and Louis
ARassiz. His studies were interrupted by a
service Of two years in the War Of the Rebel
lion. He was wounded at Fredericksburg. and
was subsequently made Captain of Company L.
twentieth Pennsylvania Cavalry. Returning
70 his studies. he was graduated from Harvard
in 1884. The same year he took his first
course OF medical lectures at the University OF
Pennsylvania. Before the close OF the term in
1885 he was sent for by Prof. Spencer Baird OF
the Smithsonian Institution to Join the scien-
tiAc corps sent to British Columbia and Alaska
BY the Western Union Telegraph Company to
explore q route for telegraph wires via the
Behring Straits to the mouth OF the AMOR
River on the Asiatic side.
Prof. Rothrock travelled extensively on snow
shoes during the winter of 1856 and was ex-
posed to a temperature of 400 below zero when
pleeping in q snow bank. During the winter of
1866 he was on snowshoes within 400 miles
of the Klondike. Returning tothe university he
graduated in medicine in 1868. For two years
he was professor of botany at the State College
and then settled at Wilkesbarre, where he prac-
ticed until 1873. when he became surgeon and
botanist to the Wheeler exploring expedition
west Of the Tooth meridian. He continued In
this service for three years and prepared a
large and handsomely Illustrated botanical re-
port of his work.
In 1877 he was elected professor Of botany
in the University of Pennsylvania, which place
he still holds, though absent on leave to look
after the forestry interests Of the State. He
began the forestry agitation under the inspira-
ton OF the late Eli X. Price. and has continued
Il ever since. He had seen one-siXth OF the
State in his lifetime pass from u forest condE
ton to almost a desert. and he could not help
asking where this change was to end. The
idea took possession of him that 1t was a worthy
life work to aid in bringing about q change in
the policy of the State. and for twenty years he
has worked with that object in view.
DR.. Rothrock recently made the statement
that when he was a young man. q civil en-
Rineer, in 1858, they had with them an axe
man, James Irwin, still living near Sheffield. in
Forest county. Pa, who, the winter previous.
had killed in that county Tor the market sixty
deer before Christmas. Though a very aged
man, he still pursues his vocation Of hunter
and trapper. and he recently remarked to the
Commissioner that he did not believe there
we're sixty deer now living in Forest county.
In those days Pennsylvania was essentially a
wooded district from Tyrone. on the Pennsyl-
yania Railroad, north almost to the New York
State line. ELK. Cameron, Mchean, Potter. and
Forest counties, together with "a large part OF
Clinton. CiearneId. and Centre, were practically
The elk had only recently disappeared: re-
mains of beaver dams weroStlll trequent; pam
theirs were not uncommon: wildcats and bears
roamed the woods IN every direction. and odd
Clearfeld county by the bounties he had ex-
tracted thereirom Tor his vol scaips. he wore
homemade moccaSlnS, While his nearest aSSo-
ciate, Dave Cornelius. never desecrated his
head with o hat except when lac won't to
church, which was seldom. Nevertheless they
were manly men. brave and generous TO u fault.
Every mountain brook was, alive With trout,
out Of season. they found a welcome in the en-
RineerS frying pan, just as, did many u Duck
that ventureu TO approucn u ueer-llck before the
hunting season began.
Magnificent white pine and hemlock trees
were associated with large, ilard wood timber
snd darkened the country TO the EXTREMIST
horizon. as viewed from any mountain top;
White pine trees six ieet In diameter and
sound clear through were cut by the Sunblry
And Erie Railroad engineers when liking their
lines, 1t is doubtful II there is q White pine
more than five feet across;
The civil engineers lived in the woods. and in
the absence OF wagon roads often transported
their baggage anu CAMP guuInllentS on Dack
d horses; On more than one occasion they were
Wnreinp On n Inc and ttna Tor tHair ives ~
some projecting ledge OF rocks as they heard
the sound OF I'LL, approaching windfall. which
was prostratlng the trees over areas OF miles IN
extent. The only element or frontier life thai
was wanting was the Indian, though no may be
some ot the older settlers who then occupied
the region. 1t was before the days OF coal oi
istence as u commercial factor. though it wa,
clearly recognized that many a colossal fortune
then remained to be hewn out OF the timber.
The. game has almost gone and the end OF the
trees Is, in sight; tanneries and pulp factories
fre-swept hillsides form a vast impoverished
unproductiVe area in that region. IL should bt
sstry movement has any hostility against thC
lumbering interests. toresters wage their wa
against the Tires. which have baked every efor
Asource Of revenue to the State. and a means
OF Living to its industrial community.
The era Of forestry reform has begun In thu
northern United States, 1t is one OF the ire
pressible which is bound to grow
and cannot be halted. New York state has Sc
the example in her magnificent Adirondack
reservation and later in ner school Of loreStr
which she has started at Cornell University
put Pennsylvania Is a close second. The las
Legislature enacted laws which seemed to b
Tor the water power Of the State was clea.l
waning; Just ut a time when IL was recognized
that the necessity for increase OF waite
power, was becoming imperative. A law wa
passed which makes the constables OF tn
State responsible Tor the suppression of fores
fires. obilging them TO summon u posse to ali
In suppressing these fires, liking u REASONABLE
compensation for services rendered. and re
curing them to make a strict return to til
COURTS for all forest fires and for their work
The state assumes payment for half OF the eX
Renses. A second law obliges the Count
Commlssioners to appoint Detectives TO terre
out those who start forest fires and bring tn
criminals TO punishment; they are llkewis
Obliged. under heavy penalty. to see that thi
makes a demand upon them. For such wor