Evening journal., 1898-10-15
FORESTS IN DANGER.
A Wholesale Raid on Timber In
Wyoming Prevented.
How the United states Is Denuded OF
Trees by the RapRcity of Lumber
Companies and Rail-
roads.

Not very long after the final estab-
lishment cf the forest reservations and
the passage Of the deficiency appro-
priations 10 pay the expense of forest
inspectors and forestry and other
emergency help. comes an example of
the benefit to the western country of
this agitation. Raids on the western
forests have been so much a matter
Of course in the past that it is not to
be expected that they will cease at
once. Yet IL is altogether probable
that hereafter, where such raids are
brought 10 the notice of the public,
or of the authorities, those who con-
template making them may--in view
Of the present interest on the subject
pause before carrying out their in
tended ravagcs on the public domain.
Some little time ago it was learned
that the Rock Springs Lumber COM
pany, of Wyoming, was preparing TO
cut an immense quantity of saw logs,
railway ties and mining timber on the
head of Green river. in Wyoming, and
This without any permit from the gov
ernment. The Rock Springs Lumber
company had already cut timber in
the same general region, and their
course then indicated that they would
bear careful watching. They did not
keep the refuse Of their cuttings
cleared up as the law requires, and
serious forest fires would be certain TO
follow their choppings, as we are told
they have followed them before. I'M
I'll recently there were camped on the
head of Green river and in that neigh
borhood about 100 Mormons, men,
women and children, who expected TO
work at getting this timber out. They
had in their company three profess
sonal hunters, engaged TO kill game
for the camp. They were to have four
permanent camps there. and the chop
pers had been told that II would be
an all winters job. All preparations
seem to have been made for n vigorous
campaign against these forests.
The country intended 10 be cut over
included Townships 3s and 80, n.
Range li0 W., and the same townships
in Range III w. 1t lies on both sides
Of Green river, in Fremont and Uinta
counties. and about 60 or 20 miles south
Of the National park. Large timber Is
not very abundant there, il being esti-
mated that the amount of saw timber
on the head of Green river does not
exceed 100000 feet, rs most OF the
trees are lodgepole pines. As reported,
the plans Of the lumber company were
10 cut out all the saw logs and such
Of the smaller timber as was fit for
railroad ties and mining camp props.
If this country were to be cut over
in the way indicated, nothing could
prevent fire from starting there, and
once started Il would very likely sweep
the entire west side of the range, and
might even 60 as far as the Yellow.
stone national park The Rock Springs
Lumber company had public timber
permit which expired March 21. 1897
and which had not been renewed up
10 the early part Of the present year.
Employees of the company stated re-
Gently that their permit had not been
renewed. but nevertheless they seemed
10 be preparing TO go ahead and cut
without a permit.
Very recently, however, the Rock
Springs Lumber company seem to have
seen a great light. The news of their
\ intentions got abroad and the authori-
ties at Washington were notified of
what was likely TO happen. Up TO
about three weeks ago the force OF
choppers were encamped on the head
of Green river. waiting, as for several
weeks they had waited, for the en-
ployes of the lumber company to come
and set them TO work. These EN-
ployes never came, and at last the chop
pers. thoroughly discouraged, went
away, cursing the company and all con
! nected with it.
The project appears to have been one
of the Wholesale timber raids that have
long been common in the west, and
which will continue just so long as the
authorities permit. 1t is cause fol
satisfaction that this one has not taker
place. That the United States is Il
be deprived of few millions of feet
Of timber is perhaps not in itself q
matter of great Importance, but thai
a wide tract of mountain country il
first TO be deprived of all its large trees
and then TO be burned Off is of higl
importance. This timber is needed tC
conserve the water supply of an i'm
portant section of the arid west, ant
it should be protected.
Two classes of people are nearly af
4 fected by this matter-those interest
ed in forest preservation, including thu
, local farmers and stockmen. whose hay
gardens and other crops are threatened
by drought, and those interested il
game preservation. Besides protecting
the water supply of Green river an,
many of it's tributaries, from whicl
The settlers derive the water for tn,
:, irrigation of their crops, these forests
also afford shelter TO the large gam
b Of one of the best game countries II
the United States. The burning owe
Of this section would for a time seri
ously contract the range of the larg
game Of Wyoming, and so tend to de
prive that state of the very consid
cradle revenue brought into it annual
:. ly by hunters from distance. TIL
2 subject ought to impress itself strong
4; ly on all residents of that state and OF