The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1899-07-07
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Makes the food more delicious and wholesome
The Forest Reserve.


ON February 23nd, 1897, President
Cleveland by executive proclamation,
created eleven forest reserves with an
estimated area of 19,951.36O acres.
There existed previous to this date
seventeen reserves. making the total
area reserved at that time 3S,944, $40
acres. During 1898 President McKin-
ley added two new reservations and
enlarged the boundaries of another,
and to date In 1899 there has been an
enlargement of one reserve and the
formation of two new ones, so that the
grand total of reserve land exclusive
OF the National parks is now estimated
at 40,887 ,274 acres.
Three of the largest of the reserva-
tions created February 22nd, 1897, are
entirely in the state of Washington,
viz: The Washington Forest Reserve,
of 1854, ,24O acres; the Olympic Forest
Reserve, of 2,1SS,SO0 acres; the Mount
Rainier Forest Reserve of 1924 $50
acres. The latter includes the Pacific
Reserve created February Goth, 1893,
with an area of 967 $50 acres, and re-
Gently formed into National park.
The Indignation of the people of the
State was unbounded when they real
lied that there had been formed with
in their State three public domains
each about equal in area to the State
of Connecticut. The Western press
and Congressional Representatives
entered such strong protest against
the reservations that the entire eleven
created February 22nd, 1897, were
suspended by all act of Congress OF
June 4th, 1897; but on March 1st,
1898, they again became subject to
the proclamation creating them, and
now form a permanent part of the
National farests.
Beginning with July 1898, there has
been organized system of superin-
tendents, supervisors and rangers, hav-
ing in charge many of the reserves of
the West where damage from fires is
most frequent. The duties of this
corps are primarily protective.
1t is impossible to fully comprehend
the effect the reserves viii: have on
Washington. With one-third OF its
area useless for either pasture or agri-
culture, but peculiarly fitted for forest.
growth, it will make a mistake if it
does not provide that the cut over
lands be restocked The State must
make it profitable for private individu-
ais to do this on their own land So
far as the National forests are concern
ed this is likely to be done. Maine
and Wisconsin, as they witness the
gradual destruction of their forests
and the consequent decline in the
lumber and other dependent industries,
have reason to envy The possibility
that Washington has within its grasp.
The forest lands, under proper man
agement, will represent many times
more capital, will afford far more en-
ployment and support a much larger
population than they would if reduced
10 burned, cut-over lands, such as can
be seen anywhere over the State where
numbering has taken place, or as poor
farm lands hardly. affording a miser-
able living to the owner
With the gradual exhaustion OF the
timber supplies of the East, the in
creased demand for lumber for both
foreign and domestic use, great fu-
ture lies before the State of Washing
ton. 1t should became the export
lumber supply of the world, the home
supply for the finest grades of con-
struction lumber and the center of the
thousands of industries depending
upon an abundant and cheap supply
of timber ior their raw MATERIAL
Frank Haines Lamb, in the State.