Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1900-10-26
WOMEN SAVE THE TREES.
Work Done by Them For she Pres
eryatIon of Forests.


The clubwomen Of various states
have been active In securing the pres.
ervatlon of trees In cities ana the sal.
walton of forests in wilder sections. II
was women who saved the redwood
trees of Calaveras, and women are
working TO raise fund to buy part OF
the woodland on the Palisades. and
women strongly agitatcd the move.
ment which resulted in the reservation
of the Adirondack forests as state
park.
When the forestry interests of a
state are threatened with an outrage
irremediable If once perpetrated. the
influence of women may be brought u
bear so quickly as TO astonish the pol
iticans. For example take the Gala.
veras trees. There were .45O sequoias
on about 1900 acres of land Some OF
them were more than 500 feet high and
were supposed to be more than 6OOI
years old. The genus was only To be
found in California. and the fame OF
these trees was worldwide. No trav.
elcr from Europe felt that he had seen
California unless he had visited these
mammoth redwood trees. Like light.
ming from a clear sky came TO Cali
fornia women the announcement that
for the beggarly sum of $1,000 um.
Der dealer had secured an option on
the whole tract in which these trees
were found.
The California club. of which Mrs
Lowell White is president. acted
promptly. backed 10y the whole body OF
women in the federated clubs of the
state and assisted 10y the activity of
the leaders in the woman's club move
mcnt in other states. Mrs. \. y. Sha.
ron. chairman of the department Of
education of the California club, was
then visiting in Washington \ trlp.
gram was sent to her explaining the
situation and the necessity for jmme
diate action by the congress of the
United States.
Congressman De vrics drafted a
joint resolution for the purchase of the
redwood trees. This was rushed
through the house ana senate and wa,
signed by the president within II days
of the day Mrs. Sharon got the telc
gram In the meantime petitions had
been signed by ljO.00O persons asking
for such action. Senator Perkins had
taken charge of the matter in the sen
ate. The gold pen with which PrcSi.
dent. MclIi Hey signed the resolution
was given to Mr. De NrieS and 10y him
presented to the California club. which
is justly proud of its achievement aud
regards this pen as its dearest relic.
Mrs. Florence Howe Hail. a daugh
ter of Mrs. Julia Ward Howe. is the
head of the movement for tree culture
and preservation in New Jersey. She
Is a resident of rlaiutield, a town
where trees have been appreciated At
their fall worth for municipal improve.
ment for many years. She is energet
ically pushing the effort to secure the
fund for the salvation of the Palisades
woodland.
At the meeting Of the American For
estry association in New York early iu
July there was one woman speaker
Mrs. Dock. who had come from Wis
consin to explain to the experts the
active interest of the federated WON.
ems clubs in their deliberations and
what was being done in all parts of
the country hy women for the preServa.
ton of the forests. Her paper was
among the most interesting features
Of the meeting. dealing with facts. not
with theories. She certainly had plenty
Of material TO work with.