Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1900-11-17
WOMEN SAVE THE TREES.
Work Done by Them For the Pres
eryntIOn of Forests.

ervntIOn of Forests.
The clubwomCn If various states
have been active IL. securing the pres
walton Of forests in wilder sections. 1t
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 agltated the move
ment which resulted in the reservation
of the Adirondack forests as n state
park.
When the forestry interests of
state are threatened with an outrage
irremcdiable If once perpetrated, the
influence of women may be brought to
bear so quickly as to astonlsh the pol
iticians. For example take the Cali
vcraS trees. There were 400 sequoias
on about 1900 acres of land. Some of
them were more than 800 feet high and
were supposed to be more than 6,OOO
years old. The genus was only to be
found In California, and the fame of
these trees was worldwide. No trav-
eler from Europe felt that he hcd seen
California unless he had visitet. these
mammoth redwood trees. Like light
ming from n clear sky came to Cali
fornia women the announcement that
for the bcggarly sum of $1,000 lum-
Der dealer had secured an Gntion on
the whole tract in which these trees
We're found.
The California club, Of which Mrs.
Lowell White Is president, acted
promptly, backed by the whole body of
women In the federated clubs of the
state and assisted by the activity of
the leaders in the woman's club move
ment in other states. Mrs. a. ID. Sha-
ron, chairman of the department of
education of the California club, was
then visiting In Washington. \ tele-
gram was sent to her explaining the
situation and the necessity for imme-
diatc action by the congress of the
United States.
Congressman De Vries drafted a
joint resolution for the purchase of the
redwood trees. This was rushed
through the house and senate and was
signed by the president within IS days
of the day Mrs. Sharon got the tele-
gram. In the meantime petitions had
been signed by 10000 persons asking
for such action. Senator Perkins had
taken charge of the matter In the SEN
ate. The gold pen with which Presi-
dent Mckinley sigued the resolution
was given to Mr.. DE Nrics and by him
presented to the California club, which
is Justly proud OF its achievement and
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 Plaintield, n town
where trees have been appreciated at
their full 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 in
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 wom-
ems clubs in their deliberations and
what was being done in all parts Of
the country by women for the preserva-
tion 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.