Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1901-01-09
PRESCOTT FOREST RESERVE.
Supervisor Stewart Speaks Q! Its Sat isfactOTy Condition and Puts in
 Gooi Word for Arizona.

this section. This wBs partly due to
 the fact that there had been no re-
 cognized head over this reserve. in
 the person ofa supervisor, the rangers
 having things pretty mGch tIeir own
 way, and in Sefle eases there was con
 sidera"Ie friction among them. An
 other cause of its unpopularity was
 the fact that the conditions governing forest reserves was not generally well
 understood by citizens.
 Alr. Stewart at once set to work to
 bring order out of chaos and worked lndefatigably y in the duties of his of
 hce, and through courteous treatment ot applicants for wood and timber it
 was soon discovered that the precon-
 ceived ideas of the unjustness of the
 law was erroneous and that bv going
 at It Tn the right way all the timber
 necessary for domestic purposes could
 be obtained without infringing on the
 law governing reserves. Mir. Stewart
 has therefore not only popularized the
 reservation itself, but has popularized
 himself among those with whom he
 has dealt, although at the outset his
 pathway as supervisor was strewn
 With thorns without any of the com
 pensatlng roses found with them. He
 has just submitted his second quar-
 terly report in the course of which he
 takes occasion to make mention of
 Yavapai coUnty's leading industry.
 that of mining, as a very large pro-
 portion of our mines are found within
 the borders of the reserve. Among other things mentioned in his report Is found the following:
 "I am more than all else pleased to note the increased popularity of the Prescott forest reserve to that which existed six months ago. Prior to the establishment of the reserve. from time immemorial, the general public had access to the public timber lands. and the evidence of the careless. reck- less and eXtTaVagant destruction of the forest Is apparent throughout the reserve. If the general public had profited thereby, the community at large would have little regret. but when it is known that not to exceed a half dozen private individuals who were strong enough financially to em- ploy large saw mills have reaped the benefit and left waste that time only can replace. The wisdom of the establishment of forest reserves throughout the public domain be- comes a question of serious consider | ation and one which will no doubt in the near future engage the attention | of the general public.
 1t Is difficult ta estimate the very | great amount of dead down timber | throughout the Prescott reserve. | Whole trees with but a single twelve foot log taken off were left to rot. and . whole trees found unsound for lum- Der were left, until in many places it very greatly endangered the forest of fires that threatened its destruction. Under instructions of the honorable the wisdom of allowing mining companies to clean up tins lead and down refuse Is apparent and $ a movement that will greatly re- found to the interests of the reserve in hat Tn the event of fire it can be more saslly controlled and thus held within m area that would insure the forest rom d serious cOnhagration.
 The industrial conditions that have prevailed have been anything but en- 'ourdglng, owing to the continued iroUth. The mines and mills through ut the reserve have done nothing nd 1 am informed that never in the listory of the country has such con Iitions prevailed. Large mines and nils like the Crowned King" the Tiger, the "Senster," the Red Cock the "Oriental" and many other lrge producing properties that l ! euld mention are idle. and scarcely ny work Is being done more than the ' eneral assessment work and in some 7w Instances a little developmeut :, 'ork. To such an alarming extent as this condition prevailed as to : lreaten the interest of the territory to the little city of Prescott. n In this account there has been very ' tile demand for timber comDared ith what would have been were the lines and mills in active operation a nd should the rain and snow flll of q De present winter prove sufficient to : leet the needs of hepeople the pros erl!y of this community would be | unprecedented ia the historyof the ter ; tory. | In the section wherein is located l le Prescott forest reserve. the chief |, dustry of it's people is mining and J 1T the development that has been one presents to the investor a field ch with possibilities which will. in r me, no doubt, place it in the front J nk oi 5old, silver ana copper pro- icing countries.
 The 2aly problem confronting the k ,ople Icing the water supply which ,. lquestionab!y has been Crca;iv Gi- h lnlshed by the deforesting of the n untry. That the protection of the | unS growing timber under rules IT, d regulations prescribel by tba IA vernment will restorethe conditions S'
 they formerly existed when the A in iall was ample is equally un1ues- nable."