Mohave County miner. [volume] (Mineral Park, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1882-1918, 1901-07-20
Stop the Destruction Of the Most Mar.
velous Growth. and Oldest Liv-
ing Things of Earth.

4
mia, represent the most marvellous
growth and the oldest living things on
earth; and one the last of the giant
species that commenced their growth,
according to Professor David Starr
Jordan, 5000 years before the dawn of
the Christian era. The species are
now extinct with the exception of the
few groves that are found along the
western slopes of the Sierra Nevada
mountains in California; but at one
time these species of giant trees domi.
mated vegetation in Europe, and
America from the Arctic zone to the
equator. The Calaveras growth of big
trees contains the most rare and stu.
pendous specimens Of any of the sur
viving giant sequoias aud exempli-
ties the truth Of the survival of the
tittest id the colossal growth found
there. Some of the trees in this grove
attain height of 400 feet, and base
circumference of over 100 feet, and
hundreds of nations have risen and
fallen, and thousands of years have
come aud gone since they first com
menced to grow, and the history, ira
dition and knowledge of the people
who lived contemporaneous with their
early growth are unknown. aud their
life and mission and degree of civiliza,
ton remains mystery, buried among
the most ancient traces OF man. Here
in our own country, and particularly
in Arizona, are found ruin traces of
an ancient civilization, said by stu
dents Of archaeology to be as old as the
oldest civilization of the Nile, which is
computed to be about the same age
as the big trees of California, and
nearly three thousand years older than
the oldest of the Pyramids. making
those trees from their great antiquity,
of special value and interest, and
should be of greater renown to Amer
lea than the Pyramids are to Egypt,
because they are centuries older than
the Pyramids and are much more
grand and impressive, and perhaps of
greater scientific value to the scientist
and student OF archaeology. What
vandal would have the audacity to at.
tempt to destroy the Pyramids, or
erect buildings with stone taken from
their colossal masonry? but the van
dalism OF the saw mill man 10 Cali,
fornia Is fast destroying the grandest
aud most ancient relics known to man,
and IL the vandalism is not soon
stopped California will be bereft OF
most Of her famous trees, the most
wonderful gift and heritage of living
things the people of any land have
ever been favored with, because those
groves of giant trees represent the
most stupendous growth and ancient
life of earth, and have withstood for
thou sands of years all the obliterating
forces and wonderful changes that
have beset and caused the transforua-
ton of the earth, and things of the
earth, and the American people should
see to 1t that all the groves of these
majestic trees are preserved, so that
the American in the centuries to come,
as he wonders among these matchless
trees and under their shady vistas,
will thank God that they were pre-
served to give him enjoyment and
edification the same as they have for
the people of perhaps all the ages Of
man. So let the American press, that
great motive power of American ac-
ton, unto in advocating the enactment
of proper national legislation for the
purchase and preservation Of these
ancient and matchless living relics,
that have come down to us from a
time far beyond history.
j. ID. JORDAN.