New-York tribune., 1902-03-16
FLOODS AND FORESTS,
WHAT THEY HAVE TO DO WITH EACH
OTHER.
JAMES HENRY AND HIS GRANDFATHER
TALK ABOUT THE WOODS AND WHY
THEY OUGHT TO BE SAVED.

lanes Henry vas looking at some pictures Of
fbe foods. There we're streets filed with water
and people going around in boats; there were
houses with the water almost I'd TO their win
sows. and al sorts Of interesting things floating
by: there were boys polling along the streets on
-afts Il a. made James Henry feel that he
was not y,e- used. He thought that TO go up
and down tie street where he lived on a raft
and 10 lock n at his own windows and invite
the rest 4 the family 70 make voyage would
Just suit him
He did not deny 70 his grandfather that TINS
was The way he felt about il. ana that he wished
New-Yorl might have food, as well as these
smau-r places out q town. Neither did ms
grandfather deny that he took q rather different
view Of floods.
boating in the streets" his grandfather said,
"woul be very good fun no doubt. and ! should
be glad 10 make little yachting cruise with
you up ana down Broadway But If the cellar
we're al fun Of .yater and the fires put out so
that We could not warm the house or do any
cooking, an afraid that wouldn't be quite so
amusing What do you think about it?'
Maybe il wouldn't" James Henry admitted.
II aDybo5v enjoys these floods in any way at
ali" his gran ztather went on 1t is a good thing
they do for they do harm enough wherever
they come. 70 the most Of the people. to their
homes, TO their farms and gardens and to their
business"
Then what CO they let them come for?"
James Henry asked. Cant they do anything
10 stop them And what makes them build
houses where The foods are likely to Gomez"
You ask too many questions at once" said
his grandfat1=r. 7 suppose the rule is to an
swer the last one first. isn't il? Well all that
I can do with thar one IS 10 own right up that
l cant answer il OF course. foods are not al
ways expected. and they sometimes come where
they are not al al expected, but people do have
a way OF building houses in dangerous places
which is hard to account for. For instance. you
know Vesuvius now and then boils over and car
ries of q few houses built on its side with q
stream Of melted lava, but as soon as the lava
IS cool people come right lack and build houses
IN the same places again. and it is certainly
pulling that they should do il
But, as for your other two questions, think
something VIII have 10 be done 10 prevent these
foods. Of course most people never will do
anything 70 make things safe till some damage
has been done, but il IS time now that they be-
gar Il isn't likely that they can prevent foods
altogether. There have always been floods, and
probably there always vii be But some way
might be found, such as the deepening and wid-
c4--S u l--a--.r-Nr 10 take care OF the water II
particular places, so that il would do less harm
and then they might stop what they are doing
TO bring on the foods"
ITO bring on the foods James Henry re
peated- What do they do that for?"
They don't do il on purpose.'" his grand
father answered, but they are pretty careles
sometimes about the way they cut down trees.
But the trees wouldn't stop the foods, woul
thev1" said James Henry.
Yes. they would. q good deal. That is onl
70 be cut down so recklessly as they have bee
in some parts Of the country. There are othe
reasons but that is one, and a good one. Th
for-s-s are very good things to keep for man
purra=es chiefly. Of course for the timber"
"I-t you can't have the timber and keep tn
for. too, can you?' James Henry asked.
THAT is q good question" said his grand
fatler 1T seems about the same as sayin
tha- you cant eat your cake and have it. too
does1t il? Of course. We must cut some fOres
II want timber, but the trouble is that
goo5 many Of the lumbermen do il careIessly
II taey would only cut the largest trees an
tho=a which are best for timber and leave tn
Erna' Ter ones TO grow into larger ones, il woul
be an very well. But they take anything tina
is nearest. and think nothing about giving tn
of great stretches OF woods and leave tn
grou-d bare and then the floods come"
Put how does that make the foods come