The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-02-11
GRAND BEAUTY MARKS
MOUNT RAINIER WILDS
Immense Forest Reserve of
Washington.
Contains -Four Lofty Volcanic Peaks
W hose Sudden slopes Bear Over
"a Billion Feet OF Timber.

The examination Of the Mount Rainier
forest reserve. Washington. together with
the Mount Rainier National Park. Wash
ingtoR, by Mr.. Fred G. Plummer. forms
part Of the reDort on forest reserves. by
Mr.. Henry Garrett. geographer, in the
Twenty first Anru Report OF the United
states Geographical Survey now passing
through the pres. but not yet published
The Mount Rainier forest reserve is
cludes the crest OF the Cascade Range. in
southern Washington. with its slopes upon
the east and the west. or the total Of
2.146.60O acres, ala per cent. lies on the
eastern slope. and $50 per cent. on he
western slope OF the mountains. All Of
the eastern slope and most Of the west lrn
slope. $40 per cent Of the reserve, are
drained by thirteen rivers into Columbia
River; the remainder is drained by three
rivers into Puget Sound
The reserve includes the great volcanic
peak OF Mount Rainier, 1885 feet; Mount
Adams, another great volcanic cone. y. 470
feet; Goat Mountain, $500 feet; and
Mount AK. 1923 feet. From these heights
a
dred feet Of sea level
Diverse Climatic Conditions.
The bold topography Of the reserve is
the cause Of wide diversities in climatic
conditions. The bearing clouds.
borne on southwest winds. pass easily
through breaks in the coast range to the
heights and valleys Of the Cascade Range
h..
corn and tobacco fields Of the COwlitz Val
ley and the 1880 acres Of glaciers and
perpetual snow fields OF Mount Rainier.
Only about 5000 acres. or 2 per cent
Of the entire reserve. are fair farming
land. and more than one-haH Of this is
too high or too much exposed.
The Davis coal prospect on Summit
Creek claims a vein six feet wide. and
several other coal veins have been pros
pected. The principal mining for metals
Is the Summit district just east OF Mount
Rainier many claims have been taken
up; none were productive at the time OF
the examination. A number Of mineral
springs, chiefly soda and iron. are found
All the divides become beautiful parks
plentifully grassed and lowered as they
approach the slopes Of Mount Rainier.
and at least so per cent Of the areas above
5000 feet and below the timber line may
be classed as mountain meadows.
Wealth of the Forests.
This region. in respect to its forest
cover, is sharply divided into two parts
by the crest OF the range. Upon the west
the forest is that OF the Pacific coast.
with very dense underground. Il is very
heavy up 70 the attitudes Of between
5000 and 1000 feet. where il begins 20
thin. and above 5000 feet it is almost en-
tirely wanting
The forest is composed. in the main. Of
red fr, with some spruce. hemlock. and
cedar. II is heaviest in the valleys and
upon the north slopes OF the ridges.
rather than upon the south slopes East
OF the crest OF the range the forest is
comparatively light and open. with little
underbrush, and is composed almost en-
tirely OF yellow pine.
Mr. Plummer notes that owing to the
bold topography OF the reserve. and the
presence Of numerous perpetual snow
fields and glaciers, there is no altitude
which may be termed timber limit
Thus upon Mount Rainier the alpine trees
reach an extreme limit OF about 500 feet,
but at Goat Peak the same forms are
found at an elevation OF S. 400 feet.
Over Twenty Billion Feet.
The entire stand Of timber upon the
reserve. including the park. is estimated
by Mr.. Plummer at 20.O13. 2S5, 900 feet.
B. NJ, an average per acre OF 9.323 feet.
B. NJ or the total amount ~ per cent
is red or yellow FIR. Il per cent. hemIock,
10 per cent. yellow pine. and per cent
each red cedar and noble hr. the re-
mainder being made up OF a variety Of
species
Mr. Plummer calls attention to the
value Of the humCs In Tetarding surface
drainage. On the eastern slope, in the
watershed % the Yakima River. the sur
face flow continues 10 feed the river for
three months after winter rains and
SHOWS are over. This is Of immense i'm
pOrtance in irrigation. &c being estimated
that fan OF one foot in this river az
fecJs 100000 acres Of land
Fire has been very destructive in this
region. Upon the west slope restocking
after fires commonly takes place prompt
~ by the same species; but upon the drier
east slope restocking is much slower.
Fires are started by sheep men. prospect
ors. settlers, Indians. and camping par
ties lightning also starts fires occa-
siOnally.
There is little or no cutting Of tim
Der IN this region Large numbers of
sheep are heFded or the sec. 900 acres Of
grazing lands of the reserve. mainly on
the eastern slope OF the Cascade Noun
taius-
Mr. PlImmer says that the scenerv. of
the reserve is on too grand a scale 10 be
affected by any operations Of man. such
as grazing and herIing, but that it is dis
figured by the fires