The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-03-09
The Republic Bureau.

~ 81 dH4 i INNS ltdulA ~
Washington, March S.-The efforts Of the
Senators and Representatives from the
States of Virginia, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee
are at present directed toward stirring up
interest in n proposition TO save the splen-
did forests in those States from complete
annihilaticn. The reckless destruction of
forests in many portions of the country,
and the resulting scarcity of timber, have
awakened the people Of the Southern APP
palachian States to the danger Of having
their mountains denuded in the Same man
Her.
Consequently. it is now proposed to save
the trees Of that section by the establish
ment Of a National Forest Reserve of not
more than ,0o.oco acres. A bill is at pres
ent pending in each branch of Congress,
appropriating 100000 for the establish
ment Of such a reserve. The Agricultural
Department, assisted by the United States
Geological Survey, has made a thorough
survey and investigation of the forest con-
dition in the States above named. Secretary
Wilson is heartily in favor OF the proposed
park, and If the bill becomes a law he
will have charge of the expenditure of
the $4,000. II the project should go
through. the territory would be known as
Mckinley Park.
Loss Of Hard Wood.
The proposition is not entirely new. a IA
vorable report having been made on a SIM
liar bill in the last Congress. Reckless cut
ting and the forest fires which follow are
destroying the hard wood forests of the
South at a rate and to an extent which Is
already having serious results over wide
areas. In addition to its probable effect on
climate, 1t is causing irregularities in the
foy of the streams. which are destroying
their value for water power and naviga-
tim 6rrrtn. %ba lr- z,,.1, 49, l,,rino tho
rainy season are washing away the soils
on the sleeper hillsides and mountain
slopes, filling up the stream beds with sed-
iment and destroying the agricultural val
ue of the lowlands along the streams. Both
the diminishing flow of water during the
dry season and the deposit of sediment in
the stream beds and harbors during periods
OF flood are becoming yearly more danger
Gus to navigation and are leading directly
to increased annual appropriations for riV-
Senator Pritchard of North Carolina, who
Is taking a leading part In pushing the
present bill. has this to say of the necessity
Tor forest reservations:
For several years the increasing forest
destruction on the steep mountain slopes
has manifested Itself In the increasing mag
the streams rising in this region.
Secretary Wilson's Report.
The final report of the Secretary Of Agri-
culture estimates the damage to property
up eShe AL IAAS SSANb 80
foods during the spring and summer of 1901
and the resulting general loss I'm value by
the lowland farms bordering these streams.
and the aggregate OF these losses during the
year approximates $500 600, or three times
the appropriation called FOR in the bill now
under consideration. But, as pointed out
by the Secretary of Agriculture. this loss
from forest clearing cannot be estimated
in money value alone. Its continuance
means the early and complete destruction
of conditions most valuable to the nation,
and which neither skill nor wealth can re-
store.
different States, about the sources of na-
nerous streams of interstate or national i'm
portance. Hence these lands should be
citizens, who have no responsibilities beyond
the limits Of their own acres. nor by States.
whose interests do not extend beyond their
Other National Purchases.
That the solution of this problem in the
msnneS indicated does not inaugurate a
new policy on the part of the Government is
similar purposes, Of Government lands in
the Western. States already purchased as
2 part OF the national domain, but also by
She numerous purchases of lands by the
Sovefnment Tor military parks and the pur-
chase of Indian lands which were incor- |
polsted In the Flathead Rerserve in Mon
While for apparent reasons the several
eo1tiSuous states cannot be expected to
pufcnase these lands for Incorporation in
such q forest reserve. they have granted
c cos nes1 by t authority for such purchase and
The Secretary Of AericuItura IN hi. era,
IeporI cans attention to the fact that |
many large bodies of these lands can now |
|G per acre; that the reserve Will if estab- !
pisned at an early date, be -self-supporting. !
|Sao tnat iateT, iike the great European |
R1s Of timber and other forest products:
MAT among the benefits resulting from a
reserve will be the prevention OF damag- '