The Washington times., 1902-06-08
Men From the Army.
FOREST PRESERVATION
URGED BY SENATOR DEPEW
(Conti,ued from Second pagc.j

teen rescued to the West. there has
been nothing done in the East.
The Appalachian forest preserve as
proposed in the pending measure Is
about $50 miles in length and OF varying
breadth. 1t is from 400 to coo feet above
the sea. II runs through the States Of
Virginia, West Virginia, North and
South Carolina. Georgia, Alabama. and
Tennessee.
"The streams from this mountain for
est are the tributaries of these i'm
portant rivers: The James, the Roam
| okc. the Catawba, the Savannah, the
| New (Kanawha). the Tennessee, the
French Broad. the Coosa. the Yadkin,
the ChattahOochee, the Broad. the Hia-
wassec. the Nolichucky, the Pigeon. the
/ Tuckascgee, the Watauga. and the Hol-
ston. The region affected by these
/ streams is from 100 to $50 miles in
width on the Atlantic side and more
! than that on the other. 1t comprises
part of the richest agricultural country
/ in the United States. The timber in
/ this forest is all hard wood, and is the
/ largest body of hard wood on the North
| American Continent. 1t is a museum
4 of forest growth. embracing. on account
| of its location. the woods which can be
grown in temperate. semi-tropical, and
tropical countries. There are 1877 varie-
| ties, making this forest one OF the most
! interesting in the world The deep soil
4 has been forming for thousand years
or more. and in its interlacing of tree
roots and humus. of grass and leaves.
there has been created an enormous
| sponge for the absorption. retention,
End distribution of the rainfall.
Great Degree of Rainfall.
THE rainfall in this region is greater
than in any other part of the United
States except the north Pacific Coast
1t ranges from 60 to 100 inches year
The downpour at one time during the
past year was thirty inches. Where the
forests are intact the water finds Its
way through this thick and porous soil
goes into the crevices of the rocks and
into the gulches and forms springs and
rivulets. Nature, always benefcent In
her operation, so arranges this vast col
lection of the rainy season that during
the rest of the year 1t flows out natu-
rally and equally through the rivulets
into Ethe streams and through the
streams into the rivers. and waters and
fertilizes half a dozen States.
''The results of an attack upon this
fortress created by nature for the pro-
lection and enrichment of the people is
more disastrous than the sweep of an
invading army of savages over thick
ly populated and fertile country.
THE trees, young and old, big and
little. surrender to the AK and the
saw. Then the soil is sold to the
farmer, who finds abundant harvests
in its primeval richness. For about
three years he gathers a remunerative
and satisfactory harvest. but he sees. as
the enormous rainfall descends. his farm
| gradually disappear. At the end OF
| three wears he can no longer plant
crops. but for two years more, II lucky,
he NAV be able to Craze his stock. At
| the end of five years the rains and floods
have washed clean the mountain sides.
have left nothing but the bare rocks.
have reduced his farm to desert. and
| created a ruin which can never be re-
paired,
This destruction cannot be repeated
many years without turning into q
desert the fairest portion of our coun-
try.
Appropriation of 100000.
"The proposition in the bill is to au-
thorize the Secretary of Agriculture, at
an expense not exceeding sl0,O00,0O0 20
purchase 1000, 900 acres of these for
ests. They are held now in large tracts
of from ] 900 to 5000 acres. They are
being rapidly bought up by lumber com
panies at from sl.50 to 81 an acre. The
owners. as | am informed, would much
Trefer selling them TO the Government
than to individuals or corporations. The
reason is obvious. II Is estimated by
the Department OF Agriculture that
within five years the forests would be
self-sustaining, and after that source
, OF increasing revenue for all time TO
come. II is impossible for the State es
to undertake this work.