The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1905-01-21
PICTURESQUE
new JERSEY
Seekers After Beauty Can
Find It in the Woods in
Which the State
Abounds.
TuE TlMprp TrpplTnpv
TIE TIMBER TERRITORY
Pine Belt Where Malarial Dis
orders Are Unknown
Healthful Atlantic City

Tie seeker after the picturesque in ma
ture in these days now goes no further
than the New Jersey woods Here and
now quite at ones door is to be witnessed
an unsurpassably glorious autumnal pa
geant. Amy large stretch of scrub oak
and pine presents a resplendent mass Of
color, contrasted with which the most
brilliant product of Persian or Turkish
loom seems tame and commonplace. In
the bosoms of the limpid streams that
abound in these still extensive tracts of
woodland, these myriad hues are reflect
ed 50 perfectly that every sylvan picture
is duplicated with such an emphasis of
tone as all the Corots and Daubignys
and Illnesses that ever existed might in
vain strive to place upon the canvas.
The ultimate appropriation of all this
South Jersey timber territory is only a
question of time. At no very recent pc
riod in the past it seemed that this tim
Der was surely destined to early distinc-
tion. by the devastating fires that were
frequently prevalent These fires owed
their origin in great measure to these
cause.-the insufficient width of the
right of way occupied by the railroads
the undergrowth in perilous proximity to
the tracks, and the negligence of the eIn-
ployes of the railroad companies The
latter agency has been determined to
-have been potent, in a series Of litiga-
tons successfully establishing the Habil-
ity Of the railroad corporations for
woodland fires As to this. it is interest
ing to note that the statutes Of New Jer-
sey create a presumption of liability on
the part of railroad company for fire
occurring on its right of way. Upon mere
proof of such confiagration it is immedi-
ately incumbent on the company to pre-
sent evidence to rebut such presumption.
This wise legislation, the increased width
of the right of way everywhere and the
removal of abutting underground have
been of effect to materially lessen the
destruction of forest trees by fires from
locomotive engines. The preservation of
these valuable tracts of woodland is,
therefore, fairly assured. And all that is
needed to restore the early grandeur and
beauty Of the forests is the establishment
Of forestry commission akin in. scope
and character and purpose in our own
State institution.
Although so eminent a scientist as Al
fred Russell Wallace has ruthlessly des-
ignated medical statistics as the most un-
trustworthy of data, extensive experi-
ence warrants reliance upon them 50
far at the sanitary advantages of the
pine and oak belt of New Jersey are CON
cerned. In large central section Of that
region it is indisputable that malarial
disorders are unknown. The light, por-
Gus. sandy soil furnishes complete natu-
raj drainage. and there is no purer water
in the world than that Of the countless
cedar streams traversing it. OF these
waters, many of them richly tinted and
impregnated with the oxidation Of the
abundant bog and sand iron ores.
enough could be readily stored to furnish
the city of Philadelphia with an mex
haustible supply
The success of Atlantic City as
health resort. Sc. contiguous to this terri
tory; the more recent and abiding pros
.perity Of Lakewood, and the historic
popularity of Browns Mills furnish CON
vincing proof Of the availability Of the
adjoining sections of Burlington. Ocean
and Atlantic Counties. embracing the
central woodland region, for identical
purposes. For 4 winter home. neither
Florida, nor California affords a more
equable, invigorating and beneficial eli
mate than that of the Jersey woods.
They are rapidly becoming more aecessi-
BILE through the splendid system Of higli-