The daily sentinel., 1908-01-28
TIE MIGHTY TREES
ARE NOW TO Be SAVED
The Giant Resiwoods Of California to
be Protected by Uncle Sam.-
Great Redwood Park Donated
to Government.

= Washington. Jan. 2s.-One +
= of the most public spirited gifts +
+ ever made to the government =
= has come from William Kent +
= of Chicago. who has just decided =
= to the United States 295 acres +
= of primeval redwood. forest =
on the southern slope of Mt. =
= Tamalpias, about six miles from =
= the citv of San Francisco. =
++++$ +++++
The land is said to have cost Mr.
ernment with the approval of For
ester Clifford Pinchot, Chief of the
United States Forest Service. The
papers have now gone to the 3ecre-
tary of the Interior and a proclama-
ton declaring the canyon q national
monument be signed at an early
date.
This means that more of Californ-
las redwood giants will be saved for
the scientific study and pleasure
of the whole country, in fact the
whole world, for the great sequoias
are only found in the Golden State.
This grove given to the government
by Mr.. Kent is one of the only tracts
of redwood forest to be found in its
natural state in California today
The land | s said to have cost Mr.
Kent SAT, 900 some years ago, but
its stand of redwood timber alone
is now valued at more than $780,
900 on the market.
The canyons of Tamalpais which
drain into San Francisco Bay were
cut clean years ago and the redwood
obtained from them went into the
construction of the old San Francis
co.The giants on the tract to be
L.
ak, however. chiefly because the out
let is on the ocean side instead of
the bay side, and also because the
various owners of the land have for
sentimental reasons jealously guard
ed the timber from harm or destruc
tion. Modern methods of logging
would make short work of the tim
ber, and would, besides, put a hand
some profit In the hands of the own
ers.
1t is the intention to name the Nat
ional Monument Muir Woods" af
ter John Muir, the noted naturalist.
The chief reason for the perma-
nent protection of the land by the
government is that there is no other
redwood grove in the whole world
more accessible to so many people
The canyon is in absolutely primeval
condition, not SO much as scratched
by the hands of man. 1t lies within
an hours ride of San Francisco, at
the very door of hundreds of thous-
ands of people.
So long as the land remains in
private ownership there is always
danger that the trees will be attack
ed, and Mr.. Kent feared this, but as
National Monument they will be
safe for all times. There are, of
course. many finer stands of redwood
in California, but there are no typi-
cal groves owned by the United
States nor are there any which might
be acquired by the government ex-
cept Mt great expense.
The largest redwoods are eighteen
feet in diameter at the butt and will
approach three hundred feet in
height. rising with perfectly straight
and clean stems. AS none of the big
trees have been cut their age is OF
course somewhat problematical, but
it is safe to say that the veterans
have stood from one thousand to
fifteen hundred years.
The total stand of redwood, rough
ly estimated, Is about 80 million feet
with some 8 million feet of fir, and
a very considerable amount of tan
bark oak. The redwood alone, at Q
| fair valuation, has a market value oi
| $150,000 as it stands. Except for Q
narrow strip of brush along the easi
border and fringe along the south
west line, the whole canyon is GOV
cred with dense forest growth. The
stand Is heaviest along the creek and
ON the lower slopes, becoming poorer
above. Redwood is the dominating
tree, towering high above everything
else and forming fully three-fourths
of the whole forest. Douglas fir i.
next in Importance, and scattered
over the entire tract are all the vari
GUS hardwoods common to the regioI
chief among which are the numerous
oaks, madrones, alder, maple ant
mountain laurel, all of which form 6
kind of dwarf underwood to the loft,
redwood and fir. The redwood oc
ours both In big and small groups
and by single trees, while the Other
species are sprinkled throughout.
The destruction of redwood b,
numbering has been so rapid in the
last decade that 1t is now only 1
question of years when the origina
growth will have wholly disappeared
Its extraordinary scientific and edu
cational value, along with the fac
that 1t is pleasure ground for al
of the people who live or visit this
part of California, makes the woot
an ideal National Monument.
Manager John F. Moore and As
n -.