Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-07-17
LUMBERMAN TAKES ISSUE.
Ezra Bowen of Santa Cruz Gives His
Idea of Forest Regulations.

Mr. Ezra Bowen of Santa Cruz, Cal,
one Of the best known lumbermen, not
only on the Pacific coast, but in all
lumber circles, is guest at the Will
son. Mr.. Bowen has given the lumber
situation his undivided attention for
many years. and is regarded as a
Nestor in the business. He is not In
in the future with the eye OF an alarm
list. while at the same time ready to
suggest caution and intelligence In
treatment of the problem. He remarks
that when the Southern Pacific was
built, the constructors cut into the
forests right and left without discrim-
ination, taking not only the older tim
Der ready for cutting, but the young
er and only half grown as well-ttm-
Der that should have been let alone to
mature. There was much more than
enough of the growth of proper age
TO b. cut which should have been
taken In preference. However, this style
of procedure has come to be appreci-
ated as wasteful so that more economic
methods now obtain. MIR. Bowen says
If the policy of indescriminate cutting
and slashing We're to continue, the tim
her in this country would not last over
30 wears.
1t Is held by philosophers that every
evil carries within itself the germ of
it's own remedy; and Mr.. Bowen holds
that the tendency toward timber cut
ting will be checked by a steady rise
in prices which will reduce its con-
sumption in proportion to the excess OF
cost. In other words, lumber will cost
SO much that builders will find them
selves forced to resort TO substitutes.
This Is already noted in the Increasing
use of cement and reinforced concrete
where wood was formerly employed.
Metal Is being extensively used in MAX
Ing doors, door castings, window frames.
etc, Then much of what was formerly
waste lumber stuff used for burning
is now made up and put to variety of
uses hitherto unthought OF because the
necessity was not apparent. The time
is likely to come when wood will be
so high that native ingenuity viii de-
wise many more forms OF substitution
than are at present hardly dreamed Of
So the natural operation of economic
laws will largely solve this trouble
some problem, relieving us from any
special worry over the outcome
Mr.. Bowen does not regard preserv-
ing tho underbrush or growth In forests
from the same standpoint as Prof. PIN
chot and the government lie says "By
all means let the sheep and cattle IN
ON the forest reserves: lei them eat
the underbrush of clean, for II does
not act as a snow preserver the way
some scientists have figured out" Mr.
Bowen says this underground IL a regu-
lar fire feeder. In Oregon Il has grown
20 thick that the forests have become
regular iungles through which II is al
most impossible TO force ones way
Just Hs soon as a fire gets started this
dry uuderbrush burns like finder, cur
rying the flames Of destruction far ana
wide. Now live stock win clean on.
all this truck. and not inJure the young
timber. with the underbrush gons
danger OF forest fires will be obviated.
Mr.. Bowen calls attention to sections
whore the ground has been eaten of
clean. and whore fires are reduced 10
cipher; as compared with the brush In
festei regions whore fires are so FREE
quent and so destructive. lie says the
government Is coming TO realize this
Tho great redwood region In California
Is Eood illustration OF this, where tho
underground is minimum, as are
also the fires.
Mr Bowen has numerous pboto-
graphs showing the size OF the great
white pine and redwood trees Tor whirh
California IN so famous. Some Of those
redwoods are II feet in diameter. and
S20 10 400 feet high and growing 900, 900
feet 10 the acre. He has been compar-
ing tho moisture storing qualities Of
the forests with those OF the open
lands. ana declares the former n,ivn
oyer-rated. He has noticed that The
4now Hes IN the trees after storm