East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-01-28

One Of the most public-spirited
gifts ever made to the government
has come from William Kent. of Chi
cago, who has just decided TO the
United States 295 acres Of primeval
redwood forest on the southern slope
of Mt. Tamalpais, about six miles
from the city of San Francisco. The
land was decided to the government
with the approval of Forester Gift
ford Plnchot, chief of the United
States forest service. The papers
have now gone to the secretary of the
interior and a proclamation declar-
ing the canyon a national monument
will be signed at an early date.
This means that more of Califor-
MAS redwood giants will be saved for
the scientific study and pleasure of
the whole country in fact the whole
world. for the great sequoas are only
found in the Golden state. This grove
given to the government by Mr.. Kent
is one of the only tracts of redwood
forests to be found in its natural
state in California today. The land
is said TO have cost Mr.. Kent $4,000
some years ago, but its stand of
redwood timber alone is now valued
at more than $150,O0O on the market.
The canyons of Tamalpals 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 Fran
cisco. The giants on the tract to be
known as Muir Woods escaped the
AK, however chiefly because the out
let is on the ocean side instead of the
bay side, and also because the vari-
Gus owners of the land have for sem
timental reasons jealousy guarded
the timber from harm or destruc-
ton. Modern methods of logging
would make short work of the tim
ebr, and would, besides, put a hand
some profit in the hands of the own
ers.
1t is the intention to name the
national monument Muir Woods"
after John Muir, the noted natural
ist. The giants of Redwood canyon
will now be given permanent protec-
ton by virtue of the act of June s,
1906, which provides that objects of
scientific interest may be declared
national monument If such action
is deemed necessary for their preser-
vation and protection.
This aora ,,ilI ha n ,NIaao
ure ground as well as place for
scientific study for the people prac-
tically of the whole of California, for
within a radius Of So miles Of the
canyon two-thirds Of the population
of the entire state are centered.
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 prlmeval |
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.
The total stand of redwood. rough
ly estimated, is about 100000 feet,
with some 100000 feet of fir, and
a very considerable amount of tam
bark oak. The redwood alone, at
fair valuation, has a market value of
$150,000 as it stands. Except for a
narrow strip of brush along the east
border and fringe along the south
west line, the whole canyon is cover
ed with dense forest growth.
The stand is heaviest along the
creek and on the lower slopes, be-
coming poorer above. Redwood is
the dominating tree, towering high
above everything else and forming