The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1908-02-06
Preservation of our Forests.

Preservation of our Forests.
In the February issue Of Forestry
and Irrigation, the representative
magazine Of The Anne rican Forestry
Association, the leading editorial Of
the number treats Of the above sub
Ject and is made in answer 10 state
ment from the Milwaukee Wisconsin,
herewith produced. Our readers will
note that in the opinion Of those OF
highest authority and VINO have the
best opportunities tor accurate infor-
nation, the preservation Of our for
sste il Of serious importance.
Despite the havoc which has
been wrought in the United States
by the wreck OF our forests, there
IL less reason for alarm concern
ing the future than some people
fear. There are new ways Of do
ing things. With the use OF steel
and cement great deal OF tie
necessity for wood as Z building
material is disappearing. There
is strong ground for hope that the
dearth OF timber In the United
Oldbtb III 1870 MIL IOl ut db QlTt
as some writers fear. Milwaukee
Wisconsin.
This Is the kind Of writing that
does mischief Ii blindfolds the eyes
to the facts, and lulls TO sleep with
baseless assurances. Ii fittingly
" pities the ostrich which. by hiding
it5 head in the sand and thus shutting
off from It's own view all danger, as
sumes that danger does not exist.
Look at few facts. Here is For
ebt Service bulletin: The Drain
Upon the Forests" dated November
81, 1907, Speaking Oh this very ques
ton OF substitutes, il says: THE
many substitutes for wood that have
been proposed, and TO some extent
used, have not lessened the demand
for timber, as is shown by the fact
that the per capita consumption was
$50 board feet ia 1850 and 44U feet in
1906
How, pray in the face OF such facts.
are substitutes TO solve the problem?
Take the case OF cross ties alone. OF
these we USE one hundred millions
annually. To maintain each one of
these ties in the track We must keep
two trees growing in the forest Sub
this country, at least. they have sig
nally failed. At the American Forest
Congress OF 1905, Gen. Charles F.
Henderson, general solicitor OF the
Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Rail
road, discussing this point, said:
"As yet no substitute has been de-
vised for wood ties that is either eco
nomieal or desirable. They maint ain
the alignment OF the railroad tracks,
which is 80 essential TO safety, better
than any metal substitute, and give
an elasticity to the road bed most i'm
portant for the preservation and
maintenance OF the rolling stock.
With metal ties, or stone base, the
rails would be speedily injured, and
the heavy Mogul engines used today,
drawing the heavy trains of large
cars needed for the traffic, would
pound themselves quickly into de-
crrpitude and uselessness.i
Wood substitutes are deceptive. In
Germany, a hundred years ago. coal
began TO take the place of wood. but
the consumption OF wood in that
county has increased in the same
ratio as the consumption OF coal.
From 4 superficial view point, one
might imagine that the iSan ship
would be wood saver IN fact
however, more wood goes into ship
building today than ever before; for
all ships require some wood. and
more ships are now built than III any
former year. The metal used at the
top of the mine shaft il ae nothing
compared with the quantities OF
wood used below. Steel sky sCrapers
are today the vogue; but more wood
is used in the construction OF houses
than ever before. The old wooden
paving block has gone, but another
is taking its place, which it is claim
ed, is superior 10 any other form Of
paving.
And so on to the end OF the chap
ter. Optimism may be good thing;
but the optimism that 'indulges in
the illusions OF hope and listens to
the song of the siren while hasten
ing toward peril, instead of bravely
meeting the situation and substitut-
ing security for danger, is public
menace. OF such Optimism" Amer
lea has had an overdose The time
for intelligent deliberate and vigorous
action is at hand.
Before the American ForestrN As
sociation lies a work than which, per
maps, none more sluptnuOue ever
faced a voluntary organization. Ii is
nothing less than the arousing of
eighty million people 10 problem
whose solution is vital TO their we'll
being. showing them the remedy and
leading them to apply il.
Look At such tarts as, IN condensed
form, are brought together IN the let
ter to our members, published in this
issue. We have the President of the
United States warning the people of
the progressive and rapid destruction
of the very sources OF their physical
lives the raw materials from which
must be provided, III large part, their
food, shelter, and means Of transpor-
tation. We have him announcing
mis- as the greatest issue before the
American people, and conyening an
assembly of notables 10 discuss with
him the problem.
We have the United States Fores
ter declaring that, under present
policies OF use and waste, our timber
supply will probably not last more
than from one fifth To one third OF a
century, period which, in the lite
of a Nation. is but the lnhnitestimal
traction OF the diameter OF Il hair;
and indicating the calamitous results