Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-31
FORESTRY PRESERVATION.
A Large Delegation Urges Passage OF
The Currier Bill.

Washington, Jan. 30.-Governors and
their representatives and other state
officials, federal experts, presidents of
commercial and civic associations and
officers and members of q dozen for
eatry bodies, numbering in all nearly
2G0, and representing al of the states
east of the Mississippi river, except
Florida, Illinois, Indiana and MSSiS
sipp, appeared as a special delega
ton before the House committee on
agriculture today and under the lead
ership of Gov. Eoke Smith of Georgia,
made an exceptionally forceful show
il.g CT facts and figures in support of
the Currier bill appropriating $1,000
Oo0 for the purchase of about 100000
acres of mountain lands in the APP
palachian aid White mountains, to be
held as national forest reserves for the
conservation and control of the navi-
gatable and power producing streams
OF the states affected.
Sessions were held in the new House
office building. AT each session Chair
man Scott OF the committee gave way
TO Gov. Smith as chairman of the del
ecation. Though each speaker confined
himself in measure to the particular
needs of the section he represented, all
the speakers laid stress upon the vital
necessity Of federal reclamation of the
head water lands throughout the
White mountains and Appalachian
mountains SO that by REPRESENTATION
ard water conservation, the vast pow
er producing capacity of the streams
shall be retained.
Startling facts as to the diminution
and iuctuation of this capacity in
nearly score of states were present
ed by members of the delega ton and
in mastery summing up Gov. Smith
pleaded for favorable report on the
bill by tine committee.
I'VE did not come here to seek the
aid Of the next Congress. We want
this Congress to appropriate. the mon
ey." he said.
Among those who addressed the
committee at the afternoon session
We're: NJ. o. Leighton. chief hydro
grapher of the Geological Survey, in
charge Of the water resources inves-
legations of the government; Gov
Floyd Of New Hampshire; Charles c.
Goodenich, general manager Of the
Hartford x New York Transportation
Co; Prof. NJ. J. Hapgood. represent
ing the governor of Vermont; George
B. Layton, vice president of the Mo-
nadaroc, y. H., Civic Association; DR.
Michael F. Sullivan. president of the
Lawrence. Mass. Board of Trade
and Chairman Scott of the committee
Mr.. Scott assured the delegation that
the case as presented would receive
tie committees most careful and earn
est consideration.
Philips w Aires. New HAMPSHIRE.
forester of the Society for the Protec-
ticn Ct New Hampshire Forests. and
a delegation representing Dartmouth
C0llcgc--which owns 10000 acres Of
land within the areas concerned
spoke of tile destructive practice Of
cutting off spruce trees for the manu-
facturc of white paper pulp. g.
Frederick c. Dumain. appearing for
the governor Of Massachusetts, and as
a representative of the cotton manu-
featuring interests in that state. pre-
sontcd data concerning the variation
OF water power in Massachusetts and
its dininution from year to year ne
|, cessitdting now the installation of
steam auxiliary plants to do the cot
ton and WOODEN work formerly done
solely by water power.
A. NJ. Schoen of Georgia. represent
Ing the American Institution of Elec-
trical Engineers. spoke Of the indus
trial value of the Appalachian streams.
Clifford Pnchot. chief of the bureau
OF forestry, repeated his warnings of
an approaching timber famine.
Prof. George F. Swain of Boston
professor Of civil engineering in the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
corro5orated Mr.. Pinchot's prediction
OF an approaching timber famine He
said that all New England scientists
realize that the flows of streams de-
Ponds upon the preservation Of the
forests