The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-28


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ny FREDERIC II. IfAsKIN.
Tho recent devastation OF cities and
farms by tic waters Of the Ohio, Mis-
souri,. Red and ISnw Rivors places more
pie OF tho United States lose by. iiood
each year an average OF 800. 900 100.
Two weeks e go tho 4 2 900 Inhabitants
of Armourdale. In Kansas city's pack
homes as the watar backed In. Down
tho valley or the Big Sioux 100000
acres AZ farm land were laid waste
tho early part OF JtIne. Cedar City.
masse when the Missouri Riversleft its
banks on June 14tll. Two-thlrds of the
bottom lands within sight Of JEFFERSON
City were under water. with wheat
OF water million dollars los. to
farmers, Tho usually harmless little
Shunganungass surrounded Topeka with
water on une l3th, and wrought havoc
next only to that or tho flood Of 1908.
The Columbia. encouraged BY heavy
rains and melting SHOWS In Its head
waters, rose unfit the pumping station
OF Wenatchee, Wash, was carried
away, and lumber interests were great
ilyl threatened. Al Emporia, K ans, the
Neosha and Its tributary, the Cotton-
wood, brought the worst flood that sec-
ton has Experienced. \ TT het far N ortll-
western Hood plain suffered most
Continued rain and snow Of early June ne
Ing from their banks. telephone and
telegraph communications were cut OF
ard trains on. the Northern Pacific. were
tied DIP Tor ten days. Anaconda, Butte
and Helena were cut or from the rest
OF the world, until tho d-time pony
express was revived to meet the ssit-
.uatlon. Mines In that region were
e3sed and business IN the
mil was, injured to the extent OF $780,
900 or more, and Communication with
Spokane cut on for days.
And SO on through the list Of foods
Of the country in the West: tho low
lands OF Arkansas and Texas, the VAL
leys OF tho Ohio and OF the rivers on
tho Atlantic slope. In the trail az
each overflow has come loss Of prop
erty In the shape OF crops. homes and
stock. and sometimes loss OF life. In
the trail Of all has come greater and
more abiding loss In the shape Of
raded river banks and silt-choked river
beds. And. greatest OF all, has come
the great waste OF water that rushes.
unimDeded. toward the seas. deprfving
the earth OF the moisture II needs for
tho rivers OF the water necessary to
maintain that even current and depth
throughout the years 80 necessary to
the support Of that great traffic which
waterways. .iz ~ ,.s-. 55
And the deplorable thing about 1t.
the thing which Is "a sad commentary
on our irrational thrift aud intelligence.
is that the greater part OF this great
waEfa ann 7fnca1rtf1a Ill a. lOygs-fS our own
fault. The headwatera Of these over
flowing rivers lie among the mountains
which In the beginning OF thugs o
set WITH
and vernal rains. and then release
them later through underground
springs and riyulets 70 the thirsty val.
leys below. The river courses lay
dergrowth that would hold the water
from an over flow and keep 1t safe In
the sponge of fallen leaves. the roots
and old logs, until such time as the
winds or the soil asked It again.
Man in Ills misguided idea OF pros
perity is denuding the slopes OF their
trees as rapidly as human and me-
chanical agency can effect IT, and when
no abiding places as in olden days; and
and and destruction In their wake. this
same man sits and wonders at the dis
penSltlOD sUl q = TTOVlueHCe Ludl WI! .ao
Interfere with his material prosperity
and happiness! AS the first settler OF
the country. the white man began the
work OF deforestation as protection
to his home from Indian ambush, aud
as q means Of acquiring tillable land.
Later he aid 1t to acquire needed build.
ing material. fuel. etc.
q In the three centuries Of his pro-
gress as an axman and pathmaker for
commerce, he has In his ignorance In
creased the flood evil from practi-
cally negligible volume to its present
strength. With Old World
lessons In flooded areas below naked
hills fresh III his mind, he has never
theless proved little better than his
indian ne,ghbors. It was the Indian
who first deprived America of part OF.
her forests. Scientists tell us that the
great pratrles Of the West we're once
forest lands. from .wn VI inc pre!n,l ms,
toric American burned the we getations
when gathering nuts. destroying trees