The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-02-19

Redwood Canyon Decided to the
United States.
FINE STAND OF GIANT TIMBER
Natural Forest Of Redwoods Will Be
Named Muir Woods, After the Noted
NaturaIist-Superb Pleasure Ground
For Tourists-The Big Trees Not Cut

for IouTiStS-Sne o'8 trees NOT CUT
One Of the most public spirited gifts
ever made to the United States govern
ment has come from william. Kent of
Chicago, who has just decided to the
United States 295 acres of primeval
redwood forest on the southern slope
of Mount Tamalpais, about six miles
from the city Of San Francisco. says a
Washington dispatch. The land was
decided to the government with the ap.
prevail Of Forester Clifford Pinchot,
chief Of the United States forest serv-
ice. The papers have now gone to the
secretary Of the interior, and a procla.
nation declaring the canyon a national
monument will be signed at an early
date.
This means that more Of CALIFORNIA;
redwood giants will be saved for the
scientific study and pleasure Of the
whole country-in fact, the whole
world-for the great sequoias 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 their natural state
In California today. The land Is said
to have cost Mr.. Kent $4,000 some
years ago, but it's stand of redwood tim
Der alone is now valued at more than
$1oO,OOO on the market.
The canyons Of Tamalpais, which
drain into San Francisco bay, We're cut
clean years ago, and the redwood OBJ
tanned from them went into the con
struction of the old San Francisco.
The giants on the tract to be known as
Muir wood escaped the Ak, however,
chiefly because the outlet is on the
ocean side instead of the bay side and
also because the various owners Of the
land have for sentimental reasons ieal
ously guarded the timber from harm or
destruction. Modern methods Of log
Der and would. besides. put a handsome
profit in the hands of the owners
It is the intention to lame the ma
tional monument Muir woods, after
John Muir. the noted naturalist. The
giants of Redwood canyon will now be
given permanent protection by virtue
of the act of June s, 1906, which pro
vides that objects Of scientific interest
may be declared national monuments
If such action is deemed necessary for
their preservation and protection. This
29o acre tract will be a pleasure ground
as we'll as a place for scientific study
for the people practically of the whole
Of California. for within a radius Of
tifty-twO miles on the canyon two
thirds of the population Of the entire
state are centercd.
The chief reason for the permanent
protection Of the land by the govern
mcnt is that there is no other red wood
grove in the whole world more a~cccssi-
bic to so many people. The canyon is
In absolutely primcval condition, not
so much as scratched by the hands of
man. 1t lies within an hours ride of
San Francisco, at the very doors Of
hundreds of thousands of people.
SO long as the land remains in pri-
vate ownership there is always danger
that the trees will be attacked, and
Mr.. Kent feared this, but as a national
monument they will be safe for all
time. There are, of course, many finer
stands of redwood In California. but
there are no typical groves owned by
the United States, o are there any
which might be acquired by the gov
eminent except at great expense,
Originally this land was part of the
old Spanish grant. Rancho Sausalito
The largest redwoods are eighteen feet
in diameter at the butt and will ap
proach 800 feet In height, rising Will
perfectly straight and clean stems. Al
none Of the big trees have been cut
their age is, Of course. somewhat prob
lematical, but it is safe to say that thu
veterans have stood from a Thousand
to fifteen hundred years.
The total stand Of redwood, roughl,
estimated, is about 3O,OOO,OO 70 feet
with some 100000 feet of fir and
very considerable amount OF tanbarl
oak. The redwood alone, at a fair val
uation, has Il market value of $15O,OO
as 1t stands. Except for a marrow
strip Of brush along the east borde
and a fringe along the southwest line
the whole canyon Is covered with
dense forest growth. The stand /
heaviest along the creek and on tn
lower slopes, becoming poorer above
Redwood is the dominating tree, tow
ering high above everything else an
forming fully three-fourths Of tn
whole forest. Douglas fir is next in in
p%ortance, and scattered owe the entir
tract are all the various hard wood
common to the region, chief anon
which are the numerous oaks. IN;
drone. alder, maple and mountain Ia,
rel, all Of which form Il kind of dwal
> underwood to the lofty redwood an
fir. The redwood occurs both in hi
, and small groups and by single tree
while the other species are sprinkle
throughout.
The destruction Of redwood 10y luu
bering has been SO rapid in the Ia.
decade that it is now only Il Questio
Of years when the original growth wi
have wholly disappeared. Its cNtrao
5 L ..l Al.aaAi--Al 49,