West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1908-03-05
IDEAL MONUMENT
FOR THE NATION.
Redwood Canyon Decided to the
United States.
FINE STAND OF GIANT TIMBER

Natural Forest of Redwoods VIII Do
Named Muir Woods. After the Noted
Naturalist-Superb Pleasure Ground
Fer TouriSts--The Big Trees Not Cut
Ono OF the most public spirited gifts
ever made TO tire United States govern
ment has come from William. Kent OF
Chicago. who has just decided 10 the
United States 2o5 acres OF prImeval
redwood forest on the southern slope
or Mount ramalpais, about six miles
from the city OF san Francisco. says n
Washington dispatch The land was
decided 10 the government with the ap-
proval 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 pfocla-
nation declaring the canyon n national
monument VIII be signed Mt an early
date.
This means that more OF of-CallforHia's
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 he found I'm their natural state
In California today. The land is said
TO have cost Mr.. Kent $4,000 some
years ago. but its stand of redwood tim
ber alone is now valued at more than
S150,000 on the market
The canyons OF TamaIDais. which
drain into Gou ITra,, .te., t,,..
clean years ago. and the redwood oh.
tained from them went into The con
struction OF the old San Francisco.
The giants on The tract TO be known as
Muir woods" 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 ieaI-
ously guarded the timber from harm or
destruction. Modern methods OF log
glng would make short work of the tim.
Der and would, besides. put a handsome
proht I'm the hands OF the owners.
1t Is the intention To- name the ma
uonal monument Muir woods, after
John Muir the noted naturalist. The
giants OF Redwood canyon will now be
f''~N pibAN'AiOu DN NiGlut
of the act OF June g, 1905. 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
20 acre tract will be pleasure ground
as well as a place for scientific study
for the people practically Of the whole
or California, for within radius OF
hfty-two miles on the canyon two
thirds OF the population Of the entire
state are centered.
The chief reason for the permanent
protection of the land by the govern.
ment Is that there is no other red wood
grove In the whole world more ncccssi
ble to so many people The canyon Is
In absolutely prlmeval 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 I'm pri.
vate ownership there Is always danger
that the trees will he attacked. and
Mr.. Kent feared this. but as national
monument they Will be safe. for all
time. There are. Of course. many finer
stands OF redwood I'm California. but
there are no typical groves owned by
the United States. nor are there any
which might be acquired by the GOV.
ernment except at great expense.
Originally this land was part OF the
old Spanish grant. Rancho SausaIito.
The largest redwoOds are eighteen feet
I'm diameter at the butt and will an.
nTnuph gn0 Ia
perfectly straight and clean stems. "a
none OF the big trees have been cut.
their age Is. OF course. somewhat prob.
lematical. but IT is safe TO say that the
veterans have stood from n thousand
to fifteen hundred years.
The total stand OF redwood. rouphIy
estimated. Is about 3O.OOO.OOO feet
with some 100000 feet OF fir and
very considerable amount Of tanbark
oak. The redwood alone, ut n fair val.
uation, has a market value pf $4,000
as II stands. Except for n narrow
strip OF brush along the cast border
and n fringe along the southwest line.
the whole canyon IS covered with
dense forest growth. The stand js
heaviest along the creek and on the
i'"Ni "ivl'tot HcCDHluE poorer above
Redwood is the dominating tree. tow.
ering high above everything else and
forming fully three fourths Of the
whole forest Douglas hr IS next I'm I'm.
portance, and scattered over the entire
tract are all the various hard woods
common 80 the region. chief among
which are the numerous oaks. ma.
drone. alder. maple and mountain lau.
rel, all Of which form a kind Of dwarf
underwood TO the lofty redwood and
fir. The redwood occurs both in big
and small groups ard by single trees
while the other species are sprinklcd
throughout
The destruction Of redwood by lun
bering has been so rapid In the last
decade that II IS now only n question
Of years when the original growth VIII
have wholly disappeared. It's cxtraor.
binary scientific and educational value.
along with the fact that lt Is n pleas
ure ground for an OF the people who
I've In or visit this part Of California.
makes the wood an Ideal national mon.
ument