The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-06-10
ASKS RAILROAD
ASSISTANCE
DEPARTMENT. WANTS
MANAGEMENTs To HELP WITH
PRESERVATION OF TIMBER
TRACTS THROUGH WORK.

WASHINGTON. June = The
Presidents of the leading railroads Of
the country have Just received
letter from Clifford Pinchot. United
States Forester. calling upon them
10 practice forest conservation and
better timber utilization In MS letter
the Forester says:
Il am writing 70 call your atten-
ton again to some OF the phases
o q subject - which ! know you
must have already given much
thought-fhe conservation OF our
forests The report OF the National
Conservation Commission shows that
We arr cutting our forests three times
faster than they are growing, that
much large timber and young growth
are destroyed yearly BY IRE; that
a. a nation We have used wood
wastefnlly and extravagently; aud
that the only way We can get the
timber We need in the future Is 10
keep all our forest land constantly
growing trees, and that the longer
We delay action the greater will be
the pinch of q tim Der shortage later
on.
"One-fifth of our remaining timber
Is 10 public forests. and on these for
ests the nation and the States are
practicing forestry. Fourhfths of
our timber Is privately owned, and il
is being cut almost exclusively for
present profit without regard TO the
future. The problem of providing a
timber supply cannot be solved by
the National Government alone, nor
by individuals alone; all must work
together.
Since the railroads are among
the largest consumers of wood. they
will suffer heavily from the much
higher prices and the annual scarcity
of timber which will occur II Our
/ forests are not conserved. Railroad
companies can most advantageously
undertake both the growing of tim Der
and the economical utilization of the
product. They have steady de-
mand for timber. the extent of which
can De largely anticipated, and they
need much small timber of kinds
which can be grown in a relatively
short time.
Each railroad has its own special
/ timber problems which must be
worked out 10 meet the given con-
ditions At the same time there are
certain lines OF general policy which
can be profitably adopted by many
roads. They are:
4 The use Of chemically treated
ties wherever possible.
-. The use OF so-called inferior
! woods. as. for example, black gum
and loblolly pine. for ties, which will
reduce the drain on white oak, and
which is entirely practicable If the
ties are treated.
20. The purchase and management
of land bearing mature timber which
can be used Immediately, and of sec
ond growth timber which will meet
the needs of the future. Such lands
II properly managed will insure a
perpetual supply of ties and lumb Der
al the cost Of production.
"A. The planting of trees upon non
agricultural land owned BY the com
pany, which does not now contain
sufficient young growth 10 produce
a timber crop.
I -. Cooperation with other roads
/ in the adoption Of standard specifica-
tions for ties and timber and for the
treatment Of them. Cooperation
with timberland owners and the
States in fire prevention, and IN
bringing about conditions which will
make the practice Of forestry profit
/ able.
These are in substance the recon-
mendations of the subcommittee on
Forest Supplies of the American
Railway Engineering and Mainten-
ance OF Way Association. The ad-
option Of these recommendations and
the appointment Of technical men TO
carry them out will, it seems 10 me,
be wise action for any railroad. The
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