The broad ax., 1909-03-06
cALAVERAs BIG TREE NATIONAL
FOREST BILL SIGNED.

Ss SAGA@-A6 NAAN hAAA III NAAN 49,
of the Calayeras National Forest, Cal
ifOrnia, President Roosevelt has COM
pleted the legislative act which saves
for all time the most famous grove of
trees in the world. The people of Cal
ifornia, particularly the 500 women Of
the California Club. have been work
ing to interest the Government in this
wonderful grove of big trees for more
than nine years, but not until now has
it been possible to arrange a plan
satisfactory alike to the owner Of the
land and to Congress.
The Senate Bill passed by the
House of Representatives has Just
been signed by the President. Every
one interested in the great natural
wonders rejoices that as a means Of
saving the big trees, the way has
been paved for a practical exchange
Of the timber in the groves for stump
age on other forest land owned by
the Government. The first Calayeras
Bill was introduced in the Senate
four years ago by Senator Perkins of
California. Bills for the same pur-
pose were passed in the. upper house
of Congress a number Of times, but
always failed Of favorable considera-
ton in the House until Senate Bill
1874, also introduced by Senator Per
kins, was called up by Congressman
S. c. Smith, of California
Robert B. Whiteside, Of Duluth,
Minnesota, a prominent lumberman
operating in the Lake states and on
the Pacific coast, is the owner of the
Calaveras Big Trees. After his agree
ment to the proposals which are sim
ply a practical exchange of timber for
timber, the entire California delega-
ton gave its solid and enthusiastic
support to the bill. No appropriation
is needed to carry out the provisions
of the act
The land to be acquired under the
bill includes about $50 acres in what
is known as the North Calaveras
Grove in Calaveras county, and s.
O4O acres in the South Grove in Tuo-
lunme county. The North Grove con-
tains ninety-three big trees and in
tbo Co,,fh Nr,r-a tbara ora 9Q0 ~
these giant sequoias. Any tree under
eighteen feet in circumference, or
six feet through, is not considered in
the count Of large trees. Besides the
giant sequoias there are hundreds of
sugar pines and yellow pines of aston
ishing proportions, ranging to the
height OF 275 feet and often attain
ing a diameter of eight to ten feet.
There are also many white frs and
incense cedars in the two tracts. A
government study Of the land was
made by a field party under the d.
rection Of Fred G. Plummer. United
States Forest Service, in 1906.
The Calayeras Big Trees are known
the world over. The North Grove con-
tains ten trees each having a diane
ter Of twenty-five. feet or over, and
more than seventy having a diameter
of fifteen to twenty-five feet Most
OF the trees have been named, some
for famous generals Of the United
States and others for statesmen and
various states Of the Union The
Father OF the Forests" now down, is
estimated by Hittel. in his -Resour-
ces Of California to have had.
height Of $50 feet and a diameter at
the ground Of more than forty feet
when it was standing. ~Massaehu-
sets" contains $4,000 sbOard feet of
lumber; Governor Stoneman" con-
tains 10000 board feet and the
Mother Of the Forest" burned in the
terrible forest IRE which licked fits
way into part Of the grove last
summer, contains 10000 board feet