The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1912-04-03
Will Take Over Tracts in the White
Mountains and Appalachian
Regions.
CONTROL LUMBER OPERATIONS
Proper Logging Said to Make Two
Trees Grow Where But One
Grew Before.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

passed a Dill WHICH gives Cucle SdIu
the right to take over for forest re-
serve purposes tracts OF lands in the
White Mountains of New Hampshire
and In two or three states Of the
southern Appalachian region: In
week or two the commission which
has this matter in charge will report
on certain sections which it is thought
wise for the government to take over
in order to save the forests, to pre-
serve the natural scenic beauty and to
keep equable the flow Of the streams
which are used for navigation and for
water power for manufacturing pur-
poses.
Thousands of people go to the White
Mountains in summer to spend their
vacations This statement will not
startle anyone by it's novelty, but
there may be something new in the
knowledge that the people who go to
New Hampshire for the beauty of the
scenery and the purity Of the air
spend $S,0O0,OOO in that state In the
months before the leaves Of the for
estst take on the color of the expend-
ed gold.
Plans of the Government.
Congress was told not long ago that
the tide of summer travel actually
was beginning to turn away from New
Hampshire because the mountains
were being robbed Of their tree glo-
ries by the hand of trade, and that the
mountain streams were losing their
waters, the rapids were becoming
rills and the depths were becoming
murmuring shadows. OF course, not
the entire forested mountain country
OF New Hampshire can be preserved
by the government of the United
States. The intention seems to be to
take over 100000 acres and to care
for the reserve under such regulations
as best may be provided for the re-
foresting of the waste places and for
protection of the water supply
It must not be understood that lum.
ber1ng operations will be stopped by
the fact that Uncle Sam is to become
land owner in the Appalachian re-
gion north and south. 1t does follow,
however, that only such numbering
operations will be allowed as will in.
crease rather than decrease the sup
ply of wood for commercial purposes.
This statement may seem to contain
contradictory propositions, but It
does not. The government maintains
that when a tree is properly cut the
operation makes two trees grow where
one grew before.
Edward Everett Hale's Warning.
DR.. Edward Everett Hale, who dur
ing the last years of his life was
chaplain Of the senate, was member
when he was IL boy Of biological
survey company which went through
the forests and ever the mountains Of
New Hampshire. This was In the year
1S41. In one Of the last letters writ
ten prior to his death by the author OF
The Man Without Country. Doc
tor Hale said:
With these eyes l have seen for
ests demolished in which were trees
centuries old and where now the re-
gion is given over to sumac and
blackberry bushes. 1t is no mere mat.
ter Of botanical curiosity for which
we are pleading. 1t is the preserva.
ton of the water supply which af.
fects six Of the New England states.
It also affects the very existence of
whatever makes the region attractive
to persons from every part of the ma:
fc IN
nomical grounds that the destruction
of forests has been the ruin of many
nation which did not have wisdom
enough to keep them. In our case
the denuding of our noblest mountains
will destroy the noblest and best
ground for recreation which is now
open to all people east of the Missis.
sippi" ,@ ---
VIII Guide Lumber Cutting.
Since Doctor Hale wrote this letter
the congress of the United States, by
vote which knew no party and no
section, has decided to take over large
tracts of land in the eastern and
southern mountains so that the for.
ests may be preserved and yet still
put to the use for which they were in.
tended. Recently exploring parties
have been going through the southern
and the northern mountains to decide
which tracts Of land 1t is best to take
over to put under government control
There is a lot of fine standing timber
left in the eastern Appalachians. II
r said that the lumber interests need