The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1914-05-11

80 SUE HNANH Wv ANNA ~ ~ ~ AANh
This IL borne out by a knowledge ~
existing conditions In New Mexico
prior to the advent OF the national
forests. The Forests were rapidly be
Ing depleted, the range was badly
overstocked and examples OF erosion
could be seen anywhere.
A cover u trees and the fallen
needles and leaves under meath them.
together with q good range Of grass
and bushes, makes n cover that will
hold water when u does rain. To
quote Mr.. Woolsey, u acts like a Ia.
blecloth when water is poured on ~,
while water poured on a bare table
IN just like rain falling on a barren
hillside. which II the cause Of de-
structiNe floods one writer states
The conversion of run-of into UNDER
ground seepage, and the checking of
erosion, are the two essential forest
influences which act together to con-
troll flood conditions" This IL exact
~ what the forest service has been
working FOR ever since 4 began IN
this state.
h conversion OF the run-on into
underground seepage insures n more
permanent supply Of water. u alb
serbs the water when IL rains. and
gives II out all during dry times.
In regard TO watersheds. Use
Book states. The watersheds Of
streams supplying water for irrign-
ton, municipal or domestic purposes.
may be closed to the grazing OF any
or all kinds OF domestic stock. when
necessary TO prevent erosion and
Hoods or elimination In water sup
ply" The forest service mas gone So
far In the protection 81 watersheds
that u has reforested several in New
Mexico 80 as to insure Ia the people
bcnefitting :rom those watersheds a
permanent supply OF water.
The most apparent AMI noticeable
undertaking that the forest service
has done for the people of New Mex
leo IL in the building OF permanent
Improvements. The forest service has
built roads. trails and bridges for
reader travel n transportation and
the protection 81 The forests. Anyone
familiar with New Mexico knows that
these are the most needed Improve
ments In the state. FOr the building
Or these improvements 10 per rent OF
the gross receipts are spent each
year Telephone lines built mninly
for reporting fires, but for the use
OF the public also. are built. as well
as drift and pasture fences In 1905
the following permanent improve
ments were made. Fifty-three milea
81 roads, 237 miles OF trails; ~ miles
Of telephone lines; i20 miles of
fences. These same improvements
have been geing on each year since.
but In an increasing ratio.
The forest service has Just com
pieted the improvements on the road
from Albuquerque 10 the fatigue
ranger station on the Manzano ma
tional forest. inc the Estancia valley
This gives Albuquerque motorists ono
Of the finest and most delightful
\ drives In the state, as well as furnish
ing a fine road To ranchers and farm
ers from the Estancin valley. Work
Is now being done on the scenic high
way ON the Datil and CHA national
forests. This road will be Used q
great deal W motorists journeying to
the san Francisco exposition in 1915
The repairing Of the same road where
Il crosses the Pecos and Jemez for
ests Is now being contemplated.
In addition to All the improvements
Tor the people OF the state. the forest
service gives ach state 20 per cent
Of the gross revenue from hat state
each year. h money goes for the
benefit ~ county schools and roads
For the fiscal year 1913 New Mexico
| received Sll.sb0 from the 10 per cent
of the gross receipts, and S2g.6l9
from the 20 per cent For the fiscal
year 1914 New Mexico viii get Sl2,-
5li from the 10 per cent aud t3t.2Si
from the % per cent OF tine gross rO'
ccipts.
Under private management the for
est lands were held as FOREST lands
until the owners thought the lime
right Tor cutting. OF If the vaiu in
creased steadily enough tho just held
on To them. There are thousands Of
acres OF and In the forest section ia
New Mexico which are more valuable
for agriculture than they are for for
eat purposes, but which under private
ownership could never be- accessible
To farmers. Al forest lands now un-
de: the control Of the forest service
are being classified as "a what sec
tons are more valuable for agricul-
tuTe than forestry, and when this n
finished every acre in the national
forest that comes under this head will
be open FOR entry. quite a lot Of very
valuable agriculture land will be
available on the completion Of the
work.
By the conservation Of the forest
and range the farmer in this state
will have more water, both under
ground and surface. and have IL more
regularly. The destructive floods viii
be a thing of the past. whose waters.
instead, will gradually sink into the
thirsty soil.
The mining industry, the most wall
liable industry in New Mexico, b.
greatly benefitted by the national for
csts. When "a miner shows that a
claim h. more valuable FOR mineral
than for It's trees, he IAN locate that
claim, using all the timber on il u
necessary for the Use of his mine. By
a free use permit he Is able 60 use
more timber In the vicinity Of his
claim. Any mine owner on the ma
tional forests Is assured OF "A local
supply OF timber 60 meet his wants,
thus eliminating any worry on his
part as to where he will ship his
timber from. The needs Of thc min
Ing industry for timber. for the pres
ent and future, are always considered