Gilpin observer., 1915-04-08
FORESTS WIPED OUT
Northern France Denuded as
Result of War.
Timber Cut and Shipped to Germany
Tremendous Damage Also Be- .
ing Inflicted on the Forests
by Military Operations.

Washington.-The Germans are cut
ting the marketable timber from the
forests in northern France now in
their possession and selling it in Ger
many, Jean-Paul Alaux, an officer in
the French army now in the trenches
near Arras, informs the American
Forestry association. Tremendous
damage is also being inflicted on the
forests of France by the military op-
erations. He says when Paris was
threatened with capture the forests
to the north were cleared.
THE winter rains" says NJ. Alaux,
have rendered most of the roads i'm
passable, especially in the wooded re-
gions. In the forest of Bouvigny,
near Arras, and in the forest of Berth
onval. the artillerymen were unable
to move their guns over the muddy
and intrenched roads, and it was i'm
possible to even transport ammuni-
tion. In order to keep the guns sup
piled, it was necessary to cut new
roads in all directions through the
forests, using the felled trees for
the purpose. The trunks, in sections
of about twelve feet, are laid side by
side and bound together with ropes
and with galvanized iron wire They
are further securely fastened to
stakes driven deep in the ground. The
first layer of trees having proved in
sufficient, a second was added. This
again falling to suffice. third became
necessary, until in many cases three
10 ~ Cd IN
der to permit the passage Of convoy
wagons. To avoid the too rapid wear
Of the wood through the grinding of
the heavy wheels and the tearing of
the horses shoes, earth mixed with
straw, bark and the twigs and small
branches Of the fallen trees is strewn
plentifully over these improvised road
ways.
The forest of vitrimont, behind
LunevilIe. has been completely razed.
In the forest Of Meaux. lanes from
one hundred and fifty to three thou
sand feet in width have been cut at
intervals of every thousand feet. This
was of course for the purpose of al
lowing the artillery to shower its muir
derous fire over a wide area, as
through some gigantic loophole. One
cannot find a remnant of copse or
thickets; all the trees and saplings
have disappeared throughout the
razed area.
For several weeks have been
quartered in the vicinity of Arras.
In the wood of La Haye. all OF the
trees and underground have been cut
practically throughout the whole area
Of the forest. II was done for the pur-
pose OF providing firewood for the
kitchens and shelters.
THE forests of the East. which
were the scene Of some of the most
violent encounters at the beginning
of the campaign. were literally cut
to pieces by artillery fire. The trees
within the zone of fire we're complete
ly ruined.
THE wooded sections in the East
have endured the most terrible bonn
bardments. They are reduced to q
ghastly array Of skeletons; torn to
bits by the bursting OF shells; -iddled
by fire; blackened with smoke, these
forests must be entirely cleared away
and the area reforested.
In certain forests. such as that OF
Arancourt where the French troops
lay in concealment and where the
Germans attempted to dislodge them
with artillery fire, the bombardment
produced an enormous damage. Such
trees as were not cut down by the
fire we're entirely denuded of their
branches.
Il have seen enormous trees cut
by shells as though they were mere
ttpdar"