Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-07-19
SHADE TREES CUT
At VALLEY FORGE
Park Commissioners Action
Stirs Up Controversy With
Nature Lovers
VARIOUS REASONS GIVEN


While n number of prominent citizens
who are lovers of nature are mourning |
the demise of several hundred trees in |
Valley Forge Park, the park commits
sionrs are offering a variety of rea-
sons for the destruction of the groves
that once stood near the equestrian
statue of Anthony Wayne.
81 have heard all the excuses offered |
by the commission" said Edward New
ton, ''and l consider them all bosh |
Some of the members simply did not
think. They probably wanted the
Anthony Wayne statue to show more
distinctly from the road, and simply
ordered long row Of trees cut down.
i am not the only person who believes
the statue now stands too stark and !
shining. 1t was far more beautiful when
glimpsed first through the trees, and
seen against background of rich green
foliage"
The commissioners variously said the
trees were ordered cut down by the
state forestry department because of
the chestnut blight several years ago:
that they were cut to add to the beauty
of the place; that they were mere sap
llngs, anyway, and new and more
worthy trees were being set out in their
place; and that they were cut because
OF the government order to restore the
place, so far as possible, to a military
camp such as it was in Wasnington's
time.
Trees Infected With Blight
1T is true there was chestnut
blight several years ago." said Colonel
Richmond L. Jones, chairman of the
tree committee of the commission, land
the forestry department did find many
OF the Park trees infected and ordered
them cut. But the principal reason
for the cutting of the trees in ques-
tion was to make the place more like
a military camp. There wasn't single
tree left on it in Washlngton's time
The governments military authorities
have suggested and approved such
changes as have been made by us. We
cut down trees that were within gun
range in front of the fort. Any mill
tary man would tell you that trees
should not be in such a spot, as they
would serve to protect the enemy.
Abundant Space for Trees.
There are plenty of places in the
park for trees, and the commission is
setting out and nourishing trees of the
proper sort wherever possible. But to
make the fort and its immediate sur
roundings a real relic of historical
value, we cannot stop to listen to men
rabid on the subject of cutting down
trees.
There is another point, too.
There isn't tree in the park of
historic value, because, as / said,
Washington had the place cleared and
1t has been cleared several times since
:. then, before we had charge of it. There
isn't a tree on the place more than
thirty years old. And all the timber
we have had cut down wouldn't be
worth 500. The trees were mere san
hngs, sprouted from stumps of old
trees, most of them ll-shaped and
growing in clumps.''
Inc idea of cutting the trees that
We're in range of the fort is the most
sensible excuse offered, in the oninion
OF MIR. Newton. THAT is q new dna ,,
ne said. But as far as the trees heinz
sapllngs, l know they were for the most
part good sized, beautiful specimens ),
colonel w. II. Sayen, president of
'ne valley Forge Park Commission. said
every time tree was cut down in the
park some one wrote a letter ''The
P'uce mas been beautified in every wav
py the changes made" he said.
colonel John W. Jordan, of the He
torlcal Society of PHILADELPHIA. another
member of the Park Commission sold
the state forestry inspectors hnd or-
dered 1000 trees cut in the Pork sorona,
blight. 'ueS'nu'
II myself was perfectly astopisbed
al such an order" he explained. "Tbe
trees looked healthy to me, but 7 saw
MN split the bark away and show
wnere millions of white parasites were
ieealng On the trunk. 1t was impos
siDie 1or us to execute such whole-
SAFE order at once, but each year some
OF these trees have been cut. Many
nave died before we could cut them
IL may be true" he admitted. chat
here and there trees have been cut bv
mistake that shouldn't have been do
stroyed. But the commission is doing
this thing conscientiously, and I think
tnere have been few mistakes. We have
Deen planting trees the whole time in
places where we think they will be of
the most value. Acres of acorns have
been sowed, and red oak trees bv tbe
hundreds have been set out. We hone
to follow the order of the government
to restore the place to military camp
In so far as possible. But we must
have some trees, even in places that
were bare in Washington's time. in
order to protect the ground. The earth
would crumble away at the retrencb-
ments If we did not keep some trees
whose roots will hold the soil in
place"
Colonel Edward B. Cassatt is another
citizen who was highly incensed by the
Ncutting down of trees in the Park. He
appealed to the commissioners and re-
ceived some recognition.
Protecting Remaining Trees
Out of courtesy to the members of
the Valley Forge Park Commission, +"
said Colonel Cassatt, "I would prefer
at the present time not to bring the
matter of trees of Valley Forge into
newspaper prominence except to say
that some time ago protested to the
commission and to certain members
thereof on account of the wanton de-
struction Of trees. I am now informed
that the commission, while it regrets
the harm done cannot be undone, has