Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, January 01, 1904, Special Annual Edition, PART ONE, Image 13

Morning Oregonian., January 01, 1904, Special Annual Edition, PART ONE, Page 13, Image 13

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Newspaper Page TextTHE MOENING ,OBEGOmAS(, FEEDAY, JANUABY 1, 1904. 13 TO PRESERVE FORESTS PURPOSE OF RESERVE SYSTEM IS TO SAVE OREGON'S SOURCE OF WEALTH FCfe THE PEOPLE'S GOOD. GREATEST THE forests of Oregon are conceded to be among: the best of the continent. They constitute one of the chief natural resources of the stated and are Just beginning to be generally Intelli gently appreciated. The giant sugar pines, red firs, hemlocks, yellow pines and cedars of our forest are marvels of tree growth Nature has not only richly endowed Oregon with dendrologlcal giants, but she has lavished upon otherwise raw. bleak and barren mountain tops and sides a magnificent variety of trees and shrubs that do yeoman service in equalizing cli matic conditions and beautifying "a land scape that becomes entrancing to every .homebuilder. But it is not of the beauty, but the economy of these forests that I may at this time speak, though their beauty, if it be fully known, is no less an important economic factor in a community. The wealth of Oregon's forests, estimated by the crude means of our present-day meth ods in such matter Is placed at two and one-half billions of dollars certainly a most conservative total. The yearly out put, based upon estimates made in the same way as above. Is approximately $7,000,000. Yet no one at all familiar with Oregon forest conditions would hesitate to say that this output might be very greatly increased and still in nowise men ace the lumbering industry of the state, providing the field operations were con ducted upon the principles of improved modern forestry. The annual loss of tim ber in the forests of Oregon, due to pre mature death and the decay of over-matured trees is enormous; and yet the con ditions surrounding much of this are such that under present methods and commer cial requirements it is quite impracticable for private enterprise to avail itself of this mature timber and at the same time leave the land covered with a quantity of mar ketable timber not yet fully matured. In other words, much of the present forest crop is wasting because private enterprise is Incapable of harvesting It to advan tage. If, Instead of cutting oft clean as they go, they should only take that part of the crop which, if left longer, would flepreclate in value, then could the annual forest output of the state be materially increased with less draft upon the re source than at present. This Is imprac ticable from a private business stand point. Some purpose farther-reaching than one of present financial gain must govern the operations required to harvest such a crop under such conditions as now exist. This Is one feature of the question of how to get the most good out of our for ests that the National Bureau of Forestry is undertaking to solve. How to Harvest the Tree Crop. Reserves and forest withdrawals are preliminary to the more immediate prob lems of harvesting the crop as It matures without loss to the state. At the present pace of wasteful lumber ing, it will not take more than 30 years to remove practically the original forest growth of Oregon and reduce the lumber Industry to a bare pittance, if the esti mates of the National Geological Survey are approximately correct. Of course no lumbering company will admit carelessness in harvesting the pres ent crop, from Its standpoint. For it only takes that part of the timber from which It may derive a profit. ' That which is left Is the waste, and It is this part I that a wise National policy would save. Instead of giving it over to the usual fire, which destroys oftentimes much more than originally has been harvested from 'the area. It Is this left-over tim ber, hemlock, "white fir, silver fir, noble fir, that Is, left to protect the land and nurse the new growth of reforestation, and for which in the near future we will find valuable uses, that is" the waste of present methods. If the young, healthy trees of the species of economic value were protected against careless felling, fire and useless cutting, and the disease Infested trees of all species were removed, the cut-over forest areas would be left In the best possible condition for renewal, whereas today they are usually left in very bad, if not the worst, condition for If the system of roadways, tramways, water courses and other "means' of trans porting the harvested crop and conduct ing the field operations could be put upon a permanent basis, rather than upon the temporary basis of the present-day oper ations, what a vast saving ultimately would be effected In those sections where the tree crop is destined to be the most valuable crop grown. Still such a system of construction Is not compatible with private Investment in an industry that yields no larger returns than lumbering in Oregon today. Purpose, of Forest Reserves. 2Iuch of the forested area of the state has been withdrawn from entry within the. past few years, and a great cry has gone up that the people are being denied their heritage, a great industry crippled and a state's progress checked. Let us see. The Government In its wisdom has es tablished a Bureau of Forestry for the purpose of studying the forest condi tions of the Nation, and recommending courses of procedure whereby the Na tion's best interests may be subserved in so far as the forests touch upon the Na tion's life. Land laws have been enacted. Unscru pulous persons and corporations have abused the spirit of these laws, and title to great tracts of timber land has been acquired by doubtful -or even questionable means, causing at the same time the bur den of complaint to fall upon legislation, the original purpose of which was to pro tect the people of state and Nation against the dire Influences of careless or wanton forest denudation. Forestry in its widest sense means a ra tional treatment of the forest To tins It would seem that no loyal citizen could take exception, but since few of our citi zens realize what Is meant and intended by a rational forest treatment, It is no surprise that a great uproar has been made against the practice of the Govern ment in creating reserves and issuing withdrawals. It Is only in the older sections of the country and world that the people fully understand the Importance of this sub ject. It is not strange that the people of a state In Its lusty youth should look ask ance at a parent-Government as It lays hold one of its' great natural re sources and says: "Only to use; not to abuse." And especially when the child has grown up well-nigh Ignorant of the real value and far-reaching Influences of such resource, not alone upon its present needs, but its future welfare, physically, socially, financially, morally and spiritu ally. One needs but to see .Southern France and other portions of continental Europe to appreciate how the wanton destruction of the forest area debases the- man by making the country bleak., inhospitable and unproductive. Some months ago Mr. Gifford Finchot, at a meeting in Portland, said: "It is the purpose of the Government to use. for per manent forest reserves only such territory as will insure to the people of a state larger returns when kept growing timber trees than when used for other purposes." This Is the keynote of Intelligent for estry Jn any section. The common error of confusing game preserves and forest reserves . is responsible for much of the misunderstanding that exists in the com mon mind today regarding the Govern ment forest policy. Nation Wilt Adopt System. Temporary withdrawals of forested areas are necessary in order that a full study of the existing conditions of the section may be made. When it is found that the area seems to promise better re turns as a tree-raising tract, then it Is put into a reserve. This does not mean that It is withdrawn from public or na tional usefulness. -Lt merely implies that a national system, approved by the best intelligence the Government can com mand, will be instituted to harvest the mature crop upon the land and protect the future crops that will arise from the young growth upon the land. This course Insures a perpetual crop upon land which, as Is too often seen at present, following the -wasteful, methods of pioneer lumber ing, is left unfit for any use. It does not follow from this course that private enterprise wil be hampered. But It will follow that the lumbering crews on the National domain will adopt the very best improved methods for handling the crop under the supervision of trained experts in the Government service. Land lying within the reserved-timber tracts that will give a larger income from grazing than from lumbering will, in due time, be used for pasturage. . The pastur ing will be done not as in the past, ac cording to the whims and fancies of each stock-owner, but according to" a well-devised system through which means the very highest returns compatible with per manency shall be obtained from the tracts pastured. Of Vital Interest to Oregon. While Eastern Oregon's Interest in for estry centers largely about that phase of the subject relating to watersheds, reser voirs and water retention, the Interest of "Western Oregon centers largely- In soil retention, scenic effects, regulation of waterflow and the perpetuity of a great Industry upon a - section of the state's territory upon which no other Industry could thrive with equal success. Once the trees are removed from the western slope of the Cascades, much of the soil now deposited in the crevices of rocks and enmeshed with tree roots will slip down into the valleys below; rocks now kept in place and gradually under going decay through the presence of mois ture and low plant forms would be ex posed to such open weathering Influences as would check and break them off. These fragments in their course down the moun tain slopes and along the streams in flood times become the boulders which are deposited oftentimes in great masses along the river's course or spread out on some fertile valley. The destructive results of such an ero sive action are exemplified in miniature In every hydraulic mining section. To remove the timber from the Cascades without due consideration for its contin uous renewal would be to make the Wil lamette "Valley the resting, place for the tailings of a system of eros'ion that would BLANKETS FLANNELS ROBES CASS1ERES SKIRTINGS MACK1NAWS ETC., ETC. OREGON CITY WOOLEN M I LLS OREGON CITY MANUFACTURING CO. OREGON CITY, OREGON THE LARGEST WOOLEN MILLS OIN THE , ' " PACIFIC COAST CASS1MERE and FLANNEL SHIRTS FLANNEL UNDERWEAR and- MACKINAW CLOTHING ' TEARLESS) DEALERS, WRITE TO US FOR PRICES DO BUSINESS DIRECT WITH MANUFACTURERS surpass anything yet recorded In the his tory of our civilization. Only through such perpetual, judicious oversight as a Government may give can we hope to see a system followed In the harvesting- of the timber crop of the Cas cades that will perpetuate the crop, main tain the beneficent influences of fore3tal cover on our rough and broken mountain ranges, and keep intact an industry the Importance of which is growing day by day at a marvelous pace. v Playgrounds for the People. In many sections of New England are quite considerable areas of abandoned lands which were formerly occupied by prosperous bomes. In later years much of this land has become covered with an Indifferent growth of timber;" It Is now being resettled, and instead of cropping the land as before, the new settlers are raising a crop of "Summer b'oarders, with astonishing profit." The congested life of the great cities Is looking1 to these woodland homes for recreation, and In conjunction with the mountain resorts they are becoming the great revitalizing agents in the high-pressure civic life of our day. The time is coming when the great masses of people that will be settled upon our Coast and in the irrigable sections of the interior will find it necessary for their best development that they have a timbered playground where they;may be revivified each year. And this playground In a section producing annual crops of valuable lumber would be the acme of economy. A forest 'area In which are maintained the necessary roadways and water courses for efficient field service Is the very best of outing region for the masses. With each year the health-giving air and waters of our mountains, their sub lime scenery, majestic snowpeaks and giant trees, will draw-hither a host of health-seekers, tourists, mountain-climbers, sightseers and others a secondary crop that will supplement the lumber In dustry, and In time be like that of New England, one of "astonishing profit to the people" of the state. E. R. LAKE. Corvallls, Dec 12. Fine Wines t i and Liquors AGENTS FOR EUREKA AAA. OLD TENNESSEE, "WHITE RYE WHIS KIES, AND ALL LEADING BRANDS. Cor. Third and Ash Sts. PORTLAND .. .. OREGON FRITZ STROBEL ' CHAS. BARENSTECHER Proprietors ancl Managers . HOTEL AND LOUVRE CAFE COR. FOURTH AND ALDER, PORTLAND Cuisine, Table and All Appointments the Finest and Un excelled in Portland. SPECIAL ATTENTION PAID TO QUESTS COLUMBIA SOUTH EKN KAIL-ROAD GOMPANt WHAT IT HAS DONE SEMI-ARID AND IS DOING FOR THE RECLAMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF DESCHUTES VALLEY, WHERE SAGEBRUSH IS GIVING WAY TO FIELDS OF WAVING GRAIN THE Deschutes Valley. O much has been written of the future development and possi ble growth of the Deschutes Valley that the writer of this arti cle Is practically without a subject In that direction. However, since the development of the country during the past year has made for us a foundation of facts, It may be ad mitted that much that has been writ ten before was to some extent a mat ter of speculation. No less than 1000 homesteaders have found homes In Crook County during the year 1&03. Large areas of land, two years ago barren of vegetation other than a very little grass and a wonderful growth of sagebrush, have been transformed Into thrifty farms producing, generally, much better crop of every variety of grain than was anticipated by the most hopeful settler. Land that was supposed to require irrigation to Insure anything more than the return of the seed has shown wonderful productive qualities under adverse conditions. Nature was not particularly kind to the settler In Crook County this year. Yet, not withstanding the precipitation and other climatic conditions were below the average, the crops throughout the entire county were. In some cases, 25 to 30 per cent better than many outside localities, and where irriga tion was possible the grain and hay crops were immense. The soil and cli mate are well adapted to producing the highest grade of sugar beets. This fact was abundantly demonstrated during the past season in a number of localities along the Deschutes River. It needs no further demonstra tion to prove that sugar-beet raising will establish a profitable industry here. Soft, clear water for use in manufacture, and water power for the machinery, as well as the Irrigation so essential in this business to carry the beets through the heat of Sum-, mer, all combined will Induce the colonization In certain districts of the class of labor that will insure success in the production of beets in large quantities. One Ditch Done. About November 1, the finishing touches were put on the Columbia Southern Irrigation Company's first ditch, and the enterprise Is safely on Its feet. There aro about 40 miles of ditch main, laterals and sublaterals, and fully 10,000 acres of the company's segregation are under the ditches. Perhaps 2000 to 5000 acres of home steads already in private holdings are also under these canals. These have heretofore been cultivated without ar tificial watering, but they will do much better under irrigation. Con struction work on this ditch was be gun last May under the superintend ence of Colonel C F. Smith, of La monta, who Is a man of wide experi ence in irrigation work. It has been pursued without interruption to com pletion. The most difficult part of the work was at and near the headgates. The water is taken from the north side of the Tumello River, in section 2, township IS south, range 10 east. From there a shelf cn the side of the mountain was made for a distance of about two and a half miles to -carry the canal. On the upper side ,the bank rises precipitously about 40 feet, and on the lower side there Is a de scent nearly 'as great On this part of the route the water is carried on a very gentle gradient, for a swift canal plunges into a canyon for an other mile or so, -and then It emerges into the open country, where construc tion was a comparatively simple mat ter. At one point two miles above the county-road - crossing, the canal was blasted out of the solid rock for a distance of about 15 rods. Soon CANAI. OF COLUMBIA SOUTHERN IRRIGATION COMPANY. current would be likely to do damage there. About a mile and a half" below the headworks Is a 40-foot fall. This was very abrupt when the canal was made, but It has since been modified' by the washings of the current. Half a" mile farther along the course the water rushes down a steep hill about 80 feet Both these falls afford fine water-power that will doubtless be utilized at some day not far distant Coming oft the artificial shelf, the after the water was turned In to run across that spot a leak developed, and it was found that most of the contents of the ditch were escaping into the recesses of the basalt A few loads of pine- needles and fine earth stopped that leak as suddenly as if a cork bad been put -in, and there has been' no further difficulty of that kind. - The country has a distinct slope to the Northeastward. In a distanco of 12 miles the main ditch descends an even 1200 feet' The current in such a channel Is necessarily rapid,, but there Is no fear that It will injure the bank9. The county road between Bend and Sisters crosses the main canal near the center of section 16, township 17 south, range 11 east which- Is, per haps, ten miles from the headworks. A short' distance below the crossing the first lateral Is taken, out passing to the northward about three miles, or half way to the reservoir site In sec tions 20 and 21, township' 16 south, range U east Near where this ditch crosses the township line a sub lateral, is taken out and carried more than a mile to the J. E. Wlmer desert claim, where It forks and dis tributes water through sections 21, 27 and 2S. Another lateral leaves the main canal on the left-hand side, where it crosses the line between townships 16 and 17, passing northerly and branching out to sections 34, 27, 26, 22 and 23. Almost directly opposite the head of this lateral another leaves the main canal and goes out easterly to carry water to sections 1 and 2 in 17-11 and sec tion 36 in 15-11. In Jthe southeast corner of section 26, 16-11 east another important lat eral leaves the main canal to carry water to the northern row of forties In section 9, 16-12 east a distance of more than six miles. This passes through -the Nicholas apd Templeton homesteads, and the remainder of 'the course Is through the company's arid land segregation. One sublateral goes out to the east part of section 17" and another on the opposite side up into section 7. The main canal passes northward along the easterly line of section- ,13, 16-11 east then crosses Into township 16-12 east and at the easterly line of section .7 a little above tfie middle of the section. Just before it crosses the township line it gives out another lateral about" two miles long, leading - north and bending around into the north half of section 6, 16-12. The total length of the ditch, main, laterals and sublaterals is about 40 miles. The route of the waterway is so chosen that It is an easy matter to lead water away on either side. From the headworks the first ten miles of canal Is over land more or less timbered. The remainder of the course Is through the open, arid coun try, where irrigation Is essential to successful agriculture. The soil Is mych better than the average arid soils of Oregon and the climate Is not too severe for the production of ordi nary fruits. The country served by the Columbia Southern Irrigation Com pany is expected to be a great fruit country. The company expects to fence both sides of the canal and erect a tele phone line along this, with stations at convenient intervals, so that no tice may be promptly given at the headgates of anything requiring" ad justment of the water supply. The company Is now engaged In pre paring a hundred-acre tract for the purpose of establishing an experi mental farm. This farm will bo In creased from time to time when neces sary; it is to be conducted by a man of long experience in irrigated lands, and Is to be conducted solely for the benefit of the settlers. The early ex- The Columbia Southern Irrigation Company is operating under the Carey desert-land act The act, commonly known as the "parey act" Is an act of Congress, approved January 15, 1302, authorizing the Secretary of the. Interior, with the approval of the President to con tract and agree to patent to the State of Oregon, " or any other states, as provided In the act, In which may be found Government desert lands, not to exceed 1,000,000 acre's of such lands to each state, to aid" in reclamation, settlement cultivation and sale there- DESCHUTES RIVER NEAR WORKS. Of the 27,000-acre segregation covered by this enterprise, considerably more than half 13 already disposed of under contract The segregation having been approved by the state- and the Secretary of the Interior, a number of the settlers- have moved on and commenced Improvements; others will wait till Spring. A large area of new land will be under cultivation there next season, and there is an abund ance of water for all-comers. periments will be in the growth of grains and grasses, sugar beets and other vegetables, to be followed by experiments in fruits and berries. In fact, the experimental station will be permanent and will certainly expedite the development of the country. The Columbia Southern Irrigation Company will resume work in the early Spring. It is expected that the balance of the company's segregation will be supplied with water by July 1, 1904. DESERT LAND TO BE IRRIGATED. of in small tracts to actual settlers under certain- conditions. The State of Oregon has accepted, the grant as provided In the said act and has framed in a law conditions per mitting any person, company or per sons or corporation desiring to enter Into contract to reclaim, as required by the acts granting such land3 to the state, any tract of desert Gov ernment land in the state. The state regulations, in substance, require filings for approval of all maps, surveys, plans and estimates for irrigation and reclamation of desert lands applied for; the state to regulate the cost of construction of ditches, maintenance fees (rentals), and other expenses. Under the state regulations- the en tire expense of construction of ditches necessary to reclaiming said lands is divided prorata per acre for each tract or subdivision, and the irriga tion company Is given a lien as se curity for the cost of reclamation, with Interest at 6 per cent per annum, from the time said land is reclaimed until said lien shall have been satis fied. It is the duty of the State I,and Board 'to ascertain and fix the amount of the lien In advance and to insert it in the contract between the state and the irrigation company. Under this act any citizen of the United States may, on application to the irrigation companies, secure not less than 40 acres nor more than 160 acres of such reclaimed lands, regard less of exhausted land rights. Full information concerning these lands and the way to acquire them may be obtained on application to the general office of the Columbia Southr ern Irrigation Company, 547-"Worcester block, Portland, Or.