Show THE FORESTRY MOVEMENT Communication Received tjy Prof Wliltlner of the University Professor Whiting of the University of Utah has received the following communication from Washington General Land Office Washington Jan 30 1894 Mr C A Whiting University of Utah Salt Lake City Utah I DearSirI am glad to know that a forestry movement is to be inaugurated II inaugurat-ed in Utah for there it is perhaps as important a any where in the United I States that water conditions should be I I conserved and for that purpose there is no method so efficient a the establishing estab-lishing of public timber reservations at the headwaters of your principal streams I would suggest that if it is thought best to have such reserves created that petitions be obtained I from the people of various localities setting out with considerable definiteness I definite-ness the areas which they wish to have reserved with a description of them showing what streams head in them the general character of the ground whether rocky mountainous heavily or sparcely timbered and whether the soil is unfit for agriculture when stripped of the timber I would also be well to set out the facts in reference to the irrigation plants already al-ready drawing supplies of water from the streams heading in the proposed reserves and statements that the tim ber is not immediately necessary for the use of the resident population Ad dress these petitions for the creatiqn of reservations to the secretary of the interior and they will then be referred here for action Of course if resolu tions can be obtained of your legisla ture boards of trade or city councils councis in favor of these reservations it will strengthen the petitions and make I favorable action much more likely I would also be well to point out tha facts in reference to the present waste ful methods ci cutting timber and especially the tremendous destruction that now goes on by fire within the areas that it is proposed to reserve and request that some competent authority be placed in charge of the reservation if it is created I may add parenthetically that at present Congress does not provide means for employing superintendents or agents for the protection of the tim I ber reservation already created But I there is now pending a bill in Congress which will have this effect and of which we are earnestly urging the passage I this point is dwelt upon I may be of assistance in obtaining the necessary protection of the reser vations I is not our purpose in creating creatng these different reservations to with draw them parmanently from the use of the public but cnly to reserve the tie in the government permanently I When the timber growing permanenty demanded for public use and when it can be cut under the proper supervision super-vision it Is proposed to sell the stump age and to supply local stump ways however keeping in view the I necessity formaintaining the permanence perman-ence of the water supply and the natural reforestation of the timber areas by only cutting a limited amount of the forest I think i will be well for the people to organize a territorial forestry association asso-ciation in Utah in which can be gathered those interested in forestry and irrigation including the more in telligent engineers and so have a nucleus from which to work Very Ver respectfully EDW A BOWERS Assistant Commissioner |