1908 



NEWS AND NOTES 



191 



of New England want this bill passed," 

 he remarked recently to a friend of the 

 cause. — New Haven Journal-Courier. 



Unanimity The Board of Directors 

 of Engineers' of ^-^e American Insti- 

 Opmion ^^^^^ ^^ Electrical Engin- 



eers are urging protection of the head- 

 waters of important streams by scien- 

 tific forestry, for the sake of preserv- 

 ing the stream flow on which water 

 powers depend. The committee which 

 recommended this action by the board 

 asserted that : 



"The really vital point at issue is 

 the recognition or denial of the funda- 

 mental economic and engineering 

 principles upon which forest reserves 

 are based. On this question there can 

 be no difference of opinion among en- 

 gineers." 



Directors of The committee further 



Investing states : "It is of the ut- 

 Ccrporaticns . • , ^.u 4. j- 



^ most importance that di- 



rectors of corporations and other per- 

 sons interested in hydroelectric devel- 

 opments should realize how great the 

 ultimate effect upon the value of their 

 properties will be if the forests which 

 now protect their water supplies are 

 destroyed, and that they should know 

 that their advantage demands that 

 regularity of stream flow be ensured 

 through forest reserves and through 

 the enforcement and improvement of 

 the laws for the control of forest fires. 

 Consulting engineers" are urged /to 

 bring this matter to the attention of 

 their clients with especial emphasis at 

 the present time, when our National 

 policy is being determined." 



State 



Attention 



Needed 



The Engineering Maga- 

 zine, referring to the 

 electrical engineers' ac- 

 tion, emphasizes the immcdiateness of 

 the danger and of the requirement for 

 action. "It is not a remote danger, but 

 a present and progressive damage, 

 with which we have to deal. The Ohio 

 Valley is having bitter demonstration, 

 and about the upper watersheds of the 



Delaware, the Hudson and the Con- 

 necticut, destruction productive of like 

 disaster is already under way. 



"The cutter of timber feels no con- 

 cern as to the aftermath, and those 

 who do have no power of control 

 and no redress. Beyond this Federal 

 legislation and protection there would 

 seem to be a crying need for a strong 

 State forest law which would prohib- 

 it and prevent the absolute denudation 

 now carried on, and enforce the pres- 

 ervation of sufficient cover, if not act- 

 ually provide for reforestation." 



Will Not Persons opposing the 



Farms ^^ Appalachian Bill in 

 North Carolina for local 

 political reasons have instilled into the 

 minds of some of the mountain people 

 that the Government proposes to take 

 their lands for a mere pittance and 

 drive them from their homes. This 

 is altogether a misrepresentation. State 

 Geologist Pratt has issued an explan- 

 ation to allay these fears. It is not 

 proposed to break up any farms at all, 

 but to preserve the forests already 

 standing and provide for reproduction 

 of timber on cut-over lands. 



From the Pacific Coast, 

 Los Angeles ^g fj-om other sections 

 Resoluticns r ,1 , 



of the country, comes 



the demand for the Appalachian Na- 

 tional Forests. The Los Angeles 

 Chamber of Commerce, after referr- 

 ing to its past record in promoting for- 

 est reserves and protection of water- 

 sheds in California, expresses its 

 sense of vital importance of the Na- 

 tional Forests in the Southern Appa- 

 lachian and White Mountains, and 

 commends the same to the support of 

 the Los Angeles representative in 

 Congress. 



Help frcm 

 Hawaii 



Even far away Hawaii 

 is championing the Ap- 

 palachian Bill. The Pa- 

 cific Commercial Advertiser (Hono- 

 lulu) of ^Nlarch, urges the Territorial 

 delegate to do whatever falls in his 



