26 



the amount of busineas, which is more than probale to happen. This land 

 stretched out the entire length of the roads would give a strip 48 rods wide. 

 Besides this demand for fuel the roads in their first construction require 

 2,880 sleepers per mile, to produce which will take the bodies of at least 

 1,440 trees. These must be supplied anew once in six years; and as only 

 oaks, red elm, cherry, Mack walnut, tamarack, red pine and hackberry will 

 answer for this purpose, and as the trees must be at least a foot in diameter, 

 the trees cannot be grown in less than 30 years. The roads also require sim- 

 ilar and larger timber for bridges, piles, turn-tables, depots, cars and other 

 uses. These trees will require enough more land to make the strip, when 

 completely and thoroughly planted and protected, 80 rods or (Ae-quarter of 

 a mile wide the entire length of every railroad in the state ; or 19T,000 acres 

 of land to supply them with fuel and timber. Such a belt of timber evenly 

 divided by the line of the road, would effectually check all driftings of the 

 snow on the track during winter. Considerable drifting might also be pre- 

 vented by planting the ground enclosed by the railroad fences, on either side 

 of the track, with cedars, pines and larches. Although coal and peat might 

 be used for fuel, still the other demands would remain to be supplied with 

 wood. 



HOW CHEAP WOOD AFFECTS THE COUNTKY. 

 Cheap houses, cheap fuel, cheap bread and cheap transportation for pass- 

 engers and freights, are among the fundamental elements of a nation's growth 

 and prosperity. A nation that produces the raw material for manufacture 

 and commerce, at low cost— whose people provide their own houses and raise 

 most of what they consume— which moves its people, ita products and manu- 

 factories, quickly and cheaply, is in the best condition to establish the most 

 complete division of labor, and to give to every man the results of his ability, 

 energy and skill. The question of cheap and abundant wood must enter 

 largely and constantly into each of these departments of industry and 

 living. 



The growth of most of our western cities, especially along the great lakes 

 and rivers, has been the wonder of the civilized world, and deservedly so. 

 Their progress has generally been attributed to the cheap and productive 

 soils in their immediate vicinity, and doubtless in a great measure this is 

 true ; but any one who studies closely and carefully the elements that have 

 contributed to that greatness, will find cheap lumber and cheap fuel the 

 greatest of all. A few years ago when Chicago and Milwaukee and other 

 places on the lake shore were making such wonderful strides towards becom- 

 ing what they now are-opulent eities-when our inland villages and cities 

 were keeping pace with these emporiums ; pine lumber could be had in the 

 lake ports for about eight dollars per thousand feet, and good fire wood for 

 three dollars per cord. At such cheap rates for building materials there was 

 CO reason why buildings, stores and warehouses should not spring up on every 



