76 FOREST CONDITIONS. 



and thus know upon what feed they could rely, without the present 

 accompaniments of murder and arson. 



Those districts where pasturage injures the watersheds could have 

 the stock reduced to a safe number by reasonable regulation, or entirely 

 removed. When we consider the vital importance of the entire forest 

 question, and past and present precedent in the matter of forestry and 

 irrigation; when we consider the effect of forest denudation in filling 

 up navigable rivers and harbors, the importance of water to miners, 

 to cities and to irrigators; when we further reflect on the empire at 

 our hand and in our borders to be created by irrigation works, we can 

 agree that forests, reservoirs and public land management all go hand 

 in hand. 



There is considerable timber in the San Bernardino and San Ja- 

 cinto ranges that might be used for lumber if prices increase. The 

 timber areas, however, are small compared to other Pacific Coast dis- 

 tricts. They are difficult of access. In addition to these drawbacks 

 the forests are open and the timber is therefore more knotty and less 

 clear than that from the North. For these reasons no important lum- 

 bering has been done in our mountains for a long time. Reduction 

 in transportation rates by railroad extension and harbor improvements 

 have removed the profit from local lumbering. Lumbering is recom- 

 mencing in the South because of higher prices. There is also very 

 little pasture in the mountains. The most of this being in the Pine 

 Mountain Reserve. The little pasture that exists is only practically ac- 

 cessible by long detour and entry to the mountains from the less abrupt 

 approaches on the desert. Horses and cattle do comparatively small in- 

 jury to the forests while in these pastures. Under judicious regulation 

 it is reasonable to believe that the natural mountain meadows and 

 high alpine pastures could be used by stock without appreciable injury 

 to the water-sheds. The trouble with this use of the forest now is 

 principally excessive pasture and lack of any regulation. From these 

 causes grow the constant fights, arson and murder in our mountains 

 between stockman and stockman and between sheepman and sheepman 

 and between stockmen and sheepmen. Feuds, fires and assassinations 

 curse our entire western mountain area of public lands used without 

 lease, tax or charge by pasture men. Leaving out the questions of the 

 value and conservative effects of forests, of lumber, mining, water 

 storage and preservation of water-sheds which all demand a rational 

 management of the forests, humanity alone demands a reform In the 

 conduct of the public lands in forests. Present conditions in our 



