Save the Shade Trees Along Our State Highway
Irreparable Injury to the Placerville-Lake Tahoe Road Threatened. Automobilists summoned to Save Trees.
When it comes to doing things that need to be done, particularly the tasks which are everybody's business, and, therefore, the business of nobody, one woman shall put a thousand men to flight and two women ten thousand.
A good illustration of this fact is offered by the effort now being made by a group of women in Placerville to preserve the trees along the Placerville-Lake Tahoe highway.
Placerville has a Shakespeare Club composed of women who see not through a glass darkly, but with a vision cleared and strengthened by much reading and study.
The women of the Placerville Shakespeare Club saw that the lumber interests were denuding the magnificent trees along this road, and having approached the owners, and having met with no encouragement in their effort to save the trees, they did not sit down by the wayside and weep large tears into their aprons, but as modern women with a commission, and particularly as California women, therefore knowing how to do things, they organized a movement to save the trees in spite of the work of the lumber men.
Having gotten the matter before the legislature they now call upon all automobile owners to lend a hand in saving the trees.
Imagine the Placerville-Tahoe road denuded of the giant sentinel trees which were standing guard when Rome was a village and Caesar in short pants. Let every reader of these lines take the time to drop a letter to the Senator or Assemblyman with whom he is acquainted, and ask the hearty co-operation of such Senator or Assemblyman in the efforts of these public spirited Placerville women. We present the case as prepared by the energetic secretary of the Placerville Shakespeare Club.
The subject of this letter has probably come to your attention in a general way through the columns of the popular Sacramento and San Francisco dailies. The Placerville Shakespeare Club is now requesting your support of a measure in the connection as explained by the following paragraphs:
During the past year, at least one company and several individuals have, either in a commercial or semi-commercial manner, cut, removed and destroyed stately trees on private owned land within the right of way and immediately adjacent thereto, of the State highway leading from Placerville to Lake Tahoe—a branch of the recently dedicated Lincoln Highway. The trees cut were of an immense scenic value to the highway, and others of equal value are in immediate danger of being similarly destroyed. This road, as you are aware, is one of the most popular roads within the limits of our State, and perhaps in the West.
The problem of preserving the natural beauty of our highways is not a local one. Perpetuation of scenery along our popular California roads is a State-wide problem. Sooner or later as timber becomes more accessible to market, and increases correspondingly in value, similar cutting will occur elsewhere. It is impossible to estimate the ethical value of trees so situated, and to allow this rare beauty to be wantonly destroyed for the sake of commercial and private gain is a great moral error.
The instance of the cutting mentioned in the preceding paragraphs and the general problem of maintaining the beauty of our highways, brings up the question of how such practices by the owners of land bordering the State thoroughfares can be prevented. The political codes of the State at the present time make no provision for it. The recent "Highway Act" is entirely inadequate in this respect, the Act of "Eminent Domain"—Article 1238 of the State Code—does not give authority to the State to condemn or purchase land or timber for the purposes involved.
The initiative inner-movement to preserve trees of great scenic value adjacent to the State roads must be taken by some one, immediately, and after corresponding with the State Engineering Department and the State Forester's Office, it seemingly has devolved on the Placerville Shakespeare Club to take the introductory step.
The movement to secure special legislation in this regard has been taken upon advice from the State Forester's Office, and for the reason that the Engineering Department is powerless to act in absence of proper authority.
If the three bills referred to above become a law. State officers in charge of our highway system will be vested with the authority necessary to purchase, or condemn and purchase, valuable scenic trees bordering the popular routes of travel under their jurisdiction. Pursuant thereto, three bills have been presented to this legislature by our representatives from this district—Senator E. S. Birdsall, and Assemblyman Robert I. Kerr.
On January 7th, Senate Bills 42, 43, 44, were introduced, dealing respectively with the purchase by the Engineering Department of additional strips of land and trees along State highways; amending the Code of Civil Procedure relative to exercising eminent domain for acquiring additional strips along State highways; and asking an appropriation for land and trees along the course of the Lake Tahoe wagon road. Assembly bills 12, 31, 66, cover the same questions, and have been referred to the Roads and Highways Committee; Assembly bill 31 was also referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
It is of great importance that these bills be passed at this session of the Legislature. The most beautiful trees on the Placerville-Lake Tahoe road will be felled before another Legislature convenes and immediate action is necessary.
The executive board of the Northern District of California Federation of Women's Clubs endorsed these bills at their meeting on January 2d. The Placerville Shakespeare Club earnestly solicits your assistance in the passage of these bills through the Legislature. Will you use your personal influence wherever it will be a help?
We are informed that these bills will come up soon for discussion, and therefore influence must be brought to bear now.
The general information conveyed in the above notes is more sharply defined and brought nearer to date by the following letter:
