God's First Temples. How Shall We Preserve Our Forests? The Question Considered by John Muir, the California Geologist-The Views of a Practical Man and a Scientific Observer-A Profoundly Interesting Article. (Communicated To The Record-Union.)

Authors

John Muir

Files

Kimes Entry Number

055

Original Date

2-5-1876

William and Maymie Kimes Annotation

""Eds. Record Union: The forests of coniferous trees growing on our mountain ranges are by far the most destructible of the natural resources of California. Strip off the woods with their underbrush from the mountain flanks, and the whole State, the lowlands as well as the highlands, would gradually change into a desert."" Muir calls attention to the limited extent of the sequoia groves, and states that ""waste and pure destruction are already taking place at a terrible rate"" due chiefly to ""fire and the ax."" Muir condemns in even stronger terms the devastation caused by the sheep men, and comments despondently, ""Whether our loose jointed Government is really able or willing to do anything in the matter remains to be seen."" This article is the first that Muir devotes exclusively to public protest of the destruction of the forests. He sent it to a Sacramento newspaper with the hope that it would reach the greatest number of legislators.

Publication

Sacramento Daily Union

Page/Column

p. 8, cols, 6-7

Reprint/Offprint

Reprinted Sacramento Semi-Weekly Record Union, Feb. 9, 1876 edition.

See also Kimes Entry Number

See also: no. 63; no. 419, pp. 242-245; no. 432A

Recommended Citation

Muir, John, "God's First Temples. How Shall We Preserve Our Forests? The Question Considered by John Muir, the California Geologist-The Views of a Practical Man and a Scientific Observer-A Profoundly Interesting Article. (Communicated To The Record-Union.)" (1876). John Muir: A Reading Bibliography by Kimes (Muir articles 1866-1986). 22.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jmb/22