Solon, spare those trees THE LAST WORD
Bauman, Richard
SOLOM, SPARE THOSE TREES Richard Bauman oastal redwood trees are as ...
...SOLOM, SPARE THOSE TREES Richard Bauman oastal redwood trees are as huckleberries, oaks and stately firs, and ment for the land...
...It was a mar- help...
...and a small group of men and women, tions throughout the state, requesting After the park opened, several of the including Robert Kenna, a Jesuit priest them to write their legislators to sup- oldest and tallest trees were given who was president of Santa Clara Col- port the bill...
...One where the money would come from, can have a life span of up to night, gathered around a campfire, the nonetheless assured timber owners and C two thousand years and group reaffirmed its commitment to legislators that he would have a solid grow to the height of a thirty-five-story save the area and named themselves pledge for the money...
...0 group spent several days exploring and to scuttle passage: a private citizen must taking pictures...
...Hill was frustrated ential politicians, including Lieutenant help of Senator Charles M. Shortridge of and angry...
...privately owned stand of giant trees in to convince lawmakers of the value of Soon after, the Assembly passed the the Santa Clara Mountains south of San Big Basin...
...Hill con- the Senate...
...wagons over a steep, rugged mill road ed in attaching various conditions, in- Today, the Santa Clara University yearthat ended at Sempervirens Creek...
...It was a wilderness of guarantee $50,000 against the state's Richard Bauman is a freelance writer from cathedral-like redwoods, of ferns and possible inability to make the initial pay- West Covina, California...
...Relying on the axiom, "A pic- California Redwood Park Bill by a vote Francisco...
...He explained the Assembly's 1899, Andrew P. Hill, a well-known artist ception from the California legislature demand to Kenna, who telephoned his and photographer, was commissioned when it lobbied for the appropriation of nephew, James Phelan...
...Phelan had by a London magazine to photograph $250,000 to purchase and preserve Big given financial support to other worththe trees...
...Although he seven of forty senators favored creation of owners claimed exclusive rights even to managed to convert a number of influ- the park...
...When he took pictures of the ture is worth a thousand words," Hill of fifty-five to one...
...The cluding a last-minute proposal meant book is still called the Redwood...
...At Hill's request, and with the photos of the trees...
...ically voted together, he decided to seek unique in their species and situation...
...Hill, having no idea rare as they are huge...
...They a myriad of flowers and wildlife...
...that the Catholic members in the As- senators accept them as the sentiments Their first meeting was at Stanford Uni- sembly and Senate made up a signifi- of my heart...
...It wasn't an easy trip...
...It remains today path of several working sawmills less mental in getting the "Save the Red- an oasis in what has come to be the nathan two miles away...
...In May 1900, Hill woods" message to Catholic congrega- tion's most populous state...
...As a result, in velous forest of giant trees, thousands of Catholic legislators to obtain support for 1902 the state purchased 3,800 acres in years old, but located directly in the the Big Basin Park bill, and was instru- the heart of Big Basin...
...He later wrote of his speech: set his mind on achieving their preser- cluded the proposal needed stronger, "My remarks, though very simple, were vation and public ownership, and soon more concentrated support...
...The subtwenty miles north of the Fremont high school classmate, Father Kenna, for sequent Senate vote was nearly unanistand, known as Big Basin...
...names to honor those who had helped lege (now University), went to see Big As the bill progressed through the preserve them...
...Father Kenna, arriving at his door at along California's northern coast...
...He raced to see building, but exist only in a narrow strip the Sempervirens Club...
...In late Later that year, the club got an icy re- midnight...
...The first so named was Basin...
...Not a beg you to stay the hand that would group learned of a much larger grove Catholic himself, he turned to his old harm those that still remain...
...I At that first meeting, the fledgling out Catholic votes for the park...
...They trav- legislative process, its opponents were the Santa Clara Tree, after Santa Clara eled by rail, further by horse-drawn unable to kill the bill, but they succeed- College and its president, Robert Kenna...
...The following year while causes, and now guaranteed the get into the Fremont Big Tree Grove, a the group sent Hill to the state capital entire $50,000-a huge sum at the time...
...mammoth trees, however, his photo- arrived in Sacramento in early 1901 with Despite the Assembly's approval, just graphic plates were confiscated: the grove dozens of photographs...
...I said in part...'These redversity, and their slogan became, "Save cant minority in the legislature who typ- woods are preeminently Californian, the Redwoods...
...He paid an entrance fee just to Basin as a state park...
...Commonweal 3 1 March 24, 2000...
...Observing given with an earnestness that made the formed a small group for that purpose...
...Kenna used his influence with the mous in favor of the park...
...Believing that these natural Governor Alden Anderson, to the cause, San Jose, Kenna was permitted to address wonders should belong to everyone, he strong opposition remained...
Vol. 127 • March 2000 • No. 6
