. New Jersey as a colony and as a state : one of the original thirteen . timber thieving from surveyed land. By 1700 the Pines had been crossed by sur-veyors, and much of the timber had been pur-chased from the proprietors. Thousands of acresstill remained in the hands of the boards of Eastand West Jersey, but the work of destruction hadcommenced. It was the story of devastation andof criminal waste. Constant fires during thespring and summer ranged across the colony untilfuel was exhausted or rains put out the economics was an unknown science, thepurchaser seeing in his tract si
. New Jersey as a colony and as a state : one of the original thirteen . timber thieving from surveyed land. By 1700 the Pines had been crossed by sur-veyors, and much of the timber had been pur-chased from the proprietors. Thousands of acresstill remained in the hands of the boards of Eastand West Jersey, but the work of destruction hadcommenced. It was the story of devastation andof criminal waste. Constant fires during thespring and summer ranged across the colony untilfuel was exhausted or rains put out the economics was an unknown science, thepurchaser seeing in his tract simply an opportu-nity to secure a yield of useful materials. Modernforestry, embracing such elements as an appeal tothe artistic sense, a resort of health-value to in-valids, and a regulator of water flow, was beyondthe comprehension of those who purchased j^o-prietary rights. The greed of owners and the thieving of lawlesspersons became so great as to lead to legislativeinterference. In March, 1713-14, an act was passedprohibiting the common practices of stealing tim-. A FOREST VISTA. 284 NEW JERSEY AS A OOL ber, cedar, pine staves, and poles, and of boring forand extracting turpentine. The statute also for-bade the exportation of pipe and hogshead stavesto neighboring provinces, owing to the rapid de-struction of the forests,—legislation which re-mained in force practically throughout the colo-nial period. In 1743 an act was passed, applicableto the eastern division of the province, layingduties upon logs, timber, planks, vessel supplies,staves, and heading, except firewood, exportedto any of His Majestys Colonies upon the Conti-nent of America, which act was also made ap-plicable to the common lands within the limits ofthe charter of Bergen Township. To further pro-tect the forests, in 1772 a statute provided thatcullers should be appointed to inspect staves,heading, hoops, shingles, boards, and plank ex-ported beyond sea,—legislation necessitated bythe development of the
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Keywords: ., bookauthorleefranc, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookyear1902
