1930 - Environment

Environment

Congress establishes Carlsbad Caverns National Park on 46,753 acres of underground chambers in southern New Mexico.

Dutch elm disease kills trees in Cleveland and Cincinnati in its first attacks on the American elm ulmus americanus. A fungus first observed in Holland in 1919, the blight has been introduced in elm burl logs shipped from Europe to be made into veneer for furniture. Within 40 years, it will have killed some 13 million trees and be destroying 400,000 elms each year in 30 states and Canada, wilting or shriveling leaves in June or July, yellowing them prematurely, killing young trees sometimes in 1 year and older ones in 3 or 4 as fungus spores are spread by underground root grafts and by two kinds of bark beetles. The loss of America's foremost shade tree will have a marked effect on the environment of many American cities and towns.

An earthquake in Persia May 6 leaves an estimated 2,500 dead; a quake in Italy July 23 kills about 1,430.