Show FE U 0 L A A FOR me ST ox K 0 4 0 d iak 14 Z W si ta 1 k IV ea t ir fg VA aw al A 4 X 4 4 41 M anz wk 4 ea 4 zu ve ael 14 V J we ps TS at A e 10 k Z VP f iw s r X IN NATIONAL PARK INCLE SAM SAI NI has been fortunate enough to secure the model M N forest of the united states as U an addition to our group of national forests not a play forest or a park but the big pisgah tract of 90 acres in north caro una linal formerly owned by the late george W vanderbilt and during the past pait 25 ears transformed by him from a ibid ald and partly denuded area into a products product i e c commercial forest v m rites GUN GUI elliott 2111 in the utica globe it if scientific for forestry estr including practical lumbering timber reproduction fire fighting and preen prevention tion of denudation and erosion nere an entirely en tirel new science in america uncle sam could haie no better example of all these things actually worked out than tn in this magnificent pisgah forest the area nas ft as purchased from mrs vanderbilt at the nominal figure ot of ta 5 an acre which may be consid ered cred a gift to the american people from mrs airs vanderbilt of the difference between the purchase price and that at which the pisgah forest was as offered to the government by air vanderbilt this is by tar far the finest forest iet et required under the IN behs national forest act let et tile the cost is less thinks thanks to mrs vanderbilt a generosity gene than the a average ot of all the other tract purchased by the government which aggregate nearly a million acres precipitous and lofty area the pisgah forest area which is an outlying section of the famous van biltmore estate was critically examined by the united states loern govern ment in 1912 with a na view N to possible purchase in conformity with the pro visions ot of the N eels lav lain which re quires tile the united states geological survey to leport on all areas before purchase with nith respect to the effects ot of then their forest cover coner on the gaviga ability ot of tile the streams or their tribu baries floi lowing ing through these innes brov ed the v alue of the moun tain forests as a cuter enter of erosion and a larder re of 0 the runoff run ofa storm waters that feed the french broad river which aich unites with iirth the holston alier at knoxville to form the ananig able tennessee river overlooking the Na valleys lles tills this area is one of the most precipitous and loft lofta in the eastern united states a dozen or more summits of the greit great pisgah range rising above G feet the rainfall is heay heany and tile tho creeks and streams flo how with swift currents which erode and rapidly gully out the steep unprotected slopes carrying down donin into the streams great quantities of soil and sediment from such areas as have haie been wasteful lumbered cleared or burnt over tho the protection ot of the toi for est eat cov coi er therefore becomes a i ital factor in the navigability ot of tho the large livers as well nell as in tho the preservation of oe their valuable alu able water nater powers one of gods beauty spots shortly after the formal reports of the forest service and the geological surn survey e tb the e pisgah area ni was as by secretary of interior lane secretary of agriculture houston and represent Re presen batio hanley hainley of oregon and lepre sent atlie athe lee of georgia members member of the national forest reservation corn cittee in compani with forester henry S graves and george otis smith director of the geological sur ne e the party made a three das trip b bi autos and maguns and opinion was that not lot on only did biltmore constitute perfection as a mountain woodland estate but that pisgah forest area was one of gods god 3 own beauty spots long before finishing their inspection of the pisgah bolest the mem bers ot of the part were agreed that lr ir N andor bilt a method ot of lumbering waa aa true conservation levied from the summits of imposing peaks there stretched before the ees of the itar tors illimitable areas of forest s ome bom of it virgin and other portions luni lum bared but under such judicious cut ting that at any distance only forester graies graces could be certain that the lurn lum berman had been at work nork to the vitiated the whole forest seemed untouched paradise for birds and animals the wild animals and the birds 0 of the southern appalachians might well niel make merry could them the appreciate this purchase by uncle sam it is now proposed to make the region a game refuge for the preservation of the fauna of the eastern united states al ready the pisgah forest is well pe peopled 0 with nith deer wild turkey and pheas ants and in the streams are ara brisk rain bov bon and brook trout fishing may be alcox allowed ed but there in this preserve e our tino and four footed friends at least may work out their natural destinies within its boundaries they may ma mate rear their little ones and enjoy life to to the full secure from the murderous crack of the high powered rifle or th the terrorizing roar of the shotgun indeed the pisgah forest is destined to become a splendid national park peopled with animals and birds and resplendent in livery as the seasons tell loll by with the man shades of 0 tree green the red and pink of tile the moun tain laurel and rhododendron the th edvart axi art locust in with ith bright cheer colored blos I 1 the red y vellow and pink azaleas the punted painted trillium and in the fall when the frost lightly touches grolln growing 9 things the brilliant and burnished hues of the virgin appalachian wood nicoll land doubtless had the late john aluir been of the east instead of the west he would long ago have hane traversed afoot these lofty ancient ridges and enthusiastically urged their creation into a nations playground with its dedication for all time to tile the american people and also to the real native Amer americans cans the animals and the birds 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