Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-02-04
THE SHASTA PARK.
IT'S PROPOSED DEDICATION TO
NATURES WOOING.
Purpose-Preservati of Game
and Forests.
IS. F. Chronicle, February I'd. ]

rs. F. Chronicle, February ID
The scheme for the reservation b. the
Government of tract of land near Mount
Shasta for national park, of which men
ton was made a month ago by the Ctron-
,cIe, has been elaborated upon by its pro-
jectors until from mere strip of territory
a mile on each side Of the Sacramento
river from Delta to Edgewood, the land
which it is proposed to have reserved has
spread its boundaries to include ten town.
ships, or about 100000 acres, all in Siski-
you county. The attention of Senators
Stewart and Stanford has been attracted to
the movement, and it is said that they are
highly favorable to it. Charles Croker is
quoted as having said that for his part he
would willingly relinquish all right ac-
quired or to be acquired by the railroad
company within the proposed park. No
objection is raised by the settlers as it is
not proposed to disturb their title in any
way or to infringe upon their rights.
The railroad company's grant includes
the odd sections for twenty miles on each
side of the line, but it has not yet had the
land patented to it, and there is doubt
as to whether it ever will.
A bill is about to be prepared for pre-
sentation to Congress during this session
asking that all the rugged mountain and
forest land watered by the streams that
form the headwaters of the Sacramento
river, except that belonging to private
parties, be set aside forever for park pur-
poses, that its timber and game NAV be
preserved, and that its natural picturesque
ness may not be destroyed. The region en-
braces the whole of Mount Shasta and out
lying peaks, and portions of the Squaw
mountain and Sacramento ranges, as well
as the Castle rocks, the Giants Dome and
other attractive features of this wonderful
region. The California and Oregon Rail-
road runs through the proposed reservation
near its western boundary, and the Sacra-
mento river, which is there but narrow,
brawling stream bounded by high canyon
walls, flows southwark across its southern
line Of demarkation.
The entire region is rugged, mountain
Gus and most forbidding to the agricult-
urist There are only a few small ranches
within its boundaries, and the only towns
are the railroad hamlets of Upper Soda
Springs, Berryvale and Edgewood.
Among the gentlemen who have most
interested themselves in the reservation of
this region as Il national park is w. H.
Mills, who first suggested the idea while
on the way down from Portland on the
train bearing the party that went up to
see the last spike driven on the California
and Oregon Railroad. A Chronicle re-
porter CHANGED to be in the car at the
time the subject was first preached to
Charles Croker, and it was observed that
the plan struck the railroad magnate very
favorably, for he at once expressed himself
as willing to do all that he could to bring
about realization of Mr. Mills plan.
When interviewed upon the subject yes
terday, Mr.. Mills said to a Chronicle re-
porter that if the reservation of the land
by the Government was made the region
could be set aside for park purposes for a
term Of years or forever. 1t would proba-
bly, receive the name Shasta Park. IN
area 1t would be much greater than the
Yosemite. The Importance of the pre-
posed move had been suggested to him
while on the recent excursion to Portland
1t was assuredly Il wise step to take and
would result in much benefit to the State
There is no other large game region in
the State of California" he said, "that has
not been overrm by hunters, and few other
fine trout streams that have not been pretty
well fshed out. Then there would be, of
course the advantage of having new at
traction for visitors to California. | don't
attempt to disguise the fact that the park
u-otrl1 ha Of bannE+ -
pany. The fact that there would be a
large travel to the region would denote
that readily enough, but at the same time
1t would be an immense advantage to the
people of the State Visitors from other
parts of the United States would feel that
they had share in it, and their interest
would be greater than in a merely local
resort, for, being national affair, it would
belong to the people at large, as well as to
those of our own State.
" Throughout the whole year the park
would never fail in its attractive power.
/ have been in that region in different
seasons, and have always been charmed by
its natural beauty-its lovely streams,
messy springs, grand forests, picturesque
rocks and, above all, Shasta.
81 have talked with Mr.. Croker on the
subject, and am satisfied that whatever
right the railroad may have to land in that
territory would readily be relinquished, if
that would aid in the success of the scheme.
As for other private rights, it is not in
tended to disturb them in any way. If
the Government saw fit it could give the
railroad lands Of equal value-or should
say equally valueless for agricultural or
other purposes-in lieu of those reserved
for the park. But there would be no
trouble about that one way or the other,
as the railroad company would do all in
its power to aid the scheme. 1t would
really be too bad to have this beautiful
region deforested and the game DESTROYED,
as will soon be done unless the Govern
ment takes some such step as that pro-
posed"
j. A. Fillmore, who knows the Shasta
country as well as any of the Fourth and
Townsend-street officials, was seen by the
reporter He said that if the Government
concluded to set aside the territory pro-
posed for park, the travel to that region
would be greatly increased. The railroad
company would no doubt make special
rates for the round trip, so that visitors
from the city could, if they desired, leave
there Saturday night, arrive at Shasta
next morning, and return to the city on
Monday morning. 1t would be trip that
thousands would take during the summer
season, and that, as the Shasta scenes were
particularly fine in winter, many would go
during that season. He said that he had
been urging the company to negotiate with
the Fish Commissioners for placing about
$500, 900 young trout in the streams about
Mount Shasta each year. This, he thought,
would be done.