The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-11-27
A REDWOOD GROVE.
fian For Public Park That Will Bo I'M
like tho others.

- UNIV knut VIII IbO IN
like tho others.
The newspapers have got hold OF n
story that our townsman. Colonel Arm
strong, is to present the State with n
tract of redwood land in Sonoma County
for park. We mado inquiry of the
donor and found tho rumor correct. ONLY
that no does not intend to give it to tho
nCate or TO any particular nun cipality
or society, but to trustees, for the use of
The people, for posterity and for all
time. This magniGccntgft of GOO acres
lies IN Big Bottom, near the extremity
OF the branch Of tho San Francisco G.
North Pacific railway, about one milo
from the river at Guerne lie in Sonoma
County, and accessible by rail from San
francisco, which is seventy miles dis
tant
1t is the last considerable tract of
these big trees in this region or SO near
the city. OF course there are other
scopes of scattered timber in the hills.
scrubby in growth and out of tho way.
But this is n grand forest of mon
strous trees, much on level land, Dor
dered by the side of the Mount jackson
range, with tree trunks from five to
hIteen feet in diameter and more than
three hundred feet high, intermingled
with various other sorts Of growth, occa-
sional frs, laurel and other woods add
ing to the beauty of tho spot.
The donor says the gift will not be
FULLY appreciated for tho next fifty
years Then. when no other ,spot like
1T can be found in reach. his motive will
be understood. Tho trustees will be Sc
lectcd about as follows: Perhaps tho
chairman of tho Golden Gate park trus
tees, of San Francisco; the land
scape gardener of Central park, New
iork City; the Chief Justice of tho
Supreme Court of California. and local
trustee in this county. These gentle
men and their successors forever will
have control, under but few restrictions
in the decd of trust. One will be that
no timber shall ever be cut or trimmed.
unless 1T be own down. Another COR
dition will BIO that the park shall not be
place for cncampment for fear of fire
and shall only be visited in daylight.
There VIII be drives, paths and tho
like as we'll as many ornamental
structures, and gateway and fountains
In Keeping with it's purpose, for which
Il sufficient endowment is to be placed
i'll the hands of the trustees The de-
tails can not be givon for publication,
nor In fact, are they completed. But
1T Is understood that some of the work
will be done in the time of the owner.
and that he will retain control for tho
present and as long as he lives. Out of
tho GOO acres about 200, with valuable
improvements, orchards, buildings, etc,
are being put into condition for yield
ing considerable income, and much of
it is as fine land as lies in Russian river
bottom.
After its income may no longer be re-
quircd by the family it IS provided that
1T shall become part of the PARK, and
the trustees will be directed to use such
portion as may be convenient to eroct
glass houses for propagating strange
plants, flowers, trees and shrubs, to be
used in bordering the drives and orna-
menting the ground. 1t will DO seen
from the sketch that the plan is for
posterity. and it will take long while
to work it out though in the main the
natural features Of wild forest are in
tended to predominant always.-Cloyer-
dale Revcille.