The morning call., 1892-12-09
TIE NEW PARK.

The present session of Congress will be
the short one, and many measures may fail
for want of time. But there seems to be a
possibility that the bill creating new Gov
eminent reservation on the flank of the
Sierra may be got through, simply because
1t can hardly meet with opposition II is
difficult to see who could oppose it unless,
perhaps. a few Iumbermen and shepherds
should object TO limit being set to their
| devastati0ns.
The survey which marked the lines of
the new reservation was authorized by the
act of March 3, 1891. BY that survey tract
about l40 miles long by about forty five miles
wide, embracing an area of some 63O0 square
miles, has been mapped out. IL follows the
Sierra from point near the headwaters of
the MERGED River 10 point near the head
waters Of the Kern, and takes IN tie west
ern slope for about forty-five miles toward
the plain. In this way il embraces the
sources Of nearly all the continents of the
San Joaquin In Mariposa, Fresno and Tu-
lare counties, together with some of the
springs in Mono and Invo, and includes
some of the best timber lands in the foot
hills. The effect OF the reservation will be
TO keep sbeepherders and lumbermen out,
which Will enable the trees TO grow, the
NdAcLSOuECtS 10 lHcFcdse III NOluIQe ana the
streams down below to swell in size. 1t is
doubtful whether these reforms, obvious as
they are, could have been effected without
the Intervention of the General Govern
ment. Whenever a change is proposed
which aims at promoting the general good
at the cost of some petty class interest that
class raises such clamor that State power
shrinks from a conflict with il. II would
ha ina Ha mi Of ofa
herd in Mariposa were heard bleating on
this occasion.
If the proposed park is laid out The con-
troll of it should be vested In the General
Government and should remain in the
hands Of its officers.
1t must be remembered that the park
which is now probably going to be conse-
Grated as a reservation belongs not ex-
clusvely to California Such marvels of
natural beauty cannot be the object Of local
ownership any more than Mont Blanc or
the Falls OF Niagara. 1t is the duty Of the
local authorities in whose province they
occur 10 cherish and maintain them for the
delight OF men of all races and throughout
all ages, Il the end that every one shall see
what wonderful achievements the forces of
nature have effected for the decoration of
the world. Under proper care the new
reservation. embracing the nurseries of the
gigantic sequoias, and the fantastic monu-
ments of the last contest between volcanic
and aqueous forces, viii change its face in
the next century. DesIccation will cease
and the old forest growth will revive. With
proper nurture the little rivulets which now
trickle down the foothills VIII again be-
come generous streams, feeding the San
Joaquin. IertiiiZlug its borders and possibly
once more rendering it navigable. Cultiya-
ton may possibly enable US to witness that
phenomenon sequoia in the act of growth,
and the descendants of The Americans who
now drift across the ocean in thousands TO
feast their eyes ON the beauties of nature in
Switzerland may find nobler objects Of con-
temptation and study in their own land.