The morning call., 1893-08-20
CANADA'S GREAT PARK.
1t Is Located i'm Ontario and Covers
1440 Square Miles.
st. Louis Republi


The great forests of Cauada have for years
been suffering as much from fires aud from
reckless cutting as have the wooded regions of
our own country, and this fact the thoughtful
people OF the Dominion have, fortunately,
begun to realize.
The public desire 10 interpose some check to
the pitiess attack upon the woods and TO save
portion OF what remains Ia its primeyal con-
dition took form few years ago In a project
for establishing In the Province OF Ontario a
forest reservation and national park, and Com
missloners TO make inquiry concerning the mat
ter were appointed in the spring of 1892.
This commission, OF which Mr. Alexander Kirk
wood was the chairman, MADE report last
March, and the bill prepared at their suggestion
has since been enacted as a law under the title
of IAN act TO establish the Algonquin National
Park OF Ontario"
Under this act tract OF land In the northern
part of the province, some forty miles long and
thirIys six miles wide. has been set apart "as a
public park, forest reservation, fish and game
preserve, health resort and pleasure ground for
the benefit, advantage and en- jOyment of the
Province of Ontario" and the Lieuteuaut-G Goy-
erDor IN council is empowered 10 add to the
park any adjoining townships or parts of
townships In which no lands have been here
tofore granted. Our experience in the cas- OF
the Adirondack forest and elsewhere shows the
difficulty In settling apart any considerable part
OF Inc puolic DOMAIN wien II includes scattered
areas which have become the property OF pri-
yate individuals.
The site itself is an elevated area. containing
Dut little SOIL ut Tor cultivation, with few high
hills, but many successive ridges OF Laurentian
rock alternating with valleys and marshes. IL
lies on the summit which divides the waters
flowing toward the Georgian Bay from those
which flow into the Ottawa River, ana rising
10 height of 1900 or 1400 feet above the sea
level.
There is probably not elsewhere in the
province tract which, within the same small
space. gives iiSe 10 so many important streams,
and tie Commissioners do well, therefore to
note that one OF the most important functions
of the reservation will be that of maintaining
and regulating the water supply OF these
streams.
The park Itself contains large volumes OF
water IN lakes rivers, brooks and ponds the
entire water surface covering about 166 square
miles, while the area OF land Is 1900 square
miles. Fortunately. The forest cover OF this
region is practically unimpaired so that it will
not be difficult 10 preserve In their original con-
dtion these elevated lakes and the streams
streams which run under oyerhanging woods.
The great game has been pursued with the
same ferocty which has practically eXtermi-
mated the buffalo on our plains In the spring
of 1887 there were found in The district now
set apart AZ a park for the province the car
casses Of no less than sixty moose which had
been killed for their skins alone Surely il is
wise to fence IN Que spot in Ontario where
these innocent tenants Of forest and stream
can be saved from the cruelty and greed which
pursues them to the point of extermipation.
and where they can rear their young in safety.