The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-09-24

Schenck, imperial supervisor Of forests
for Hesse-Darmstadt. Germany, manager
Of the Biltmore On. c. estates Of the
Vanderbilts, and a lieutenant in the
Prusstan military reserves famous au-
thority on matters pertaining to practical
and scientific forestry, gave an expert
opinion of tho Leech lake reseryat tons
in connection with their possibilities as
national park district. In conversing
on the subject, he said:
1T is a visionary scheme to set aside
12,0G0, 600 or Il. 000, 900 of acres for a park
reserve. The state is not rich enough to
dc 1t, and it would be impossible to Sc
cure the government aid in such a pro-
ject. From what 1 have seen Of the dis
trict, | should say that a park could be
established. and kept hpen to the public
without expense to the government, If
the timber standing upon the land, which
it is proposed to condemn for park pur-
poses, were properly cared for and
made to yield the revenue which
It would offer Ii scientific forestry
rules were carried out. 1t will be possible
for the public to have access to every
portion of the different reservations, and
still utilize such portions as are good for
agricultural pursuits. In Germany we cut
the timber from such land as crops can
NC 5IoNh upOIly Jul IciiiAiSio ~
cultivate the sell in the summer, and
work In the forests In the winter. For
estry, If properly carried out, Is the re-
verse of economic starvation. 1t looks for
development, and is based not on senti-
ment, but upon practical business rules.
You have here the grandest scenic spot
in the Mississippi valley, and it is right
to ask the government to set it aside as
a pleasure ground for the people.
SfSnab advice a StlldV the sub
ject would dictate would be to use the
soil you have here for such purposes as
it is best adapted, using the revenues for
the expense incident to maintaining a
park. 1t should be self-supporting. The
government should realize al least per
cent per annu4 on the value of the tim
Der on the reservations, and the forestry
part of the park scheme should be made
remunerative by a close fire warden sys-
tenn"
Until the present month there has been
comparatively little agitation in favor
of the park project among the people Hy-
ing In the immediate vicinity of the pro-
posed reserve. Local newspapers have
given the matter passing attention from
time to time, but the citizens OF towns
in territory adjacent TO the park have
known little of what has been done. The
recent visit of Col. Cooper's party to the
egion gave many their first intimation
that park was in sight The party were
met at Walker by delegation of city Of
4icials and given banquet, at which a
conference was held and the matter laid
before them. The success of the scheme,
when outlined to those most vitality inter
ested, was instantaneous. Mayor Chas.
I<inkel, of Walker, a resident of the
northern lake region for thirty years. and
a thorough frontiersman and 1umberman,
had &c to 70 t1f ~ q hi min
the establishment of a park:
BARREN WASTE IN PROSPECT.
'The plans which have been proposed
present a sure way and the only method
which remains, of saving this magnificent
region from complete devastation. /
have been much interested for years in
the growing need of saving some portion
of the lake region in its primeval state,
but until the National Park and Forestry
association took the matter in charge,
there has not been the slightest assur-
ance but that Northern Minnesota would
ultimately meet the fate Of Northern Wis
consin and the state of Michigan and the
district at present covered with lordly
forests would become a barren waste
such as surrounds Port Huron. Manistee,
CharlevoiN, Old Mission and other North
ern Michigan towns. If these forests go,
u
valueless for every agricultural pursuit
and worth nothing to lumbermen. The
forests act as a safety valve on the
weather and preserve the sources of the
Mississippi, our numberless lakes and the
thousands of small streams which are
found in every direction. l have talked
with many influential men in this Sec
ton of the> state and those who realize
what the state is coming to think exactly
as 1 do, that something must be done.
81 am with the park promoters heart
and soul. 1 am convinced that the asso-
citation is honest in its purpose and seeks
only the good of the state and the pub
lie. When the forests go, 1t will mean
the death Of every town north Of the
southern boundary of The timber belt,
and for this reason, if for no other, North
ern Minnesota is with the project 1t is
my hope that the realization of the park
scheme may come before another summer.
1t will be to the best interests of all and
will have a thousand advantages where
it offers but one drawback"
General Passenger Agent Whitney, OF
the Great Northern, was asked for an
opinion regarding the advantages to
Western railroads from the establishment
Of a park In Northern Minnesota and
stated that as matter of dollars and
cents the railroads would be gamers It
would direct a large amount of summer
tourist travel to Minnesota and would
draw an immense patronage from all
parts of the United States and Europe as
we'll. He considered the difficulties Of
securing Favorable legislation as decreas-
ing in an inverse ration to the increas-
ing publicity which is being given to the
project.
A conservative estimate from data fur
nished by the different transcontinentaI
and Chtcago-St. Paul railroads gives the
number Of people to whom the proposed
park would be available inside of twenty
four hours travel as 30,000,000 The es-
tablishment of the reserve 1t is stated
upon the authority Of prominent railroad
men, will be a signal for increased train
service on every road into the district,
Improvement Of the lines reaching the
park and the Inauguration of train service
equal to that obtainable between -Chica-
go and the East and Chicago and st.
Paul. for the benefit Of the summer travel
incident to the park business.