The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-21
THE soUrHERN MA TIoNAL PARK,

THE SOUTHERN MA TIONAL PARK.
The Origin of the Proposed Park in
the Mountains OF Western North
Carolina. tua.N X
The movement to establish q South
ern national park, which now gives
origin in q hunting and fshing trip
through q portion of the northwest
country, taken last May by Judge
Williem r. Day, McKinley's former
Secretary Of State DR., G. p. Amber
and George Il. Smathers, of Ashevile
The party WAS riding through the Sap.
phire country on horseback. One morn.
Ing while passing near the White
Falls, Judge Day stopped, enraptured
by the scenery.4T The other two menu
bers OF the party rode on without no.
ticing him. Presently DR.. Amber
turned back and found the judge still
motionless under the influence Of his
majestic surroundings.
"Do you know what I was thinking
about P" finally asked the Judge.
mo, but would like TO-" replied
the doctor. ..
Well, 1 was just thinking that
something ought to be done to preserve
all this "-sweeping his hand over the
country. Something should be done
to save 1t from spoliation." The ex-
secretary wae lost in admiration OF the
scene. .,t.'s..
Why shouldn't it be made a ma
tional park ?" suggested the doctor.
Judge Day thought the idea magnif-
icent and the doctor thought 30, too.
From that time DR.. Amber began to
agitate the establishment Of national
m nrlY In hn. Ds,2
first, but soon secured the cooperation
OF others and presently there was o
call for q convention supported by pro-
minent men IN all of the States OF the
southeast. The convention was held on
November %, and was brilliant sue
cess. There was good attendance aud
q we'll directed effort to secure the park
was inaugurated. The necessary COM
mittees were formed and as expressing
the sense Of tho convention and the OBJ
ject OF the movement, the following
resolution was passed:
Whereas, the West has the Yellow
stone national park and there is anoth
er on Mackinac island, and the South
has none, and lumbermen are gaining
control OF the virgin forests, game Is
becoming extinct and could be res.ored
by park, mountain trout are dying
out, several hundred Thousand acres
could be gotten here cheaply, all of
which is unrivaled for scenery and Ia
centrally located there ia most salu-
brious climate; this would be q suitable
place for the national sanitorium for
sick soldiers, and the head waters OF
our streams should be pnraserved
therefore be it
r ssolved, That Congress be asked
to set aside forest preserve for the
park"
I had q very interesting talk with
DR.. ABabler, who as I have said, was
the original mover In the enterprise.
| asked him what were considered the
oeet locations for the park, and he re-.
piled
Tho several gentlemen here in
Asheville who have during tho past
few months promoted tha movement
toward the establishment of national
park In the Southern Appalachian
mountains, have not proposed and do
not now propose to advocate any one
spot In particular. Personally, IL has
been my good fortune during the past
10 years, to have been pretty we'll over
the wild and unfrequented portions Of
western North Carolina, northern
Georgia, east Tennessee and Virginia,
and do not hesitate at all to SAY that
the most beautiful parts Of this Appa-
lachian range are located in western
North Carolina.
II believe that II we can get Con-
gress to appoint a commission to in
| vestigate this movement western
North Carolina will have several sites
pre- eented to them % possible locations.
or course, the location of large tract
| of land 90 forest preserve and national
park 10 difflcult thing to do, particu-
| larly for the reason thatit must be 81
tuated away from the thiokly Inhabited
districtS. Ib"Bhould have the virgin
| forests; 1t should have some natural
advantages and attractions as regards
sconory, and there shoula ,bo sonae 10.
cation0 where agriculture could be
pur1ued On o snaall scale If desired.
| II the government investigated the
practicability Of this project their at.
tention first will undoubtedly be st.
tractod to the Cherokee Indian reser.
Walton In the extrome Western part OF
the State. This seetion, indeed, has
many advantages in, ita favor. Ada.
cent to thiB 'reservatton, which DOS
sesses about 5000 acres, there In q
traeb OF land between the Little Ten.
nesaee and the Pigeon river, about 40 bv
90 miles In extent, which is practically =
On uRbroken wilderness covered by for.
ests In their natural etate. This SEQ
tion has upwards OF 60 mountains OF
over $500 feet In elevation, and 80 OF
over 5000 feet, including the famous
Clingman's Dome, The country is well
watered and from scenic point OF
view there 10 nothing which /. have
seen In the heart OF the kockiet
through Colorado, or Wyoming, tha,
can begin to compare with it in beauty
=" Another tract OF great beauty aud
possibilities is what is now known AZ
tho Highland section. A park could
undoubtedly be situated In this region
! including the 1900 acres OF tho TOY
away company, OF unlimited possibili
ties to It's eastward. Indeed, perhap,
tho most feasible and most desirable
thing OF all would be to establish tho
park. .at both Of these points, acq uirinf
q snnall "trip Of land along the railroad
west OF Waynesville, and join thes,
two sections In this way.
"The third point to be considered Il
what 10 known as Blacks. extendinf