The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-01
RAINIER NATIONAL PARK.
CONGRESS WILL HE ASKED To EX-
TEND ITS BOUNDARY.
Land Com missioner Hermann Rec
ommends That This He Done In
order to better Protect Arctic

Special Dispatch 20 the post-Intellisencer
WASHINGTON. Oct I-0ne Of the
most Important measures taken during me
past YEA; IN connection with forest ressr-
Vations vas the action 81 congress in with
drawing from the Mount Rainier forest re-
serve portion of ne region Immediately
surrounding Mount Rainier and setting Il
apart as national park, Concerning his
Land Commissioner Hermann says in hts
annual report,
The peculiar features % this region de-
mand protection Of widely different and
I9uch mere stringent nature than that At
forded forest reservation The forests
that Cloihe the slope and foothills Of
Mount Rainier require, as great regulators
of floods 10 he preserved absolutely u,-
touched. while the fact cs the presence OF
Arctic animals In that region calls for cx-
traerdinary measures TO insure 10 them
proper protection.
The Importance attaching 20 effective
measures 10 preserve these Arctic FERNS
of life VAS strikinsly SCI forth In the me-
mortal presented 10 the United States SEN
ate from committees appointed ny several
az the scientific societies of the United
States. which reads on this poin; as fol-
lows:
Colony of Arctic Animals.
- Blu, Mount Rainier is single not mere
iy because Il = supeThly majestic; IL -
an Arctic Island in temperate zone. In
a hygone age an Arctic climate prevailed
over the Northwest and glaciers covered
the Cascade range. Arcl.c animals and
Arctic plants then lived throushou the
region. As the climate became mlder and
glaciers melted, the creatures OF the cold
climate were limited In their geographic
range 10 the districts OF the shrinking cla-
ciers On the great peak the glaciers finger
still, They give 10 II Its greatest beauty.
They are themselves magnificent. and with
them survives a colony of Arctic animals
and plants which cannot exist in the tenn
perate climate II the less lofty mountains.
These Arctic forms are eNectually iso-
lated as shipwrecked sailors on an island
in mdocean. There Is no refuge for them
beyond their haunts on ice-honnd cliffs.
But even there the birds and animals are
no longer safe from the keen sportsman,
and the few survivors must soon be ex-
terminated unless protected by the gov
eminent In a national park
International interests.
The necessity OF having this unique
peak and it's enviTons preserved In A state
OF nature has for years attracted much
attention, not only in this country but
abroad. and the matter OF setting II apart
as a national park has long been one Of
international interest, eminent scientists -
England and Germany being among the
promoters OF the move.
I'm view Of the great Importance thus
attaching. 10 the subject, 1 regret 20 report
t!l!tt the area set Iaits 20 tTnOrafe
all Of ,h. features OF that region which 1t
is desirable to have Included, Certain dis
tricts have been omitted which belong
more rightly within q national park t.ian
To a forest reserve. and as such should not
be left without the protection of the park.
Upon this point the views Of Mr.. Bailey
Willis, Of the Geological survey. are OF
especial value In All article in the May.
1894, Issue OF the Forester. complied partly
fyar nfyt tai la 81 taG a
lows:
Present Boundaries.
g The boundaries 20 the park as now
established by law are not we'll considered
for Its future development They are 100
limited They fail TO include districts
unity OF The park. and whose features
should not tie left outside Of It's protection.
This is most especially true OF the western
limit ana II ~ to some extent true Of he
northern and southern bounds.
According 10 the best Information
available. the western boundary Of the es-
taaliShed park traverSes the spurs II
Mount Rainier al attitudes which range
from 25oo feet In the canyons 10 about
-.eo feet on the ridges Tn" ex;remi, les
~ several notable glaciers probably extend
TO or beyond the park limit. The valley
OF the hesdwsiers of the South Fork ~
the F'uyaiiup has a northwest course n "A
lhree-rn,lc strip which lies west Of the ma
tionai park and within the boundary of
the Rainier forest reserve. The most &C
cesstale route for communication around
the mountain from the Sisquaiiy valley 10
Spray Falls park should cross Tie low d.
V.ie north ~ the SisquatIy ard traverse
this valley 81 the South fuyaiiup- Such
route should r." within the park limits.
The valley ~ the PuyaiIup is heavily tim
beted and II preserved within the national
park may - protected from those opera
tions Of the ilim'leTrnan which L. Ia part
90 the economic policy Of the forest r.
serve 10 certain extent - promote. II
Il not u1HCh IL demand that tht virgin
forest within a strip three miles wiie BY
eighteen miles long should ~ preserved FOR
al tine to come
North II Meant Rainier Hes Krouo
Il jagged peaks rising 10 elevations O. Tptl
TO S"D feet. known as the sluiss'r noun
raiI4. I Pre- Boundary - the established
park crosses these sumfrits apparently
through the highest leaks 8f the group Il
snay pro a.ly NJ desirable 20 extend the
national park nofth~afd apptpH iniately sax
nas"s 10 IN" Northern boundary ~ the
forest reserve The northeast corner of the
established park probably includes some
portion az fh@ sgmntt n,nins distrirt
which 3s separated from Etairier by = hsxa
spur - she cascade rang" II usF 5e
necessary here Is c1rts.l he irui's O., tns
PARK jn Auca manner as 70 exclude iha
mining distTIci
Suggested Changes.
"It aas already boen ~.ats4 tho, IN.
F9Eiitz sal* sh4a4tl sc iefg ppm fsg rail-
fa4t ro..stfl-r'i6n. k4t - or4ev sha- fse
f.stf- 20 10 fse 5~fk nay Aayh g -aslDr4l
l~ea4pgH}ens % - desirable mat tae pax
boundary @~ '.- sast sho3sA *xfeE1 u ng
.ae summit = ne az at- rang sa4saes5t
TarI - rer For5ttx uas4. ana that tne
usa II 1895 @hosit fo}Iom thes-ce .sown
s.-e ~ ts- fof.' fehetf4 iHtN ~.a iHfi.as
t-~ pork tae Tatgssa rang. ss-ta o.
Mount i.@t1l-T. b. f'iEN.i ,-ta.-a - Is
rsage fern. pAri ~ to environment ~ .ha
@ats tssst.1cai0. All aye - s5ss. xtaut
s-tt .Ea-zeiv fo:sst@1 \ ~roa1 ass5a af
burnt fors e1t-f* tAe.. uo7'aern ; stioss