Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-27
NEW YELLOWSTONE
IN THE SOUTH.
BEAUTIFUL LANDS WHICH MAY BE
BOUGHT AND TURNED INTO A
NATIONAL PLAYGROUND.

Among the many projects that Will be
brought before congress at its present
session is one that win have the support
of every man, woman and child in the
southern and eastern states. for If the Pc
tition for the necessary appropriation Is
granted, it will mean the establishment
of an immense national park and game
and forest reserve in the mountain re-
gions of North Carolina.
OF course every oneknowns that the
great national park Of the ountry is
Yellowstone, in the far west. Since 1t
was established 1t has been learned thai
a government could find few better ways
to expend its surplus dollars tina in
establishment Of such reservations.
As the result, there Is a growing feel
ing that Uncle Sam should show a dis
position to acquire more territory to
be used for such purposes and several
propositions of this nature have been
submitted to the authorities at Washing
ton. There are people in the east, for In
stance, who believe that the United States
government could do no better than to
obtain possession of the magnificent park
at Niagara Falls, and it is thought that
New York state would be willing to let
1t pass into the hands of the government
If it could be shown that it would be
properly cared for.
In many ways the people Of Michigan
believe that the property OF Mackinac
Island, which is government, and not
state property, would make an excellent
national park, and the people of Mime
sofa have already prepared a petition
asking the government to set apart 70O,-
0C0 acres of pine lands In that state to
be used as a national park and reserva-
%ton nj r. ~~%3{tor $r also 70 no r,h-
mitted during the present session Of
congress.
While the people of the south and east
approve of all these schemes and are
willing to give them their support they
believe that they should not be neglect
ed, in this apportionment of national
pleasure grounds. AS the result the
has been formed and every effort is to
be made by the members Of this society
to bring its project properly before cong
ress.
The first meeting of this association
was held at Asheville. N. c.. early this
winter. but already the list of men,
bers includes the name Of some very
prominent men. Nearly every cong
ressman and senator in the south as
well as those from states as far north as
New York and as far west as Illinois have
accepted membership in the society and
ave promised their active cooperation
when the matter is brought up at Wash
ington. In addition to this. scores of
the most prominent residents of the At
lantic states have agreed to be at Wash
ington when the matter is presented and
to use their greatest influence to see
that 1t receives proper consideration at
the hands of the lawmakers. AS the re-
suit, it is quite within the realms Of
probability that North Carolina will yet
contain within its borders a great rival
to Yellowstone.
While the association has not yet de-
cided upon the exact spot that should
be selected for this purpose, it is general
ly conceded that the best place for the
location of a national park would be in
the mountain heights that rise from five
to six thousand feet above sea level, con.
shutting one. Of the most picturesque
spots in North America. They are inter
sected by streams and waterfalls, ana
there is no lack Of gorges, chasms and
canyons, covered with primeval forests
of enormou hemlock, oaks, pines ani
chestnuts, and with matchless masses Of
rhododendrons and calmia. They are
also rinch in mineral wealth and are wei
stocked with all kinds of fish and game
If the government should decide tt
establish a park in this part Of the cou
try 1t could scarcely go wrong in select
ing it's territory. Almost every foot Of
Tie lduu Is USdulllul Will All the DSdulS
of uncultivated nature. The late Pro
fessor Gray Of Harvard, who was ont
Of the most prominent Of American botan'
lists, once declared hat during a 30-mil'
stage trip which he took through thes'
regions, he encountered a greater vari
ETY. of species Of indigenous trees tina
could be observed on a European tril
from Turkey to England. or an Ameri
can trip from the Atlantic coast TO tn,
Rocky Mountain plateau. In addition t,
4his the unrivalled climatic advantage