The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-02-01
THE APPALACHIAN PARK.
What the Hartford Coursnt Says OF the
Great Project.
Hartford Courant.


Hartford Courant.
The widest and most naturally
beautiful part OF this country east
OF the Rocky Mountains is that re-
gion where North Carolina Tennes.
see, Virginia, South Carolina and
Georgia approach each other. 1t
Is a mountain country with an av-
erage elevation of 1000 feet and
peaks running up to thousands of
feet higher. The tallest mountain
east of the Rockies is in North Car
olina.
This wild region abounds In tim
Der, and Is still a natural and un-
broken wilderness except as the
lumbermen invade it's quiet. They
have come. Already traffic in for
est land is on and the railroads of
the vicinity are loaded with lum-
Der for the market. Let the Amer
lean people sit by with their &C
Acustomed optimistic apathy and be-
fore long the forests will be gone,
the water courses left to dry up, the
bears, deer and other wild animals
I k21ed of, and nothing but fading
r1memory remain of what now is a
great natural park.
The general government ought to
1tep in before it Is too late, and
IKE possessio 4 of the whole region.
Xhe Yellowstone Park, far away,
md to all but a few inaccessible,
obould be supplemented by this
nAtural reservation, which is easily
/ reached by the great majority Of
= Che people of the United States.
Take your map and you will find
that from Boston on the east
around by Buffalo, Cleveland, Gin
cinnati, Chicago and St. Louis to
New Orleans, Jacksonville and so
on up to Washington every city on
the imaginary circuit has railroad
facilities bringing it within not
more at most than one nights ride
of Asheville, the central point in
i the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky
country. Establish park there
and people from every large city
this side OF the Mississippi would
be visiting it in large numbers al
HI all seasons of the year. AS an op.
portunity for comforting on the cit
4 liens Of the country the means Of
great enjoyment this chance fol
Y congressional act Is unique
put that really would be only ar
l lcident of the work. In this ele
ted land are multitudes of clear
rect streams, delivering water t6
Ia 70 Atlantic coast and to thu Mis-
INl ssippi river. The divide is in thu
I'M ,ssible park. If the timber is al
tipped from these hills tn
NIstreams will dry up and the ulti
I'M ate loss will be serious and wide
s06pread. Leading citizens of NOrtl
VIM Carolina and other states adjOin
ing have recently held meetin,
formed themselves into tn
MAppalachian National Park associ
tation to push the project. 1t ough
Ito go without much pushing. Al
that is needed is to set people think
ing about it.
Look at what the government
Knight do, and at what on the col
wtrary will be done II the nations
8government does not come in an
Hprotect nature there. Once don
little mischief can never be undon,
IA Vie loss would not be local but n,
~ ional. Everybody who fails to Sc
he North Carolina mountains, su
ers direct loss, whether he know
Yt or not. Open the region to tt
Whole country and let these sigh
o assured and available at a
Nim, s, and the park would be OIL
M TIE most popular resorts in I'll
M United States.
N Congress ought to jump at Il
M Nance to get possession of II
~ treat tract, at least 100000 acre
laid to be purchasable now at har
Nv more than nominal figures. T.
MOST of a single battleship wou
4NHYive US this park, available for 4
kM lure generations as well as for OF
M k9lves. 1t is to be hoped that t
W f,mmittee will set the work goil
N Esrly and carry 1t to the succe
.kEak nat the American people will wi
Z sbr it and for themselves.