Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-27

of these grand mountain stretches have
been recognized and exploited from more
than a score of years.
The members of the new park associ-
alton are now hard at work preparing a
series Of strong arguments, backed up by
a mass of information, all of which will
be submitted to congress as soon as it
Is completed. One argument that is to
be used is that the proposed park is far
better suited to such a purpose han the
Yellowstone park. 1t will be shown that
if a park should be established in the
Blue Ridge it would have a climate that
would be delightful at any season of the
year, and that it would be so centrally
located that it wou be within easy dis
lance from New York, Chicago. New Or
leans or any point in the east, SO that
even those moderate income might be
able to take advantage Of the oppOrtuni-
ties it offered as a health or pleasure re-
sort.
On the other hand, they win call at
tention to the fact that the present
national park is so far away from the
large .centers that it is practically in
accessible to people Of slight means, and
that. while its climate is unquestionably
the year, 1t is 50 rigorous during the
winter hat the park is closed to Wis
itors.
In addition to all this the projectors
Of the scheme a a much stronger
argument that they will use. It Is their
intention to. show that the new park
might be made, not only self-supporting
but a profitable investment for the gov
eminent. From one end Of this section
to the other there are large mountain
streams m great waterfalls that never
fail in any season of the year. Scattered
about the country in the valleys are
many cotton mills that are compelled to
furnish their own owe If, on the other
hand, the government should provide
means to utilize these streams Is water
power, it would be able to furnish the
electricity in sufficient quantities to u
all the cotton spindles of the south.
The furnishing of power for manu-
featuring enterprises is not the only
resource of the new park, however, for
it will also be shown that large sums of
money might be made by the proper use
of the timber on the and. 1t is claimed
that If such a territory should be placed
in the hands of a practical forester, the
! value Of the timber alone would make
it a profitable investment. There Is
scarcely a tree in these mountains that
has not an increasing commercial value,
and If these trees We're to be cut at ma
turity and others were allowed to grow
, up to take their places the cutting OF the
trees would not detract from the beauty
Of the park and the timber thus OBJ
tanned could be sold to great profit.
1t is estimated that the cost of such
a park would not be very great. The
land could easily be obtained at from
50 to 50 per acre and the sum spent upon
improvements could be regulated by the
government. In fact, it has been stated
that the entire cost ought not to exceed
81, 0OO, coo, and those who are fatherina
the project insist that it would be ar
easy matter to obtain sufficient revenue
from the park to pay more thar the lega
! rate of interest on such a sum of money
However that may be, 1t is certainly true
that there have been few park projects
that have had more to recommend them
and, as there is every probability thai
will take favorable action upor
the proposed Minnesota park and reser
walton plan, it is quite possible that thu
members of the Appalachian Nationa
Park association will not have their la
bors for their plans.