The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1902-01-01
AN EASTERN NATIONAL PARK.
A. Project for One in New England, to
Embrace Parts of Three States.


Embrace Parts of Three States.
There is talk of a national park in
New England, including part of Maine,
as a forest reservation. The entire
area of forest reservations and parks
approximates fifty million acres. The
parks differ from the forest reserves
in that no numbering can be carried
on within them. and their game ami
mails are protected. The mining laws
do not apply within their territory,
except in Mount Rainier Park, and
they are in care of government troops
The forest reservations, on the other
hand, are administered by the secre-
tary of the interior, through the gen.
eral land Office. Maine and New
Hampshire already have state and
forestry commissions, and it might be
practicable to secure their coopera-
tion in the control and direction of
such reservation as Is suggested.
While several states have acquired
forest reservations orhave takenmeas-
ures to protect such areas, the Fed
eral government possesses the facili-
ties for controlling such reservations
in broad way, unaffected by local or
private interests, upon plans that will
permit the use of private forests that
remain, directing with intelligence
such cutting as is proper, and promot-
ing new growth on the denuded areas.
The subject Is exceedingly important
in its relation to the prosperity of the
farmer. who is largely dependent on
climate and rainfall; to the great
manufacturing interests, more or less
dependent on the water power furn-
nished by our rivers; to the rapidly
growing cities and towns whose water
supply is drawn from our northern
lakes, and to the health and pleasure
of thousands who annually visit the
mountains and uplands of northern
vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
The White Mountain region of New
Hampshire covers an area Of more
than 1900 square miles, between the
south and the valleys of the Ammo
noosuc and Androscoggin on the north.
Connected with 1t easterly are the
great forest areas of Maine, extending
70 the Canadian frontier. and on the
west are the contiguous mountain dis
tricts of Vermont.
This whole section, including parts
of the three states named, is of the
highest scenic interest, comprising
mountain, lake and river. Dominated
by Mount Washington and the Presi-
Dental range, flanked by the Fran
coma and Sandwich ranges, 1t includes
also groups of lesser peaks covered
lakes of surprising beauty. feeding the
Connecticut and Merrimac rivers, the
Saco, the Androscoggin. the Kennebec,
the Penobscot, and many tributary
streams, the source of the water power
of hundreds Of manufacturing villages
and cities. to which the growth and
prosperity of New England are so
largely due.
1t is a region of great historic inter-
est, closely associated with the past
and present life of New England, in
terwoven with its romance, poetry, art
and tradition. The territory is easily
accessible from every point, and avail
able to a large percentage of our
urban population. The eastern sec
tion is we'll stocked with fish anj
game. and other parts might under
proper conditions be restocked. Each
year, however. marks the cutting for
commercial purposes of many acres of
its forest growth, and the encroach-
ment upon its borders of the expand
ing life of the towns is constantly
more obvious.-Lewiston Evening
Journal.