New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-04
SAVE THE WHITE FOUNTAINS,


The announcement that 100000 acres NJ
White Mountain lands, including most OF the
Presidential Range, have passed into the hands
OF a lumber company emphasizes the timeli
ness OF the bill which has been introduced
into the United States Senate by Senator Gal
finger, authorizing the Secretary of Agricult-
ure 10 purchase at his discretion not more
IMAM 5OOOO acres of land in the White Noun.
talns for national forest preserve. We
might wish the limit set were 100000 acres
as provided IN former BILL which was strongly
recommended two years ago by the Com
mlttee on Forest Reservations and the Pro-
lecuoh or Game, and we believe the latter
area would be none too great to be thus
acquired. Nevertheless, the half million acres
provided in the present bill would make a fine
preserve and would rescue a large part of the
White Mountain area from ruin. 1t would be
more than ISL square miles If nut into a
square 1t would measure nearly twenty-eight
miles IN each direction. 1t would comprise the
region from Mount Carrigain in the south to
Starr King in the north and from Kearsarge in
the east 10 Profile Mountain in the west Of
course, the tract acquired would probably not be
a compact square, but would be irregular in con-
tour, and might thus embrace a much greater
geographical scope than that which we have
mentioned. The area named in Senator CALM
ger DlIl might easily Include all the choicest
parts Of the White Mountain range
The desirability of prompt and ungrudeing
enactment OF this some such measure should
be obvious TO all who are acquainted with that
region, which, above all else east of the Missis
sippi, is entitled to be known as the "Switzer-
land OF America" For the simple sake of pre-
serving the natural beauty and grandeur of
those hills and valleys il should be done The
vista of the great Notch from the summit
OF Mount Willard, the gloom of the Great
Gulf as seen from the shoulder of Mount
Washington, the panorama of the Presidential
Range from the southwest the overtower-
ing menace OF Frankenstein, and score
Of other features of that wonderland are as
unique and as precious as Niagara or the Yo-
semitic. For the sake of its value as a resort
for health and pleasure also. the region should
be preserved. 1t lies within a days journey of
a population of more than 100000 people,
Tor whose benefit and enjoyment il is unsur-
passed For the sake of its water supplies il is
invaluable. NewYork has insisted upon the
preservation of the Adirondack forests in order
that the Hudson may not run shoal. But what
after all, is the Hudson for industrial purposes
compared with Ihe streams that issue from the
White Hillsf The Connecticut at Holyoke has
the second greatest water power in America
being surpassed by Niagara alone. and at other
points its industrial Importance almost stag
gers computation. The Merrimac is another
of the greatest industrial streams of the world
and the Saco and Piscataqua and others are OF
no mean rank. AS for the value of the region
for forestry. il is inestimable. 1t comprises
some of the finest forests ON this continent OF
maple, birch, beech, spruce. fir and scores of
other woods. Under proper direction and con-
servation those forests Will yield enormous
profits and yet be undestrOyed and unrayaged
Left in private hands, their destruction and the
ruin of the whole region would be matter of
only a few years.
1t may be said that New-Hampshire ought
herself TO secure the land and preserve the for
ests, as New York has done with the Adiron-
dacks. We are not sure that New-Yo rk's sue
cess with the Adirondacks has in all respects