Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1907-08-30
Says Assistant For
ester T. H. Sher-
rard
N M'M|LLAN PARTY RETURNS
Horseback Trip Through Pc.
cos River, Jemez and Taos
National Forests.

After a two weeks horseback trip
during which time they toured the
Pecos River, Jemez and Taos Ma.
tional Forests, Ross Mcmillan. super
visor of these three reserves, and T.
Il. Sherrard an assistant forester
connected with the Bureau of Fores-
try, returned yesterday to Santa Fe.
Accompanying them on the trip were
Mrs. Ross Mcmillan, Miss Margaret
Lewis, of New Haven, Conpectcut,
and Miss Drew Bennett, 9FPhoenix,
Arizona. Forest Rangep< Frank c.
Blake who is stationedfon the Jemez
National Forest, acted as guide dur.
ing most of the journey
Messrs. Mcmillan and Sherrard
made the tour of the three national
forests under the formers jnrisdic-
ton primarily to find out what condi-
ton the ranges were in and also to
inspect the tracts Of matured timber
which are to be sold and converted
into merchantable lumber. The trip
gave promise of proving such a pleas
ant outing through a rough and pic.
turesque country that the ladies were
invited to accompany them with Mrs.
Mcmillan filling the role of chaperOne.
They all rode on horseback and had
pack horses to carry their camp equip
page and cooking utensils, there be-
ing fifteen animals in the cavalcade
most Of the time.
All Ranger headquarters Visited.
During the two weeks consumed in
making the trip the various ranger
headquarters in all three forest re-
serves We're visited. The Pecos River
forest was the ,lfst embraced in their
itinerary after which they crossed
over the divide into the Taos forest
and returned to the city from the
Jemez forest. They spent about a
week in the latter reserve. Although
they encountered a good deal of rain
they were prepared for inclement
weather and aside from this nothing
occurred TO mar the pleasure of the
| trip.
Our trip was an inspection of the
reserves combined with pleasure, !"
Mr.. Sherrard said this morning. in
discussing their long horse back jour
ney. I'VE found the ranges general
| ly in very good condition. There has
been an abundance of rain this year
and as a result the grass is very
plentiful. The abundance of the
grass and water was a great surprise
to me. The grass was knee high in
some places on the high mesas. We
did not have to carry any water at all
for either drinking or cooking pur-
poses or for watering the horses, and
we did not have any difficulty in find
ing good camping places when we
halted to spend the night. We camped
every night but one and that we
spent at Taos"
Mountain Scenery Unsurpassed.
Mr.. Sherrard stated that the trip
was revelation to him in many re-
spects, particularly regarding the un-
rivaled beauty of the mountain
scenery He expects to leave in a
few days for albuquerque where he
will call upon D. D. Bronson, chief
inspector of the district comprising
New Mexico and Arizona, and Hugh
H. Harris, supervisor of the Mount
Taylor and Manzano national forests.
! Mr.. Mcmillan left this morning for
Washington, d. c., where he will re-
main until about December l, having
been assigned to duty in the office OF
the Bureau of Forestry, During his
absence the supervisors office here
will be in charge of Thomas R. Stew
art, head ranger of the Pecos River
National Forest