Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-23
GRAND CANYON NOW
NATIONAL MONUMENT
PRESIDENT SIGNS TWO IMPoR.
TANT PROCLAMATION
An Area of 1,2ss,32o Acres Is Also
Added to Tonto National Forest
in ArIzona-Watershe
Must Be Protected

WASHINGTON, Jan. 22.-President
Roosevelt has just signed a proclama-
tion making a national monument or
the Grand Canyon of Arizona, and an
other creating an addition of 1,288,3
acres of land to the Tonto national
forest, which is also located in Ari-
zona.
The world-famed Grand canyon has
been a part of the Grand Canyon ma
tional forest and it's establishment as
a national monument is made by vir-
tue of the act of June s, 1906, which
provides that objects of scientific in
terest may be declared national monu-
ments if such action Is deemed neces-
sary for their preservation and protec-
tion.
The president, speaking of the i'm
portance of protecting the Grand can
yon as a national monument, says in
his proclamation:
ut Is an object of unusual scientific
interest, being the greatest eroded cam
yon in the United States, and it ap-
pears that the public interests would
be promoted by reserving it as ma
tional monument with such other land
as is necessary for its proper protec-
ton"
1t has long been realized that it was
highly desirable to have this wonder
full gorge, made by the Colorado river,
set apart as a national monument.
This assures the area of exclusion
from all kinds of entry and means
that the government will have power
to prevent the marring of the scenic
beauty by unsightly exploitation of
any kind. The area put in the national
monument constitutes approximately
825,2S0 acres. In determining the
boundary of the national monument
an effort was made TO draw the line
approximately one mile back from the
rim Of the canyon.
Tonto Reserve Increased
The addition Of 1,2sS,31O acres to the
Tonto national forest in Arizona is
situated in Maricopa, ella and Pinal
counties. That part of the addition
which is situated on the west side of
the Tonic forest is given national for
est protection because 1t includes the
watershed of the Verde river above
the proposed Mcdowell reservoir site,
which is located on the Verde just
above it's junction with Salt river. 1t
seems probable that this Mcdowell
reservoir will be built by the reclama-
tion service at some future time, and
when this project is completed some
thing over 100, 600 acres of land Will be
irrigated in the Salt river valley, in
addition to the land that will be as
sured of a uniform supply of water by
the great Salt river project at Roose-
welt.
The eastern portion of the addition
| includes the headwaters of the Pinal
and Pinto creeks. Both of these
streams empty into Salt river above
| the Roosevelt dam. Their watersheds
have been damaged by overgrazing.
mainly by goats.
| 1t is of the utmost Importance that
| the watersheds of these streams be
| protected.
They are already carrying large
quantities of silt into Salt river and
since they both empty near what will
be the upper end of the reservoir they
could do enormous damage in filling
| 1t with silt
The most southern portion of the
addition, lying directly west of the
| Pinal mountains forest, which has
now, by this proclamation. been made
| a part OF the Tonic national forest
protects the watershed of Queen creek
| the waters of which the reclamation
service has determined it will one day
be desirable to impound
The Pinal mountains national forest
of 45,760 acres has been thrown into
the Tonto forest, giving an area in
cluding the new addition of 2,449,2S
acres. In the large addition there is
very little commercial forest, but In
most of the canyons and draws there
| are stands of oak and chapparal spe-
| cles, and in limited areas very dense
stands of Arizona cypress.