New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1910-08-31

KEN PRESERvER
OF FOREST LANDS
California Redwood Tract Given
to Federal Government.
Benefit TO San .FRANCISCANS

Benefit TO SAN .FRANCISCANS
Republican Nominee For Congress Has
Record as Political Reformer In Chi
cago-Ofers to Furnish Funds For
Policing Arboreal Gift if Uncle Sans
Funds Are Low.
William Kent's success in securing
the Republican nomination for con-
gress in the California district which
he now calls his home recalls the Gift
which this citizen made to the nation
about two years ago.
Kent has always been known as a
liberal giver to public movements, not
only of money, but of his very effective
and valuable time, as was witnessed in
Chicago when he was president of the
Municipal Voters league and before
that when he was sone of the pioneer
members of the city council in the
days when honest aldermen were few
and far between.
There is a great forest of giant red
woods on Mount Tamalpais- acres
OF primeval woodland overlooking San.
franclsco-and these trees because of
@kent's generosity are now the proper
ty OF the people, to be used and con-
served by and for them forever.
The letter transmitting the deed to
the then secretary Of the interior indi-
Gates something of the character of the
donor and makes those not acquainted
with the man wonder less at his recent
success
San Francisco Is Fortunate.
'The property is well worthy Of be.
Ing considered a monument and has
SURPRISING scientific interest" he
wrote. The tract contains 295 acres.
is all heavily wooded with virgin tim
Der, chiefly redwood and Douglas fir.
It is situated in direct line but seven
miles from San Francisco and is near
to large and growing suburban pop
ulation. In the opinion of experts it
is a wilderness park such as is &C.
cessible to no other great city in the
world and should be preserved forever
for public use and enjoyment.
In rendering it l ask that it be
known as Muir woods, in honor of
John Muir. Should question come up
of appropriation to maintain and pro-
tect it I stand ready to do the neces-
sary policing or to pay for having it
done for period of ten years.
Kent's original purchase of the can
yon on Mount Tamalpais was 600
acres. It is located on the southerly
side of the mountain and can be
reached from San Francisco in about
two hours. Not far from the grove is
Kentfeld, the home Of Mr.. Kent. At
the time he made the gift Kent wrote
characteristic letter to friend in
Chicago, in which he saiu:
Nature Assists Conservation.
''The trees were left standing in the
early days because the canyon emptied
into the ocean instead of the bay and
railroad logging was then unknown.
The intervening ridge was too high to
cross by hauling with oxen, and thus,
almost by a miracle, the nearest and
best redwood grove to San Francisco
was spared. It fell into friendly hands
and stayed there. Then 1 purchased
it, and it remained for the vandals of
19O7-ffty years after most of the big
trees in the country were QUITO try
to destroy this remnant for a water
supply not needed nor practicable
Perhaps the money value of the gift
was $150,00O, but the sentimental can
not even he appropriated. Kent has
been nominated for congress in dis
trict where the Republican nomination
means election.
Kent's life thus far has been very
full, and he has contributed much to
the cause of decent politics. While
professedly Republican, he would
back Prohibitionist, Democrat, a
Socialist or man under any tag mag
Unable if he thought he represented
progressive movement and considered
him worthy.
AS for himself, Kent is very much
alive, young Che is forty-fve) and a
likable human being, fortunately pos
sessed of money and endowed with
sufficient intelligence to know what to
do with it.