Bisbee daily review., 1911-05-28
NATIONAL PARK FOR
 TEXAS PANHANDLE
Also Hoped 10 Protect Cedar Forests from Red River
 Rampages

WASfflNtslON. hay -ts--OSuSeoAS and congressman from Texas, Okla houa, Arkansas, Louisiana and hlssslssipps. the "Red River conting- ent," have caused Secretary of Agri- culture Wilson to be inundated tnese days with maps. sIereoscopic views and toDographical charts of the re zion m the panhandle ol Texas which they hope to see set apart as another national park. A call was sent out TOT all the information which commit tess in a dozen counties could suRply and it includes data on oreaoths' heights and measurements, ali de- tails or the picturesque Palo Duro canyon ID the counues of Randai' Armstrong and Swisher, near Anna rfllo. The district is apout fifteen miles wade and forty miles long, the orig1nating point for the freshets or the Red River valley.
 This effort has been coming on for many years. In fact, every time the Red Inver has gone on rampaSe they have been saying down in tne great southwest that Uncle sam ought to be asked To stop It. Tne method of stopTing it proposec is the construction of dams and basins for catching and conserving the freshet Before 1t gets too far from home. Millions Of acres of land have been carried down stream by tne fYeshess. a waste which IL is pro- posed to stop. Also the available reserve supplies of water would add millions of dollars to the value or land along the Red Rlvcr and it's tributaries, and greatly increase the navigability Of that stream, one whfc1 is navigable greater nis- tance than any other stream in the United States save three.
 To Protect Cedar Forests.
 Great forests Of red cedar in the district which will comprise the parK have served to lessen the damage or the flood torrents of spring. These forests the Red River delegations in congress hope to reserve and if they do it is said that no other national park in the country. neither the Grand Canyon nor the Yellowstone, will exceed in scenic grandeur and interest that of Palo Duro.
 Down in the Texas panhandle, which in recent years has increased
  cent. as the range was turned into farm land, committees are working like beavers to get the necessary evi- idence and the necessary pressure m congress 10 carry through without hitch a bill for creating the new reservation. In a letter from Jasper N. Hauey, chairman Of one of the local committees at work in Silver ton, Amarillo, Canyon City. Tulia- Hereford. Caude and Clarendon, he said:
 There can be no reasonable doubt but what the park will be an ac- compIished fact soon since it can be accomplished so easily. Amarillo, Canyon City and some other towns are within 60 minutes drive or the canyon. the picturesquesness Of which will compare with the Grand Canyon and that of the Yellowstone. Three years ago this national park was proposed and the Palo Duro Nation al Park association. which included some of the iiyest wires-of the south west, secured a lot of important data and secured recommendations of many national bodies, including farm CTS congresses, stockmen's associa' tions. medical conventions and oth CTS, that the Palo Duro park be set apart as a reservation and be made the reservoir of usefulness for the floods which have done so much damage through the Red River val ley.
 Any one who will take the trou ble to personally investigate that wonderful gorge will become con vinced that the park is entirely feas ibIe. If we have neither the patriot ism nor the foresight to reserve such a place as park for our children others will do so when we get out oi the way. Congressman John W Stephens is giving this matter spe cial attention and he is assisted by his colleagues, Hon. Morris Shep pard and also by practically all tho national legislators of Texas, Okla h0ma. Louisiana and Mississippi"
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