The Republican journal., 1911-07-13
The Forest Reservation Commission.

The National Forest Reservation Com
tract of about 81, 900 acres of land lying
in Fannin, Union, Lumpkin and Gilmore
counties in the State of Georgia. The
tract is located on the watershed of the
Toccoa River, which, after uniting with
the Hiwassee River, flows into the Ten
nessee. The report of the Geological
Survey shows that it is a very important
tributary, having in mind the purpose of
conserving the stream flow. The tract of
land which it is proposed to purchase is
covered with a virgin forest, consisting
largely of chestnut, oak, poplar, white
pine, maple, locust and black gum. 1t is
a mountainous tract, ranging in elevation
from 1000 to 5000 feet above sea level,
in the heart of the Southern Appalachian
mountains. The commission is unani
nous in considering that it is tract
which is admirably suited to fulfill the
purpose for which the law was enacted.
The National Forest Reservation Com
mission consists of the Secretaries of
War; Interior and Agriculture, Senators
Gallinger of New Hampshire and Smith
of Maryland, and Representatives Haw-
ley of Oregon and Lee of Georgia. The
board has been proceeding with extreme
care in making selection of the tracts of
forest to be first purchased, realizing the
Importance which such purchases will
serve as fixing the policy of the commits
sion for the future. 1t is therefore Sc
location and character, will directly tend
/ to conserve the navigability of navigable
rivers, and which may also serve as the
nucleus of further purchases. 1t does not
purpose to be induced by any pressure to
enter into haphazard or improvident Sc
lections, but will proceed with extreme
care to lay the foundation of what is in
tended to create series Of forest re-
serves in such locations and of such is
the clear intention of Congress.
The act under which the board is pro-
ceeding was not passed until March l,
1911, and the board has been acting with
the utmost diligence upon all of the
tracts which have been presented to
them, according to the statute, by the
Bureau of Forestry and the Geological
Survey. Three members of the board
have visited personally the tract in ques-
h. of
the Geological Survey strongly recon-
mended the present tract as fulfilling all
of the characteristics required by the
statute land the scientific demonstration
made by the Geological Survey of the
importance of the stream flow out of the
tract IN question upon the navigability of
the Tennessee River was very clear and
cogent.
Many other tracts, both in the southern
and northern Appalachians, including
certain tracts in the White Mountains,
are now under investigation by the For
estry Bureau and the Geological Survey,
and as soon as reports are made by those
bodies the Forest Commission will pro-
coed to their consideration.
In view of the magnitude of the enter
prise which is being thus begun. the
board does not propose to pay any specu-
lative or high prices for lands and will
not purchase any land which will not con-
duce directly to the purposes of the act.
This is necessary not merely on grounds
of sound policy and economy, but is also
made necessary on constitutional grounds,
was created is based upon the power of
the Federal Government to regulate COM
merce and protect the navigability of
streams.