The Newport plain talk. (Newport, Tenn.) 1909-1939, 1912-04-18
WHITE TOP EANCLUDED
Congressman Sells Has Been Very
Active in the Matter and as
Result of His Activity the Forest
Service is Now in a Position to
Consider Proposals for the Sale
of Land. Government Wants
Several Tracts.

Washington, DC, April ia state
ment as to the status of the negotiations
for the purchase of a large amount of
timber land in East Tennessee, by the
United States government, to be inclu-
ded in the Appalachian park, has been
made by Congressman Sam r. Sells,
who has devoted much of his time
since entering congress, to having as
many boundaries of timber In his dis
trict including on the forert reserves as
possible There has thus far been of
fored to the government large boun-
Diary of land in Carter, johnson and
Unicol counties. Preliminary steps
looking to the consummation of pur-
chase on the part of the government
will be taken within the next few days
according to advices just received by
Congressman Sells. An inspectors
force of five or six men will visit the
counties mentioned on or before May
/, and now that the report recommend
ing this territory to be included in the
park has been approved, work will pro-
coed rapidly, Congressman Sells in.
duced the government to consider all
of these tracts and is now hopeful of
having them included in the reserve,
together with much other timber lands
! in the first district. The status of the
matter is set forth in the following let
ter from the forestry department.
"United States Department of Agri-
culture:
"Forestry Service,
"Washington, ID. c., April Is, 1912.
Hon Sam r. Sells, House of Repres-
entative;
"Dear Sir:-In an accordance with
your verbal request | am glad to give
you a statement which outlines the
result OF the examination made during
the past winter by representative OF
forest service. This examination, as
you already know, was made for the
purpose of determining the desirability
of purchasing the mountain lands In
northeastern Tennessee for the protec-
ton of the stream flow.
"The territory covered in the exami-
nation embraced the counties of Sulli
van, Carter, Johnson, Unicol, Wash
ington and Green. Tennessee together
with the adjoining counties of North
Carolina. In brief, the part examined
in Tennessee reached from the Wiz
ginia line to the French Broad river
below Newport, Tennessee.
"The report, which has been approx.
eb, recommends the establishment of 8
new purchase area, and an extension
of the White Top area, which has been
previously established. The descrip
tons of these areas follow
"Unaka area: Lands in Tennessee
and Carter county; watershed of the
Watauga river west of Elk creek; Wat
ershed of Doe river, from Valley Ford
to the state line of North Carolina and
Tennessee; lands in Unicoi county:
watershed of the Nola, Chuckey river;
lambs in Washington county: water
sheds of the Nola Chuckey river from
the foothills of the mountains to the
Unicoi county line; lands in Greene
county; watershed of Nola Chuckey
and French Broad rivers and south of
Hayesvilie and Coal Creek to the
French Broad river and state line.
"Extension of White Top area:
This area has been extended so as to
inclnde the Holston and Iron noun
tains in Sullivan, Johnson and Carter
counties, Tennessee.
I'VE are now in position to con-
slider proposals 70 the sale of mountain
lands in these areas. Blank forms of
proposals may be obtained on request
from the forester or to any representa-
tive of the forest service who may be
in the field.
"Very truly yours, L
)Signed) "a. +. Potter.
Associate, Forester
The decision of the government to
extend the areas so as to include much
more East Tennessee timber lands than
was contemplated IN the original
Weeks bill, is the result of the efforts
of Congressman Sells, who has devoted
himself assidiously to the task OF see
ing that East Tennessee gets its share
in the purchase of lands to be includ-
ed in the great rASprvag