Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1914-06-18
PLANS FOR MAKING MOUNTAINS
BEAUTIFUL NATIONAL PARK.
Methods Of SO Doing and Expected
support Of Government Explain
ed by Mr.. Powell.

Speaking to the delegates in attend
ance upon the convention of the North
Carolina Forestry Association. at
Asheville. Secretary George S. Powell
tonight explained the movement look
ing to the acquisition of lands by the
Government in the southern Appa
lachian Mountains for health and
pleasure parks. His address in part
Following the organization of the
Appalachian Park Association here
last fall, we began an active campaign
to secude endorsements from business
and other organizations of our pur-
poses to have the National forests OF
the southern Appalachian Mountains
made easily accessible to the people
for pleasure recreation.
up to this time we have secured
endorsements from the leading BUSH
ness organizations of Chicago, New
York, ST. Louis, Baltimore; Norfolk,
Atlanta, Asheyille, Chattanooga. Au-
.gusta, Jacksonville, Knoxville, Char
lottesville Miami, Raleigh, Savannah.
winston Salem, Greensboro, Bristol.
Fayetteville, Rocky Mount, Salisbury,
Goldsboro and other places.
Favorable resolutions have also
been adopted by farmers clubs, labor
unions, women's clubs, local and State
organizations of d. A Rs and politi.
cal conventions altogether represent
ing several million people; besides
numbers of newspapers and individual
endorsements throughout the country.
As to National Parks.
AS there seems to be some misun-
derstanding as to what is meant by
the use of the words National parks
in some of the resolutions, we wish
to. make our meaning clear with re-
spect to this matter. We heartily ap-
prove of the present administration of
or National forests in the West as
making them of the greatest use to
ell the people so far as present appro-
priations permit, and we believe that
the same administration can and
should control the Appalachian Ma
tional forests as provided by Congress.
We want the people to have the same
full use the National forests of the
Appalachian Mountains for recrea-
ton and pleasure that they have n
the National parks of the West. We
desire to see this accomplished with
out in a1y way interfering with the
administration Of these forests under
the Weeks law, or in any way prohib-
iting the full, use and development of
all other natural resources in these
forests.
I'VE believe that these resources,
consisting largely of climate, water,
scenic beauty and other attractions
are valuable National assets and
should receive their full share of the
Governments development. There
seems to be no valid reason why the
Government should not develop these
resources in its forests. Switzerland
has S15O,OOO,0QO invested in tourist
hotels and this is being added to each
year. The southern Appalachian
Mountains are considered by many
travellers superior, in natural beauty
and attractions to Switzerland and
very much less EXPENSIVE to develop
along these lines.
National Highways.
We believe the people of the conn
try are with US In our position that.
constructing trail and service roads
I'll net meet the demands for the full
Development of these forests and that
the spirit of the Weeks law is for the
development and use oil all these re-
sources and to this end we proposs
TO ask the next session of Congress to
make the necessary appropriation for
constructing system of highways
through these National forests. to he
laid out with view of the States and
counties constructing the links be-
..ween the National forests, SO that
re shall have great scenic highway
extending from near the National Can.
tai alcng the crest of the Blue Ridge
nd Great Smoky Mountains to the
% -saern end C the forest reservations
n Geo-cia and Alabama.
Under tie Weeks s2v the Govern
.nel. has pu- chased apoGt. 1000 600
7as Il the sosthern Appalachian
Mo'l7sz'ns a-d about 100000 acres In
the W-ite Noun Sins. Altogether, the
mmlssion les proposed for pur-
sEs7 an area Ct s5out 5000. 900 acres
n the southern Appalachian Noun
tins ~ These ln71S7c -