Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-05-29

Washington, May Z1--The national for
est reservation commission has Just APP
proved the purchase Of the Pisgah Forest
from the estate of the late George w.
Vanderbilt, ct an average price OF $500
an acre. The tract consists of SC, 100 acres
and the total cost IL therefore s4s3.5oo.
The price paid is less than the average
for other tracts already acquired al
though the Pisgah Forest has been de-
veloped by its FORMER owner into one OF
the best forest properties In the country.
This Is the second time that the com
mission has had the purchase of this
tract under consideration. Once before.
during Mr.. yanderbilt's lifetime, the
question of It's purchase was taken up.
but the commission did not deem II ad-
visable to purchase 1t at that time The
tract includes portions of Pennsylvania,
Henderson. Buncombe and Hayward
counties, in North Carolina. 1t covers
the entire eastern slope and portions of
the northern and western slopes Of the
Pisgah range, one of the most prominent
of the southern Appaiachisns, Its for
ests influence for the most part trie-
utaries of the French Broad river which
unttes with the HeisteiH river at Knox
vile, Tennessee, to form the Tennessee
river.
Mrs. Vanderbilt Makes Offer.
Mrs, Vanderbilt Offered the tract at q
much lower figure than that at which il
was held by her husband, and her letter
to the secretary of agriculture, one of
the members of the commission. gives
her reasons for making The tender of the
Pisgah forest to the government, Mrs,
FaRdarbilt's letter fellawsi
May !, 1914,
The Honorable, the Secretary of Aari-
culture, Washington, ID, c.
sirl-=I now eenfraht the question of
what disposal | shall make of Pisgah
Forest, whieh. under the terms of my
late husbands will, has passed to me
without qualification OF condition. This
letter constitutes my formal offer for the
sale OF Pisgah Forest to the Government
for National Forest purposes. Should
the Government fail to acquire II, must |
dispose of Pisgah Forest in some other
way hope earnestly that, In view of
the terms OF Ray offer, ne such eontin-
geney may arise.
Mr.. Vanderbilt was the first of the
large forest owners in America to adopt
the practice of forestry, He has con-
served Pisgah Forest from the time he
bought it up to his death, period of
nearly % years, under the firm eonVic-
ton that every forest owner owes It to
these who follow him to hand down his
forest property TO them unimpairad by
wasteful use, l keenly sympathize with
his belief that the private ownership of
forest land ia public trust, and | prob
ably realize more keenlg than any one
else can do how firm was his resolve
never to permit injury to the permanent
value and usefulness of Pisgah Forest.
I wish earnestly to make such dispose
ton of Pisgah Forest as will maintain
In the fullest and most permanent way
its national value as an object lesson in
| forestry. as well as its wonderful beauty
and charm; and l realize that Its owner
ship by the Nation will alone make its
preservation permanent and certain.
Accordingly have decided to make as
large a contribution as ! can, in order
to help bring this result about. | offer
Pisgah Forest at total price over
sa00, 600 below that on the basis of which
negotiations were entered into with the
Government before my husbands death,
my offer to the Government of Pisgah
Forest now being at price of $500 per
acre
| make this contribution towards the
public ownership of Pisgah Forest with
the earnest hope that In this way may
help to perpetuate my husbands pioneer
work In forest conservation, and to in |
sure the protection and the use and en- |
jpyment of Pisgah Forest al a National
Forest, by the American people for all
time.
In the event that my offer is accepted,
| shall be glad for the Government to
assume control of Pisgah Forest as soon
as it may desire, In tbs same event, it |
would be source of very keen Eratifaa- |
ton TO me If the tract retained, az q
National Forest, the title of "PisEah
Forest" which my late husband gave it, |
Very truly yeurs,
fsigned) EDITH S. VANDERBILT.
Government Will Continue Name.
In accordance with Mrs. Vanderbilt's
desire, the national farest reservation
commission will retain the name of "Pis-
gah Forest; in fact the general area,
in which, this forest Ia located and in
which other purchases may be made, is
already designated as the "PisGah Area"
1t is proposed also to make 1t a game
refuge for the preservation of the fauna
of the eastern mountains, II Is particu-