The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1914-06-27
GREAT ESTATE TO
Be U. s. RESERVE.
Government to Buy 86, 700
Acres at BiItm0re, \. G.
GAME lMD FISH ABOUND.

Mrs. George w. Vanderbilt, Following
Wishes of Her Husband to Have For
est Preserved, Will Sell Place to IN
Gle sam-one Of the Most Magnifi-
cent Domains IN America. III.
Asheville, N. C.-Tte 81. 700 acres Of
beautiful wilderness atsBiltmore. N. c..
which the United States forest reserva-
ton commission recently decided to
buy from Mrs George ". Vanderbilt,
is the largest area owned by the ma
ton east Of the Mississippi river and is
destined to serve as national park
for the $4,000 900 people who live with.
in radius Of a days journey from it,
Most OF them know nothing of it's
character. and few of the many thou
sand visitors who have passed on the
white roads Of the Biltmore estate and
admired the magnihcence of Biltmore
house have glimpsed more of it than
the misty blue barrier that bounds it
on the northwest.
1t IS a lordly domain of l34 square
miles of wooded mountains and rush
ing streams which has thus been add
ed to the national possessions. 1t is
the most extensive hardwood reserve
east of the Rockies. 1t is a game and
fish preserve which has few equals. 1t
has seventeen miles of good roads built
for use by Automobiles. cresting
heights over 5000 feet above sea level
Great mountains rise in its bounds
eliminating in the rock peak. of 5.77577
feet high Pisgah. There. are grassy
"balds" and domes dark with balsam
and rock cliffs governing bear and
wolves. On the slopes are magnificent
trees and tangled areas OF rhododen
dron and laurel.
Thousands Of high placed springs
send their icy waters in rushing rivulets
down to streams which foam over beds
of rock and swirl in dark pools by vast
powders. The beds are paved with
rocks, and often the white water
spreads in silvery simmer over giant
floors of granite. Waterfalls are here
and there. one on Looking Glass creek
having an abrupt fall OF sixty feet
Scores Of small streams unite to form
the Davidson river, which empties into
the French Broad. Cd -.-.-. ..>-.
The reserve extends from a point
six miles from Asheville southwest to
Pisgah Forest station on the Toxaway
branch Of the Southern railway, lying
between the Brevard-Asheville state
road on the southeast and Pisgah ridge
on the northwest, it's due north limit
being line drawn from Pisgah to a
point four miles from Biltmore house
Much the greater part of it is in Tran:
sylvania county.
The automobile road built by Mr.
Vanderbilt overlooks it, and by using it
one can be in the midst of the wilder
ness in two hours ride from Asheville.
and Asheville is only twenty-one hours
journey from New York. The automo-
bile road ascends $500 feet to the elab-
crate hunting lodge of the Vanderbilts
which with 500 acres adjoining is ex-
cepted from the sale. and then contin
ues along the ridge ten miles. topping
some heights and circling other peaks
while maintaining an average elevation
of $500 feet above sea level.
Each turn of this road develops new
beauties Sometimes it hangs over a
precipice looking down on sea of
yreenery. and again from lofty point
Dne sees Il vast panorama of noun
tains risirl: and falling apparently like
pillows several of the balsams being
higher than Mount Washington-andi in
the distance the prodigious wall of the
Great Smokes on the Tennessee line
rht secretaries of agriculture, interior
ana war c;nlp up this road from Ashe-
willie to the hunting lodge, twenty-seven
miles. i'm an hour and a half, and at
that the chauffeur took no chances of
'rt'ltin2 any vacancies in the cabinet
These government officials inspected
HE property in June. 1913
An extension Of this road dozen
miles to Rrev;rtl would connect it With
The state road to Asheville. now in
very good condition. and thus provide
r sixty mile tour for automobiles.
From it Mr. Vanderbilt constructed
:wn we'll graded roads leading down
TT" the valleys. and there one finds
many miles of easy gradient highway
which he built along the water courses
''hr Appalachian Park association.
whose headquarters are in Asheville
las been for a year actively promoting
he conversion Uf all lands bought by
he forest reservation commission into
natinn;.i parks. which should be con
urtted by automobile roads built BY
The government.
1t IL estimated that there are now
';tHHldper ON the tract. besides bears.
wolves. foxes. squirrels. raccoons, quail.
wild turkeys. native pheasants and the
descendants of the English and Chi.
nese pheasants and the wild boar with
which it was stocked many years ago.
. Blind Merciful to Blind.