Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1914-06-19
GETS! BIG FOREST
Immense North Carolina Tract
Purchased by Government.

National Forest Reservation comm's'
4 sien has Approved the Purchase
Of plsoah Forrest From Estate
OF Lass a W. Vanderbilt
Washing ton.-The national forest
reservation commission has Just ap'
proved the purchase Of the Pisgan
Forest from the estate OF the late
George w. Vanderbilt, at an average
price Of I'VE dollars m acre. Inc
tract consists OF $500 acres and tne
total cost II therefore $433.b0O. Inc
price paid IN less than the average
for other tracts already acquired A.
though the Pisgah Forest has been
developed by its former owner INTO
one Of the best forest properties IN the
country,
This Il the second time that the
commission has had the purchase OF
this tract under consideration. once
before, during Mr.. vanderbilt's ife-
time, the question Of Its purchase was
taken up, but the commission did not
deem it advisable to purchase II ~
that time.
The tract includes portions OF Tran
sylvania, Henderson, Buncombe' anu
Hayward counties, in North Carolina.
II covers the entire eastern slope ana
portions of the northern and western
slopes Of the Pisgah range. one OF
the most prominent Of the southern
Appalachians. It's forests influence
for the most part tributaries OF the
French Broad River which unites Win
the Holstein river at Knoxville Zen
nessee, to form the Tennessee river.
Mrs. Vanderbilt offered the tract at
q much lower figure than that al
which It was held by her husband
and her letter to the secretary OF az
riculture, one OF the members OF the
commission, gives her reasons 1of
making the tender Of the Pisgah 1or'
est to the government. Mrs. Wander
bits letter follows:
May 1, 1914.
Tho Honorable, the Secretary OF AZ
riculture,
Washington. D. G.
Sir:
I.now confront the question Of what
disposal I shall make Of Pisgah For
ct, which, under the terms OF my
late husbands will. has passed to me
without qualification or condition.
This letter constitutes my formal or
fer for the sale Of Pisgah Forest to
the government for national forest
purposes. Should the government fall
to acquire 1t, I must dispose OF Pisgah
Forest in some other way. hope
earnestly that, In view OF the terms
Of my offer, no such contingency may
arise.
Mr.. Vanderbilt was the first of the
large forest owners In America TO
adopt the practise Of forestry. he
has conserved Pisgah Forest from the
time he bought it up to his death, 2
period of nearly twenty-five years. IN
der the firm conviction that every for
est owner owes 1t to those who follow
him TO hand down his forest property
TO them unimpaired by wasteful use.
/ keenly sympathize with his BELIEF
that the private ownship OF forest
land is q public trust, and probably
realize more keenly than any one
else can do how firm was his resolve
never to permit injury to the Perma-
nent value and usefulness Of Pisgah
Forest. wish earnestly to make
such disposition Of Pisgah Forest as
VIII 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 ownership by
the Nation will alone make its preser'
walton permanent and certain.
Accordingly l have decided to make
as large a contribution as l can, IN
order to help bring this result about.
| offer Pisgah Forest at total price
over two hundred thousand dollars be-
low that on the basis of which nego.
tiations were entered into with the
government before my husband
death, my offer to the government OF
Pisgah Forest now being at a price OF
i've dollars 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 hus
bands pioneer work In forest conser
walton, and to insure the protection
and the use and enjoyment Of Pisgat
Forest az . national forest, by the
American people for all time.
In the event that my offer is &C
ceptsd, I shall be glad for the gov
eminent to assume control Of Pisgaf
Forest % soon as 1t may desire. II
the same event, 1t would be q source
Of very keen qualification to, me Il
the tract retained. as a national for
est, the title Of "Pisgah Forest" which
my late husband gave it.
Very truly yours,
81 Edith 8. Vanderbilt
In accordance with Mrs. Wander
bits desire, the national forest reser
walton commission will retain thu
name Of "Pisgah Forest" in fact, thu
general area, in which this forest !!
located and in which other purchases
may be made, - already designated
as the "Pisgah Area" It is proposed
also 10 make 1t . game refuge fol
the preservation Of the fauna Of the
eastern mountains. 1t is particularly
well suited to this purpose since 1t ii
already well stocked with game ant
nah, including deer. turkey, and pleas
ant; and IN the streams rainbow trout
and brook trout with which they have
been systematically stocked from yea