The Colorado statesman., 1914-06-20
GETS BIG FOREST
Immense North Carolina Tract
Purchased by Government.
National Forest Reservation commls-
sion Has Approved the Purchase
of Pissah Forest From Estate
of Late G. w. Vanderbilt.

OF Ldtc ". w. NdHocTDllt-
Washington-The national forest
| reservation commission has just ap-
proved the purchase of the Pisgah
Forest from the estate of the late
George w. Vanderbilt. at an average
price of Ave dollars an acre. The
tract consists of S6,700 acres and the
total cost is therefore $43S,500. The
price paid is less than the average
for other tracts already acquired al
though the Pisgah Forest has been
developed by its former owner into
one of the best forest properties in the
country
This is the second time that the
commission has had the purchase OF
this tract under consideration. Once
before, during Mr.. Vanderbilt's life
time, the question of it's purchase was
taken up, but the commission did not
deem it advisable to purchase it at
that time.
The tract includes portions of Tran
sylvania, 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
Appalachians It's forests influence
for the most part tributaries of the
French Broad River which unites with
the Holstein river at Knoxville, Ten
nessee, to form the Tennessee river.
Mrs. Vanderbilt offered the tract at
much lower figure than that at
which it was held by her husband,
and her letter to the secretary of ag-
riculture, one of the members of the
commission, gives her reasons for
making the tender of the Pisgah for
est to the government. Mrs. Wander
bilt's letter follows:
May 1, 1914.
The Honorable, the Secretary of Ag-
riculture,
Washington, D. c.
Sir:
now confront the question Of what
disposal shall make of Pisgah For
est. which. under the terms OF my
late husbands will, has passed to me
without qualification or condition.
This letter constitutes my formal Of
fer for the sale of Pisgah Forest to
the government for national forest
purposes. Should the government fail
to acquire it, must dispose of Pisgah
Forest in some other way L hope
earnestly that in view of the terms
of my offer, no such contingency may
arise.
MIR. Vanderbilt was the first of the
| In m
: adopt the practise of forestry. He
has conserved Pisgah Forest from the
/ time he bought 1t up to his death.
period of nearly twenty-five years, un-
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 a public trust and l 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
will maintain in the fullest and most
|
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-
vation 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 a 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 husbands
| death, my offer to the government of
Pisgah Forest now being at price of
five 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 pionee" work in forest conser-
vation, and to insure the protection
and the use and enjoyment of Pisgah
Forest as national forest, by the
American people for all time.
In the event that my offer is ac-
cepted, shall be glad for the gov
| eminent 10 aSsuhe coHlrol Vi HlsSan
Forest as soon as 1t may desire. In
the same event, ID would be a source
of very keen qualification to me If
the tract retained, as a national for
est, the title of "Pisgah Forest" which
my late husband gave it.
Very truly yours,
Edith s. Vanderbilt
In accordance with Mrs. Wander
bits desire, the national forest reser-