The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-06-07
GOVERNMENT TO TAKE UP
PRlNCElY PlSGAH FOREST
George VnndcrbIits Idea of Public
Ownership 10 lie Carried
Out.
UNCLE sAMs GREAT FORTUNE
Magnificent Domain or Mighty Noun
sums nnd Crystal Streams md Green
Garden OF Wooded Heights.

AsheYillc. n c.. June G.-Thc reccn,
decision by the United States Forest
Reservation Commission TO purchase
from Mrs. George w. Vanderbilt SG.Too
acres OF land near Asi.cvillc will soon
make the United States the owner Of a
vast ana beautiful forest in the heart
OF the Southern Appalachian troumtaIns
only sixteen hours :ide from Washiuy-
ton and twelve from Richmond. 1t il
believed that by next year Consresy
Viii convert Il into Il national park. TO
%erVe as a playground for the $4,000 600
:coile 10 whom tho railways make 1t
accessible III days journey. rs cen
tire is seventeen miles in scuthwes.
direction from Asho vile, from whic:
It's nearest point Is only six miles ais.
GIut.
Containing 1874 square miles. +, form
ed the bulk OF the land which tho late
George V. Vanderbilt acquired IN the
past twenty-thrco years in connection
with his pvinccly Biltinore House, the
finest country place in America. 'rls-
gah Forest he cN!lcd this cherished
possession, and thia name has been
adopted by the commission. Conserved
by the first scientific forestry prncticcd
in America, II is the finest and most
extensive hardwood forest In the East
ern States. ana /; will b. the largest
area owned by the United States cnst
OF the Mississippi
pisgah Forest is "a pr!ncclv domai,
OF mighty mountains and crystal
streams. Lacking the barron gran
'deur Of tho Rockies. IL Is a great green
garden OF wooded heights and grassy
riades. impcnctrablc thickets OF rhodo-
dcndron and azalca, making masses Of
bloom In spring and early summer. In
its bounds are giant peaks. some grassy
"halds." other balsam- clad domes. and
rock capped SUBMITS with granite pre-
cipiccs shcltcr!ug bear and wolves. cul-
iHinatinE In the sharp spirc of Pisgah's
pyramid 5,75T feet above sea level
LtiNUHIANT VEGETATION.
GAME AND FISH
Abundant rainfall insures luxuriant
vegetation. Noble trees Of poplar. oak
spruce. hemlock, balsam. hickory. wal
nut, maple, birch, cover tho slopes. \
thousand high placed springs send
their cold waters through fcrny dclIs to
form tho Fastening streams. Cascad-
Stg over rocky bottoms thcy foam
against great bouldcrs. swirl in dark
pools. spread Ike "A silver curtain on
rock tables. and plunge. as at Looking
Class. sheer down for sixty feet II Is
land OF singing brooks and white
crested streams
Game ana fish abound In the forest
IT Is estimated mat there ARE 3 900 deer,
besides bear. wolves. ioxes raccoons.
opossums. squirrel. rabbits. quail, Wild
turkey, native ph"asnnts, aud the de-
sceudants OF the Chinese ana English
pheasnnts with which IL was stocked
years ago. The clear. cool water is the
native habitat OF the spcckiod or noun
tain trout. aud 81 the larger streams
are the rainbow or California variety.
Nurdcncd rcNpiously for many years.
the trout are as plentiful as the most
ardent fisherman could desire.
one may reach the heart Of thi,
wilderness in q two hours ride from
Asheville, and the greater part OF it
'-nay be overlooked by "A scenic road
believed 10 hc uucquallcd In America:
a road nearly mile in elevation, and
an automobile road ut that. /, was
built by Mr. Vanderbilt exclusively for
the use Of his automobile In reach
ing his hunting lodge on one OF the
ears Of that rat which. as seen
from Ashevillc. the imagination pic
lures as climbing To the sharp summit
of Pisgah
This road extends from tho end OF
from the city, and asccnds 2.5o0 feet
by steady grade OF 10 : per cent
seven miles TO the lodge, and then con-
t!nuos ten miles along i'isEah Ridge
1t circles great peaks. hanging over
steep prccipccs and crcsts heights
lover 5000 feet high. and then be-
comes almost level for several miles
The speeding car unrccls new scenic
lnarvcls each moment. IN front. above.
9hc!ow. AN ocean OF grecnery seems TO
wise and fall far the eye can
scc-to the dim blue OF the Appa-
4lachian giants. the mass of the Great
ISEok!cs guarding the Tennessee line.
land northward the dark pinnacle of
Rockies. Far below glcancs the water
mirrored face OF q stone pinnacle that
stands sentinel In the river valley and
Through the widening vista of cncom-
passinE ridges shows the distant es-
! earpment OF the Blue Ridge, reach
nG from Georgia TO Virginia
GEoHGE VANDERBII.T's IDEA
MAY RE CONSuMMATED SOON
An extension OF this road twelve or
fifteen miles TO Brcvard would CON
3ncct ii with the state road to -Ashe-
vile. afiording a circling siXtymile
tide. From ii two roads lead down
TO the valleys, where are many miles
f woll-Eraded roads along the streams
which at slight expense could be con-
iortcd Into automobile highways. II
the plan Of the Appalachian Park
association, whose headquarters are
u Ashcvillc. to have the government
onVcrt the most suitable parts of the
lands which like this. it acquires under
he terms OF the Weeks act" for con-
ersing the water supplies of navigable
dreams into national parks, and to
onncct these by automobile roads. that
hey may be easily accessible to the
people These roads would link the
'arious reserves in the mountain sec
ions of the South.
1t was the wish OF Mr.. Vanderbilt
hat the nation should become the
wner of PiSgah forest. and last spring
nc offered 1t TO the Forest Reservation
commission. Sixty-ninc thousand
ores We're priced at 1915 AN acre.
ms tract being subject to a contract
"hich he had made two years previous
y with the Carr Lumber Company. by
mich it could cut trees OF a diameter
Vcr sixteen Inches for which ii was
O pay him $12 an acre Seventeen
thousand acres Of virgin timber were
'fercd at ST an acre.
The commissioners inspected the
lropcrty in the early part of June.
'l3, but on returning To Washington
ecided not to buy. Tho generally ac-
opted reason for their declination was
heir belief that Mr. Vanderbilt would
/ preserve the tract. and tluS cav