Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-02-26

enough to secure the model
forest of the United States as
~ an addition to our group Of
national forests-not a play
forest or a park" but the big Pisgah
tract of 10000 acres In North Caro-
lima, formerly owned by the late
George w. Vanderbilt, and during the
past rs years transformed by him from
a wild and partly denuded area into
q highly productive, commercial forest,
writes Guy Elliott Mitchell in the Utica
Globe.
II scientific forestry, including prac-
tical numbering. timber reproduction,
fire fighting and prevention of denu-
dalton and erosion were an entirely
new science in America, Uncle Sam
could have no better example OF all
these things actually worked out than
in this magnificent Pisgah forest.
The area was purchased from Mrs.
Vanderbilt at the nominal figure Of
IS an acre, which may be consid-
cred a gift to the American people
from Mrs. Vanderbilt of $200. 000-the
difference between the purchase price
and that at which the Pisgah forest
was offered to the government by Mr..
Vanderbilt This is by far the finest
forest yet acquired under the Weeks
national forest act, yet the cost is less,
thanks to Mrs. Vanderbilt's generosity,
than the average of all the other tracts
purchased by the government, which
aggregate nearly a million acres.
Precipitous and Lofty Area.
The Pisgah forest area, which is an
outlying section of the famous Van
derbilt Biltmore estate, was critically
examined by the United States govern
ment in 1912 with q view to possible
purchase, in conformity with the pro-
visions of the Weeks law, which re-
quires the United States geological
survey to report on all areas before
purchase, with respect to the effects
Of their forest cover on the naviga-
bility of the streams, or their tribu-
taries flowing through. These inves-
LEGATIONS proved the value OF the noun
tain forests as a preventer Of erosion
and q retarder of the run-of storm
waters that feed the French Broad
river, which unites with the Holston
river at Knoxville, to form the navig-
able Tennessee river.
Overlooking the valleys, this area IL
one of the most precipitous and lofty
In the eastern United States. q dozen
or more SUBMITS of the great Pisgah
range rising above 5000 feet The
rainfall is heavy and the creeks and
streams flow with swift currents which
erode and rapidly gully out the steep
unprotected slopes. carrying down into
the streams great quantities of soil
and sediment from such areas as have
been wastefully numbered. cleared or
burnt over. The protection Of the
forest cover, therefore, becomes a vital
factor In the navigability Of the large
rivers, as well as in the preservation
Of their valuable water powers.
One Of Code Beauty Spots.
Shortly after the formal reports OF
the forest service and the geological
survey, the Pisgah area was visited by
Secretary of Interior Lane, Secretary
Of Agriculture Houston and Represen-
tative Hawley Of Oregon and Repre-.
sentative Lee of Georgia. members OF
the national forest reservation com,
mittee, in company with Forester
Henry s. Graves and George Otis
Smith. director of the geological sur
vey. The party made three days
trip by autos and wagons. and every
ones opinion was that not only did
Biltmore constitute perfection as a
mountain-woodland estate, but that
Pisgah forest area was one OF Gods
own beauty spots.
Long before finishing their inspec
ton of the Pisgah forest the mem
bers of the party were agreed that Mr.
Vanderbilt's method Of numbering wa