The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-04-06

Mitchell for the purpose Of preserving
at least q part o. the virgin forest near
and including the summit OF the
mountains. The Governor realizes
that the lumber company, which has
purchased practically all OF the spruce
timber on the Black Mountains In
Guiding Mt mitchell, has al actual
right. although, perhaps. not 2 moral
right. to both destroy the forest and
in 4 city Is not permitted. by tav.. 10
set fire 10 his house. FOR fear h the
conffagration would DESTROY adjoining
property, 4 man owning forest land is
permitted TO burn this land oyer even
though the burning Will cause the des-
truction Of the soil. flooding OF farms
below in he valley after heavy rains,
and the destruction Of other property.
Il tell YOU" said the Governor. I
lu1nbermen-and / am Tot criticisins
them, but us-the lumhermen are de-
stroying North Carolina. We cannot
expect them 10 sacrifice their business
for the public good. They nave bousht
that timber. They are entitled 10 ev-
cry stick OF il. If the people Of North
carolina want to save il they must 81,
so. Ihey cannot expect the lumber
men to save it; they must save IL
theiilSSlNSS. lley must save ii from
the fire that follows the lumberman.
III l can lend any mite Of infu-
ence TO this movement for the Dratec.
ton og our forests, | will do it; for in
the protection of the forests We are
protecting the fields, we are protecting
II place whore crops must grow. and
where men and women must grow in
North Carolina, We are proto,t{u4. tho
whole State.'
Bill Introduced.
AS the result of the widespread in
terest by the people OF North Carolina
IN preservation of the Mt. Mitch
ell area, under the leadership OF Cow
eTnor Craig and prominent business
! men, state M Zebulon~ Weaver
has introduced in the North Carolina
q Legislature q bill which provides for
6 the purchase or a large area on Mt.
Mitchell and the establishment Of d
q park there So that the scenic value
of the peak may be preserved for fu-
= ture generations.
The bill recognizes the value Of Nix.
Mitchell because Of its being the most
@ prominent peak east of the Rocky
Mountains and because the region is
the source of many important streams
OF the State, whose value will he dam
4 aged if the forests are cleared away
. and destroyed at the headWaters.
state Senator Weaver's bill provides
A for the creation Of a Mitchell Peak
~ Park Commission, consisting Of five
practical men who shall be appointed
by the Governor and who snail hole
office until the desired area on Mt
la Mitchell needed for a park shall haEt
= been purchased and a deed made t
the State Of North Carolina. TIL
O members OF the commission will re
~ ceiVe 40 compensation but their eX
49, penSes.
- The TniG l1nn1InT IN no aypnntaf
IN under the act shall not exceed $40, 600
ne The bill provides for the appointment
ne Of a valuation board of three compe
IS. tent men in all cases when the par
commission and owner Of the Ian
al cannot agree as to its value. Will
this bill will provide for starting tn
,e State in the purchase Of the land 70
~ a Mt. Mitchell Park, it is believed b
persons familiar with values in III
ut vicinity that the limitation of tn
m amount Of $4,000 will not permit tn
accomplishment Of as much as
va needed at this time.
al AS is generally known the destruc
w ton Of the forests Of the southern Al
wv paiachians is not a new moVcmeT
a. and it was because Of conditions caus
ed by deforestation in the whole r.
gion that the Congress Of the Unite
States four years ago passed the Al
palachian National Forest Bill, PR
OF viding for the purchase Of lands nee
LS eSsary to preserve the regularity
Ok stream flow. Tnder this act mon
1t. than 10000 acres Of land nave bee
purchased. Much OF the more Va
IN, liable timber land, however, is still
TN private ownership and only throue
IT. State action or cooperation Of sta
authorities with tilnbeT1and oWne
Will this nivately owned land be
managed as To reduce 10 a miniinu
the danger which follows all lurnbe
ing operations III this region.
As long as fourteen years ago II
seriousness OF the damage which ~
being lone il the southern APPEAL
chians was realized ana at that tin
d thorough investigation was made
the forests, rivers and mountains
that region. by the United States go
eminent. The then Secretary Of AgI