French Broad hustler and Western Carolina Democrat. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1915-1916, 1916-06-29
NFW NATIONAL PARK
A BEAUTIFUL PLAYGROUND
Mrs. George w. Vanderbilt Deeds
$4,000 Acres to the y. S.
Government

ton of the forest can be reached from
| BreVard Or Pisgah Forest on the
Pennsylvania b1anch of the Southern
Railway. From Pisgah Forest one
may by the grace of the Carr Lumber
Company ride on a log train Is M les
I'D Davidson and the racing Looking
Glass Creek to the Pink Beds-so call
ed because the bloom of a great area
OF rhododendrons makes a vast sur
face of pink. The Mills River section
can be reached by automobile from
Asheville.
Summer Homes.
The Forest Service is now ready to
receive applications from those who
wish to build camps or summer houses
in Pisgah Forest. Leases for a term
not exceeding 80 years and covering
not more than 5 acres will be made
at an annual rental of not less than
$40. The official circular states that
VIII lie a few persons will not be allow
ed to gain contro' of the best sides, 1T
will be the policy of the department
not to allow other persons to use lands
Immediately adjoining unless justified
by reasonable necessity" The acreage
granted and rental will depend on the
Sue anu Tue 0AIOuI Ol 1IApIONOUQOlI Lie
applicant desires to make. Applica-
ton should be made to the U. s. For
est Supervisor at Asheville. designat-
ing the site desired, acreage cost
OF cottage. The supervisor will after
investigation specify the acreage which
will be granted and the rental. In Sc
lecting sites applicants should cons d.
er accessibility to water supply AMI
means of transportation. High eleva-
tons along the automobile rOad will
be accessible. and because of far
stretch ng views, in much demand. but
not everywhere will water be found.
History of the Park.
Mr.. Vanderbilt began buying noun
tain LAND twenty-five years ago, and at
the time of his death in March, 1914
had acquired a total of about 10000
acres. Much of this he bought at the
price of So an acre. this being paid for
me tract of 10000 acres. while some
small tracts cost him considerably
more, but in other cases he paid less
than So. 1t was his wish that the a
ton become the owner of the forest
and in the spring of 1913, he offered
to the Forest Reservat on Commission.
A tract estimated to contain IS, 900
acres was priced at $5.75 an acre, this
Icing subject to a contract he made
two years previously with the Carr
Lumber Company by which it could
cbut trees of a diameter of over Is
inches for which 1t was to pay SIP an
acre. 1900 acres of virgin timber
land were offered at $13.75 an acre.
The Commissioners inspected the
property in June, 1913, but decided
not to buy. The generally accepted
for their declinat on to buy was
their belief that Mr.. Vanderbilt would,
preserve the tract, and thus the gov
eminent would have the essential ad-
vantages of a reserve without cost TO
it. The death of Mr.. Vanderbilt and
the subsequent offer by individuals to
the executors of several dollars
an acre more than the price named
to the comm sSion showed the hazard
of this theory. Therefore when Mrs.
Vanderbilt wrote the commission in
May, 1914, that her husband wished the
forest to be owned by the nation and
that price might not be an obstacle to
effecting his wish she would sell the
emit re tract at S. per acre. the COM
mission decided to buy.
There is excepted from the sale, as
there was by Mr.. V~anderbilt's offer, 500
acres surrounding the hunting lodge.
Neither offer included the II, 900 acres
connected with BiltmOre House.