Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-23
STATE'SLATEST
DEPARTMENT
Philadelphia Newspaper Dis
cusses Plans For Consolida-
ton of Conservation

The Philadelphia Evening Bulletin
partment of Conservation which will
be created by the bill just reported
favorably to the House of Represen-
tatives after having passed the SEN
ate: "PennsyIvania's growing. inter-
est in the conservation of it's natural
resource Is indicated in the enumera-
tion of the States protective meas
ures set forth in Senator Buckman's
bill for the creation of a new depart
nent of the State Government to be
known as the Department of Conser-
walton. The bill for this purpose,
which is now under consideration by
the Senate, embodies many of the
suggestions set forth by the Economy
and Efficiency Commission and would
merge into one department the pow
ers now held by the Board of Game
Commissioners, the Fishery Commits
sion the State Forestry Reservation
Commission, the Water Supply Com
mission, the Department of Fisheries
and the Department of Forestry as
well as to abolish the offices of the
Chief Game Protector. the Commits
sioner of Fisheries and the Commits
sioner of Forestry.
duties of the new Department which
is chiefly of interest as indicating
how the State system of protecting
the public in the enjoyment of what
are essentially public rights and
property has grown. No fewer than
forty-one sections of the Buckman
bill are devoted to this end and in
the classification and description of
the numerous statutes adopted for the
purpose of establishing and protect
ing preserves, the acquisition of lands
and safeguarding of natural resources,
together with the general supervision
of the timber lands and water supply
OF the States and its game and fish,
they show how, in the course of a
few administrations. all these sub
jects have been brought under State
control.
Many of the laws relating to these
subjects are of recent origin. The
oldest of the existing agencies that
would be merged into the Depart
ment of Conservation dates only from
1895 and the other branches which
would become subordinate bureaus of
the new Department, are among the
youngest and newest branches of the
state Government. But on this work
there is expended now nearly mil
lion dollars a year, while nearly three
hundred employees are engaged direct
ly in protecting the public lands
"Philadelphia's interests are touch
ed directly and indirectly by the
operation OF the existing agencies in
numerous ways. The hunter and the
fisherman know of the requirements
of the Game Commissioners and of
the work of the Fish Commission at
the Torresdale and Erie hatcheries, |
both of which affect not only the
pleasures and pastimes of the sports |
man, but also the supply of such foods |
in the local markets. OF larger inter !
ests to the city, however, is the |
broadening system of State protection |
regarding the sources of water sup
ply, q Statewide survey of which has |
been under way for the past four |
years. Thus, in addition to the reg
ulations which the Public Service
Commission imposes upon the private
water companies, whose operations |
sometimes tend toward diminishing |
the upply of cities and towns, the
present Water Supply Commission
specially supervises this subject at |
present
''Of added concern now is the fact |
that the proposed merger of the For |
estry Department and the Water |
supply Commission would place all |
the water sheds and water courses |
under one control. In this way not |
only is it suggested would there be |
an increased patrol of the river banks, |
with the intention of anticipating ard |
preventing pollution and thereby les |
6ening the danger of bacteria in the |
water, but the vast acreage of the |
huge water sheds needed to supply |
the primary sources would be under |
State protection. The buying of for |
est lands for a new source for Phila- |
delphia's supply, the laying of pipe |
lines or of aqueducts, the construction |
of dams and impounding reservoirs, |
would all be among the subjects of |
the departments control. In this |
way, following up the work already |
in charge of the Water Supply Com
mission, all the streams and water |
courses, mountain brooks and forest |
rivulets, would be under State control
the quantity and flow of water deter
mined, the limits of consumption |
determined, and the allotments of |
each county or district fixed. In this |
fashion does the State recognize that |
county control does not suffice in this
regard and that the large cities and |
more thickly populated areas have !
State as we'll as local natural re-
sources to be protected by the States !
agencies of conservation, with view
as to the future, as well as to merely
the present needs"