Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1925-09-30
VALUE OF A NATIONAL PARK IS
ESTIMATED
Palisades Park In New York Would
Be Far Eclipsed By Shenandoah Ma
tionaI Park

Palisades Park In New York Would
Be Far EcIipsed BY Shenandoah Ma
tionaI Park
The value Of a great park to its
surrounding countryside and cities
was brought home in vivid language
TO the people of Winchester a few
DAYS ago by Major w A. WEIGH gem
eral manager Of the Paljdades Inter
state Park Of New York and New
Jersey.
Major Weleh. who is also a mem
Der of the Southern Appalachian Ma
tional Park Commission, was the
main speaker at the great meeting
there which inaugurated the intensive
drive for funds in Frederick. Clark
and Warren counties to assure the
establishment of the Shenandoah Ma
tional Park in the Blue Ridge Noun
tains of Virginia.
Although the park of which Major
Welch is manager contains but co.
600 acres, stretched along the beau
tiful palisades of the Hudson river,
IT'S, 900 visit it daily. If each one
spent less than a dollar, the revenues
derived would be tremendous. The
Shenandoah National Park will con-
tain nearly 100000 acres, far larger
than the Palisades Park.
~ have travelled all over the Amer
lean continent" said Major Welch.
81 have been in every national park,
have been all over the Andes
Mountains and every other mountain
range on the two continents, and
say to you that while each of them
has it's wonders and it's splendors
there is none of them that brings one
so close to the heart of old mother
nature. none where Gods handiwork
is more inspiring than in this wonder
full Blue Ridge Park.
"God placed those mountains there
for the use and enjoyment of man.
kind, but man has not risen to the
opportunity and developed them, and
! am impressed with the idea that
God so planned 1t that this great area
should be reserved from the defilinp
touch of men that it might be used
for the purposes that are now pro.
posed. SO that the teeming millions OF
the great centers of population might
, come here and in the beauty and
magnificence of these enduring hills
learn to worship Him Alright and to
magnify and glorify Him who doetl
all things for men,"
Major Welch added that he dis.
liked to emphasize the commercial
/. aspect of the proposed Shenandoah
/ National Park. He believed it's al
/ truistic value to the little children
and the people of the whole East
| rkax.11 ha +r 4La -.
telligent public of Virginia to supply
the small amount that is necessary
to make it certainty.
But he said that he felt obliged tt
/ say without restriction that it would
/ become one of the most profitable in
vestments the people of Virginia ever
made. 1t will bring millions of tour
( lists to the state. he declared, and sta
/ tistics show that even the camper whC
! stops by the roadside at night leave.
! at least SO per person per day in the
country over which he travels.
! Mr.. w. E. Cooper, central chair
man of the Winchester district, open
ed the meeting. He then introduced
Congressman T. w. Harrison Judge
Harrison spoke briefly. but to the
point. In part he said
'This park will be annually visited
by 40,000,000 of people. This il
equivalent to an increase in the pop
ulation of this valley by the number
! If you could take your land anC
transfer it from this valley to a point
in close proximity to the city of New
York it would make your fortune.
when this park is established il
will have the same effect. for it will
transfer the population to the prox
unity of your land, instead of trans
ferring the land to the proximity Of
the population. Winchester proper
tv will be enormously increased il
value and it will require several new
hotels to accommodate the tourist
traffic.
Others who spoke were: R. Ora,
! Williams. Major Robert T. Barton
Shirley Carter, Louis L. Baker, Jose
phi B. Newlin. George F. Baker ant
H. ]. Benchoff. Following the ad
drsses the two-reel motion picture O.
the park area, taken by Pathe. was
shown. This picture has been the hi
of every meeting thus far and will b,
shown in every center to be visited
by the intensive campaign groups.
At the close of the meeting sew
eral score persons rose and made sub
scriptions on the spot. Several hun
dred acres were sold. The plan o,
the present drive, of course. is to sci
enough acres before December st t.
raise $2,500.000 with which to pur
chase the park. The price is Sc al
acre and the purchaser agrees to do
nate the acre to the United State
government when the area is create,
a National Park.
1t is not necessary to pay the entir,
$6 Immediately. Only one dollar i
paid down on each acre purchase
and a pledge is signed for the rest
These pledges will never be collected
until the park is actually accepted b,
the government.
PERPETUAL PROBATION PRE-
SERVES THE PROPERTY.
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