Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1925-01-28
PRESIDENT APPROVES NATION.
AL. PARK IN BLUE RIDGE AND
SMOKES.

tho preliminary legislation, now pend
ing in Congress, for the establish
ment Of a great eastern national park
in the Blue Ridge mountains of Nor
thern Virginia, and far southern
national park in the Great Smoky
mountains Of Tennessee and North
Carolina. it was officially announced
at the White House last Tuesday.
This legislation carries a $4,000
appropriation TO defray the expense
Of a commission in making survey
Of the two proposed national sites to
ascertain the cost of their acquisl-
+ ton.
Gen. Lord. Of the budget bureau,
put the matter of this appropriation
up 10 the President, and the Chief
Executives approval of 1t was an
nounced Friday.
This action by the President defi-
nitely links together the two park
projects. When the Southern APP
palaehian National Park Commission
made It's report in December. recon-
mendng the Blue Ridge mountains
site, Representative II. W. Temple,
of Pennsylvania, its chairman, intro
duced bill for 4 $4,000 appropria-
ton TO make survey of that site
alone. Secretary of Interior Hubert
Work. while approving the finding of
the commission in making the Nir-
ginia site its first site, however. de-
clared that the Great Smoky noun
tainS in Tennessee and North. Caro-
lima should also be taken in as ma
tional park, consequently, when the
Temple bill was referred to him. he
suggested to Gen. Lord, Of the Bud
get Bureau, to include $4,000 in adj
dition to the $4,000 TO pay the cost
of a survey of the Tennessec-Carolina
site The Budget Bureau accepted
. the suggestion. and the President
placed his OK on ii.
The Budget Bureau will now trans
NIT its recommendation to congress
for the 81 1000 appropriation TO cover
both parks, and the announcement Of
the Presidents action created the
feeling among Virginiang in Wash
ington in interest Of the legislation
that the fight for the national park
is we'll beyond being half won.
When the House Committee on
Public Lands meets sometime this
week on the Temple bill that meas
ure VII come before it with the APP
provo the Budget Bureau and the
prest himself The amended
Tenn sill will give Virginia. North
Carol rs and Tennessee national
park fea and, according to Repre-
senta i've +. W Harrison, Of Vir-
ginia. he Indications are strong that
North Carolina will fall in line for
the tri- ute measure.
Developments in Washington also
indicated that the Virginia national
park site will not cost as large sum
-. .t,1s. .F h..
National Park Commission have gone
carefully over the preliminary maps
Of area, and they stated the cost of
acquiring the land can be greatly re-
duced by the survey excluding the
costly apple orchards on some Of the
ridges, and the valuable grazing lands
in many of the coves.
There is feeling among some of
the officials that the total cost of ac-
curing the area, by excluding devel-
oped lands, will be between 1,000,-
900 and 81 100000.
1t was also made clear by officials
of the National Park Commission
that it will not be the purpose of the
federal government to evict many Of
the residents of the mountains whose
homes and property will be acquired.
Many of these people, it is stated,
will be needed as park employees and
they will be allowed TO remain In
their mountain homes for long time
at least.
4 eve believe the Blue Ridge noun
tain area is capable of development
into one of the most beautiful parks
in our country" Col. Glenn II. Smith,
secretary of the Southern AppaIach-
ian National Park Commission, said.
"In fact, we are led to believe ii will
not be many years after the park is
opened that it cannot accommodate
the throngs fro mthe populous East
who will be attracted to it. Millions
of dollars will be spent by these tour
lists. The Skyline Automobile Trail,
which we propose to construct on top
\ of the mountains from one end Of the
park to the other, will soon catch the
eye of the entire East and North"
4 Washington, January 26.-Rec-
concentrations for the establish
ment of two National Parks in the
Southern Appalachian mountain
range for the general welfare of the
millions of people, in the East-one
of the parks to be located In the Blue
Ridge mountains Of Northern Vir-
ginia and the other in the Great
Smoky mountains Of North Carolina
and Tennessee---were transmitted to
Congress today by Secretary of In
terror Hubert Work. The recommen-
dations carried the approval of Presi-
dent Coolidge and of the Budget Blu
reau.
Secretary Works action today
constituted his first official step to
obtain Congress- approval Of the pro-
posed National Parks in the East
since the Temple Commission made
it's report favoring the creation OF
park in the Blue Ridge mountains.
Since that time DR.. Work has been
trying day and night to bring Vir-
GINA. North Carolina and Tennessee