Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1926-04-21
PARK BILL IN CONGRESS.

tenslve parks IN the East was pro-
yided for in a bill introduced in the
House by Representative 81. w.
/ Temple, Republican, of Pennsyl-
vania, following receipt of a report
transmitted to the House and Sem
+ ate bv Secretary Work favoring that
action.
Secretary Works decision was
based On a report by the Southern
Appalachian National Park Commits
sion which he had appointed to con-
slider the matter. The proposed parks
are the Shenandoah to be located in
+ Virginia, along the crest of the Blue
Ridge mountains from Front Royal
to Waynesboro. and the Smoky
Mountains along the boundary of
North Carolina and Tennessee. The
combined area of the two parks will
be little less than 1000 square
miles, the Smoky comprising about
LOO and the Shenandoah a little
less than 900 square miles.
The proposal to establish a third
National Park, comprising territory
within which is located the Mann
moth Cave in Kentucky and to be
known as the Mammoth Cave Nat
ional Park, was favored by the
Southern Appalachian Park Com
mission but was disapproved by Sec
retary Work, who after reserving his
opinion of the desirability of the
park stated that the area thus far
offered was not sufficient for such a
purpose. Secretary Work and the
commission agreed that no other nat
ional park in the Southern Appalach-
ian region was desirable at this time.
Favorable consideration of the
Shenandoah and Smoky Mountain
parks was based on reports of the
park commission that 81 100000 had
been raised toward the purchase of
land for the Shenandoah and 81 ,056,-
$50 towards the purchase of the
Smoky Mountain area.
In that report, it was stated. "as
the Great Smoky Mountain Conser-
walton Association of Tennessee, and
the Great Smoky Mountain, Inc, of
North Carolina jointly, and the Shen-
andoah National Park Association,
Inc. have complied with the require
ments submitted TO them by your
commission. therefore, we recon-
mend that the two areas designated
be made national parks and admin
istered as such as soon as 100000
acres in each of them have been
transferred in fee simple to the
United States"
IN addition. it was reported by the
commission that the organization for
the acquisition of park lands had
obtained many options covering con-
siderable acreage.
The Introduction of the bill by
Representative Temple is the result
Of movement of several years look
ing toward the establishment of nat
onal parks in the Southern Appa-
iachians. An act of Congress APP
proved February 81. 1925, directed
the Secretary of the Interior to de-
termine the boundaries of such areas
as might be recommended by him for
park purposes in the Southern Appa-
iachian and in the Mammoth Cave
region in Kentucky. In accordance
with this act, Secretary Work ap-
pointed the park commission of
which Representative Temple was
chairman. The commission reported
20 Secretary Work April Sth.
The maximum boundary lines of
the proposed Shenandoah National
Park. made public with Secretary of
Interior Works recommendation for
the establishment of two national
parks in the Southeast, add approx
mately 10000 acres 10 the park area
by taking in the foothills Of the Blue
Ridge mountains. making the total
area 52l 900 acres. The original
park area survey included approx
mately 100000 acres.
These boundary lines. it was ex-
planned in Washington. are the max
lmum and are fixed so that the Shen-
andoah National Park shall not ex-
eeed them unless by act of Con-
gress. The Park Commissioners de-
clare II may be years before the
foothlll lands from the base of the
mountain TO the maximum lines are
acquired, but the lines are drawn. in
order to permit the enlargement of
the park in the event the State of
virginia desires to do so in years to
come to take care Of the tourist
traffic the park is expected 70 draw
70 this state. The idea was express
ed IN Washington that in future
years il may be desirable TO establish
large tourist camps in the hills and
level lands along the base Of the
Blue Ridge.
The new maximum boundary lines. +
starting at the intersection Of a pub
nc highway and the Norfolk and
western Railway one mile west Of
Front Royal. follows the eastern
side of the right of way Of the Nor 1
FOLK and Western for twenty miles to
himball. in Page county. Brown
town, Warren county, originally ex-
Guided from the park area, is now
well within the lines. All the Goo /
neys Creek section is included in the /
new lines. The towns Of Benton /
vlle. Overall and RileyvilIe will be
right on the edge of the park.
AT kimball. the lines follow the
public highway to Valleyburgh. then
70 point Of the intersection Of the i
hawksbill Greek and public highway
70 a point one mile west Of Marks i
vile; thence the line follows the
right Of way of the Norfolk and i
western Railroad 20 a point near