Evening star., 1926-05-18

With definite establishment OF the
Shenandoah National Park awaiting
only the signature of President Cool
idge to become a fact, the committee
in charge of the campaign to raise
Washington's share toward the pur-
chase price of the area announced
today that it would renew intensive
work Immediately to complete the
$150.000 fund that it sought here by
June /.
Under the terms of the bill passed
by Congress last week, the Govern
ment merely designates the area in
the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia
as the Shenandoah National Park.
1t will not be administered as a
national park, however, until 100000
acres have been turned over to the
Government in fee simple and Will
not be extensively developed until
nearly 100000 acres have been pre-
sented the Government.
$500 900 Needed.
All of this acreage must be bought
by the people, except few thousand
acres that the State of Virginia will
condemn for nOn-payment of taxes or
because present claimants to owner
ship have been unable to present legal
title to the land. 1t is estimated that
to buy the necessary acres. OF this
sum, Virginia alone has contributed
more than $1,200.000. The remainder
must come from the other sections
that will benefit as much as Virginia.
it is declared.
Washington is the closest large city
to the Shenandoah National Park. 1t
is only 93 miles from the entrance.
near Luray and only about IS miles
from the northern section, which be-
gins at Front Royal. Both Of these
sections can now be reached over
good roads from Washington, Offering
alluring week end motor trips for the
District motorist
In being assigned quota of only
$3.50, 900, Washington is asked to
raise 100000 less than Richmond,
which is not only considerably farther
from the park, but is off the main road
of tourist travel to the area and there
fore would never benefit as much
financially as this city. Washington.
according to all statistics, will benefit
more. both financially and from the
recreatiOnal standpoint, than any city
in Virginia.
May Open This Summer.
If enough money is raised within
the next two or three weeks to assure
purchase of the required initial 250,000
acres, part of the Shenandoah Ma
tional Park can be opened to tourists
during the coming Summer. The land
is in such excellent condition for park
purposes, park officials have said, that
the only essential requirement imme-
diately would be the employment of a
force Of rangers to protect it from for
est fires and to prevent tourists from
injuring the primeval flora that
aboundS there.
A meeting of the Washington COM
mittee and the board of directors of
the Shenandoah National Park Asso-
citation, through which the money was
raised in Virginia, was held jointly
yesterday at the Washington Hotel
At that time it was decided to limit
the Washington drive to June !, so
that the associations energies could
be directed to other sections as soon
as possible. Business men present
agreed that the District business in
terest should be able to raise their
quota by that time.
Robert n. Harper, chairman of the
Washington committee. said he would
call his subchairmen into conference
Immediately and ask them to complete
their canvasses as rapidly as possible
with a view to publishing the names
of the donors in the papers before the
end of this week. 1t is planned then
to give the general public an oppor-
tunity of subscribing to the fund
Mr.. Harper, however. declared he was
anxious to give the business men,
who will reap rich harvests from the
tourist trade, full opportunity of do
ing their part first.