The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1937-06-10
more can be supplied. The same is true
Of boats or picnic areas.
Traditional Purpose

more can be suppned. ne same is true
Of boats or picnic areas.
Traditional Purpose
"Of course, the traditional purpose
Of the forestry service is to guard the
water supply and develop timber. At
present, Maryland imports ninety per
cent of the timber used in the State
although if our forests were fully pro-
ductive we could grow all we need. In
addition, forest cover on land is the
best means of protecting the water
shed, by preventing erosion, rctarding
the run off, and reducing foods.
However, we try to develop the
State lands to their highest use. Hence
providing out-of-doors recreational ia
cilities is part of our program and as
important as its other phases. Only
start having been made, and the de-
velopments being new, ali the admin
istrative details have not been worked
out. We are considering the experierl-
ces of other States, and as our prob
lens arise, l expect a solution will be
found"
County Profits
For Garrett county, the activities Of
the New Deal have Santa Claus as
poet. Approximately $1,0OO,OO0 has
been spent during the past few years.
Besides the money paid to acquire the
forests and resettle farmers, fifteen
per cent of the total revenue from the
State forests will go to the county
the sale of timber being the major
source.
In the course of years, this return
is expected to be sufficient to reduce
the tax rate appreciably. With wood
land constituting sixty-four per cent
of the county, the revenue from the
forests will doubtless be the mainstay
Of the county's budget. In addition,
for every 10000 acres of managed for
est land, approximately $50 workers
are given steady employment; while
indirectly pulp mills in the section are
permitted to remain in business.
Finally, this work presents the pos
sibility of new future for the coun-
ey-as recreational center for Mary
land, Pennsylvania and other sur
rounding territories. With the coal
mines becoming exhausted, and the
timber supply ruined by private mis-
management, this possibility is to-
day a subject for considerable concern
by the county officials, who have been
impressed by the increasing number
of sportsmen in recent years, as well
as vacationists to Deep Creek Lake.
RecreatiOnal Asset
This lake, artificially formed, is
Garrett county's chief recreational as
set. Built in 1925 by a hydro-electric
company, the dam impounds some
100000 gallons of water, covering
$500 acres and bounded by 67-mile
shoreline. 1t now has about 1000 per-
nlanent summer residents, with a usual
population of 5000 on Sunday after
moons, attracted by the swimming,
sailboat racing and fishing.
From the standpoint of the fisher
man, the county's facilities are al
ready outstanding as a result of the
work of the Conservation Depart
ment. Each year since 1925, thousands
of trout, pike, yellow perch and bass
have been added to Deep Greek Lake
and a dozen mountain streams. And
the new artificial lakes will be the
benefciaries of a similar policy.
Incidentally, some day there is likely
to be real fish story in connection
with Deep Creek Lake, for in 1880 the
Conservation Department experiment
ed by putting into the lake 80 muskel- |