Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

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Proposed Appalachian National Forest Reserve

items 6 of 8 items
  • wcu_great_smoky_mtns-14295.jpg
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  • -6- Contrasting the waterpowers on the one hand and the flood damages on the other, we see that by the perpetuation of these forests and the re-foresting of certain of the areas already cibared, we ray perpetuate a source of power and wealth which will develop and operate enormous manufacturing interests in all this great southern country. On the other hand the study of r.torm damages in this and other regions indicates that unless these forests are preserved, the supply of water in the streams will become so irregular that the waterpowers will degenerate and lose the ir value, while the increasing floods will destroy all the property, inelud- inng the farm lands, bordering these Appalachian streams for a distanoe of 200 miles or more. The cost to the nation is, therefore, small when compared with the enormous protecting benefits resulting on the one hand from an intelligent forest policy in this region; or, on the other hand, Then compared with the enormous damages to property from floods in this region -'hich must be the inevitable result of this continued destruction of the forests. Supported by so many varied and excellent reasons, and favored by so large a number of citizens and associations of diverse interests and from different parts of this country, it seems that the bill new before Congress providing for the preservation of these forests should pass, not merely without opposition, but with the hearty support of all, regardless of locality. It is a plan of national magnitude, and provides for a work of national importance and national benefits. In conclusion, I may add in different and briefer form some of the more important reasons why this bill should pass: (1) Forests regulate the runoff of the rainfall and tend to preserve an eben flow in the treams, decreasing the intensity of floods, a a correspondingly increasing the flow of the streams uring dryest seasons. The manufacturing interssts in all these southeastern states depend, largely on waterpower. As the value of a waterpower depends upon the constancy of the water supply, the destruction of the forests on our appai achian hills and mountain
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Object’s are ‘parent’ level descriptions to ‘children’ items, (e.g. a book with pages).