Photograph by A. R. Moore 

 A GIANT SEQUOIA THAT SPLIT IN FALLING 



John Muir counted four thousand rings from the heart out of one fallen giant. That 

 tree was a thrifty sapling when Abraham went into Egypt. It was already a seed-bearer 

 when Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. It was as old as American civilization when 

 Joseph was sold into Egypt. It was nearly a thousand years old when David slew Goliath. 

 And it was older when Christ was born than the Christian religion is today. 



congratulates you upon the work which 

 you have done in safeguarding these great 

 national playgrounds for the coming gen- 

 erations and in making them accessible 

 to visitors. 



Assuring you that the National Geo- 

 graphic Society, through its Board of 

 Managers, is very glad to have the privi- 

 lege of cooperating with the government 

 in preserving these priceless natural 

 treasures to posterity, I am, 

 Yours very sincerely, 



Gilbert H. Grosvenor. 



The Secretary oe the Interior, 

 November 20, 1916. 

 My Dear Mr. Grosvenor: 



I beg to acknowledge your favor set- 

 ting forth the resolution of the National 

 Geographic Society by which it is made 

 possible for us to secure, on behalf of 

 the government, certain of the private 

 lands in the Giant Forest of the Sequoia 

 National Park. 



This act on the part of your Society 

 I know will meet with the highest com- 

 mendation from its great membership, 

 because thereby you render to the Gov- 

 ernment of the United States and to all 

 of its people a lasting service and in a 

 sense create a monument to the honor of 

 your Society itself. 



The trees which your money, together 

 with that appropriated by Congress, en- 

 able us to purchase are the oldest living 

 things upon this continent. They are the 

 original pioneers. To have them fall be- 

 fore the axe of the woodman would have 

 been a lasting crime, reflecting seriously 

 upon the people of our country. 



It will be many centuries before they 

 die, and throughout their life I hope it 

 may be known that they were kept alive 

 by the generosity and foresight of your 

 people. We will be pleased to have placed 

 on one of the trees of the grove a tablet 

 of commemoration. 



Cordially yours, 



Franklin K. Lane. 



