SOUTHEEN APPALACHIAN EEGION. 



159 



attractive by building paths, camps, and other conveniences, construct- 

 ing and publishing accurate maps, and hj collecting all available infor- 

 mation concerning the mountain regions. 



* * * In short, the club may be considered the representative in 

 this part of the country of the interests of all lovers of the mountains, 

 in addition to which it has made such substantial contributions to 

 various departments of geography as to gain recognition as a repre- 

 sentative of general geographical science. 



It having come to the knowledge of this club that there is now on 

 foot a movement for the establishment of a national forest and moun- 

 tain preserve in the southern Alleghenies, to be known as the National 

 Appalachian Park; and further, that there is now before the Congress 

 a petition from an organization known as the Appalachian National 

 Park Association, "praying for such action as will result in causing to 

 be forthwith made such examination and surveys as may be necessary 

 to determine the best possible location and the proper area for a 

 national park in the southern Appalachian region, to the end that 

 upon the coming in of the report of the forester, or of such reports 

 as the Congress may desire, appropriate steps may be taken to acquire 

 the title to the land to be comprised within the limits of the park; or 

 that the Congress may take such other action as it may deem proper." 



Your petitioners thei'efore state that they believe the movement is 

 inaugurated at a most opportune time, being well aware of the increased 

 difficulty that will attend the securing of suitable land for this pur- 

 pose at a later date, when land values increase and timber and land 

 interests combine against such a movement; that they are deeply inter- 

 ested in this movement, which thej^ believe, if carried out, will result 

 in untold health and reci'eation for future generations, and heartily 

 concur in the above-mentioned petition; and they respectfullj^ pi'^y 

 that the said petition of the Appalachian National Park Association 

 may receive favorable consideration with the Congress. 



Albion A. Perky, President. 



RoSEWELL B. Lawrence, Recording Secretary. 



John Ritchie, Jr., Corresponding Secretary. 



MEMORIAL FROM THE APPALACHIAN NATIONAL PARK 



ASSOCIATION. 



IJ'o the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of 

 America: 



The petition of the Appalachian National Park Association respect- 

 fully shows: 



That your petitioner is an organization composed of citizens from 

 many States in the Union, and was formed for the purpose of bringing 



