Title:
Letter from John W. Noble to R[obert] U[nderwood] Johnson , 1892 Sep 27.
Creator:
John W. Noble
Publisher:
University of the Pacific Library Holt-Atherton Special Collections. Please contact this institution directly to obtain copies
of the images or permission to publish or use them beyond educational purposes.
Contributor:
R[obert] U[nderwood] Johnson
Date:
1892 Sep 27
2008
Type:
Text
Format:
Image/jpeg2000
Identifier:
muir07_0677-md-1
Source:
Original letter dimensions unknown.
Language:
eng
Coverage:
Washington [D. C.]
Rights:
Copyright status unknown
Some letters written to John Muir may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). Transmission or reproduction
of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners.
Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Transcription:
United States, if the land over which it is laid out is kept for park purposes,or if sold, to the owners of the land through
which the road runs, a copy of which act I likewise enclose. 3d. I am informed by Mr. Charles D. Robinson, writing from
the Yosemite valley on July 11th, that the Yosemite Commission had just then let the contract to A. H. Washburne to 'underbrush'
the valley for illegible? 3,000. in other words, to carry out the scheme which Mr. Olmstead said if carried out would be 'a
calamity to the civilized world?' The original park having been ceded to the State of California and being governed by a
board of commissioners appointed by the Governor of that State, is so far remote from this department that I have very little
knowledge of the doings of the commission, either by way of letting the contract to remove the underbrush, or in the general
management thereof.It is probably true that local influence has led the commission into making the contract which you deem
disastrous to the natural resources of the park. The moral influence of the general government might be used to stay the
proposed devastation, but if the contract is let, it is probably too late to accomplish anything in that direction. But I
am having investigation made as to the facts and will write when the report comes in. Very respectfully yours, John W.
Noble, Secretary. R. U. Johnson, Esq., Union Square, New York.