Pinchot, Gifford, 1865-1946

Film depicts Theodore Roosevelt’s commitment to the reclamation of desert land and his belief that natural resources exist for the public benefit. Included are close-up views of Frederick H. Newell, first director of the U.S. Reclamation Service and Gifford Pinchot, first chief forester and leader of the conservation movement in the U.S.; both influenced Roosevelt’s thinking and action on conservation. Roosevelt fought successfully for the passage of the Reclamation Act of 1902, which authorized the creation of the reclamation service. In 1906 work on the Roosevelt Dam on the Salt River in Arizona began and was completed in 1911. Film consists of views of desert area, including many varieties of cactus; construction of the dam; the completed dam, hydroelectric plant, reservoir, and irrigation system. Scenes of fields and orchards, sheep and cattle grazing, men clearing, plowing, and harvesting fields with various types of farm equipment, and scenes of crops of wheat, alfalfa, and melons, all represent the benefits brought to the Salt River Valley area by the availability of water.

At the formal dedication of the dam on Mar. 18, 1911, Roosevelt presses an electric switch opening sluice gates; Roosevelt speaks and shakes hands with Indian workers. Behind him on the platform are, left to right: a woman who may be Edith Roosevelt; a bald man who is probably Louis C. Hill, supervising engineer of the project; an unidentified man; Benjamin A. Fowler, president of the National Irrigation Congress; another unidentified man; Richard E. Sloan, territorial Governor of Arizona; and a man who is probably John P. Orme, president of the Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association.

Collection

Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound

Creation Date

1928

President Roosevelt praises Secretary of the Interior James Rudolph Garfield and Chief Forester Gifford Pinchot, both for what they have accomplished during his time as president and for the character they have exhibited while in office.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909

Creator(s)

Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919

Caspar Whitney sends President Roosevelt a copy of the article “Fishing versus Shooting as a Remedy for Brain Fag,” which interviewed several English sportsmen and was published in The Outing Magazine. Whitney thinks doing a similar article in which American sportsmen were interviewed would be interesting, and asks Roosevelt to read the article and send him his thoughts. Whitney has also sent similar requests to several other prominent sportsmen.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-07-01

Creator(s)

Whitney, Caspar, 1862-1929

Charles Willis Thompson writes in the Washington Post that while George von Lengerke Meyer is the nominal Postmaster General of the United States, it is in fact Frank H. Hitchcock, the First Assistant Postmaster General, who runs the Post Office Department.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1907-07-07

Creator(s)

Thompson, Charles Willis, 1871-1946

President-Elect Taft tells President Roosevelt that he had a very pleasant talk with Horace Curzon Plunkett, for whom Roosevelt had written a letter of introduction. He promises to continue addressing the problem of a declining birth rate and the movement of population away from rural areas as best he can, and says that he will rely on Gifford Pinchot as a conscience. Taft answers Roosevelt’s question about his life and career, but does not think that Roosevelt should have taken on the burden of writing an introduction to Taft’s inaugural address. He approves of Roosevelt’s planned executive order.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1908-12-24

Creator(s)

Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930

President Díaz acknowledges the receipt of the letter from President Roosevelt introducing Gifford Pinchot.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1909-01-22

Creator(s)

Díaz, Porfirio, 1830-1915

Representative Needham responds to David Starr Jordan’s letter regarding the Pinnacles. The National Forest Service intends to abandon the area’s designation as national forest but assures continued protection of the Pinnacles as a national monument. Needham has asked Chief Forester Gifford Pinchot to delay action until Needham has had the opportunity to talk with interested parties. Needham suggests that Jordan write to Pinchot on the topic.

Collection

Pinnacles National Park

Creation Date

1908-05-04

Creator(s)

Needham, James Carson, 1864-1942

David Starr Jordan tells Representative James Carson Needham that he is reluctant to advise Gifford Pinchot because the latter has superior knowledge of what to do with the forest around the Pinnacles. Jordan feels that the Pinnacles would benefit from remaining government property as it would prevent someone from enclosing them and “making a peep-show of them.”

Collection

Pinnacles National Park

Creation Date

1908-05-11

Creator(s)

Jordan, David Starr, 1851-1931

RepresentativeNeedham responds to David Starr Jordan’s letter regarding the Pinnacles. The National Forest Service intends to abandon the area’s designation as national forest but assures continued protection of the Pinnacles as a national monument. Needham has asked Chief Forester Gifford Pinchot to delay action until Needham has had the opportunity to talk with interested parties. Needham suggests that Jordan write to Pinchot on the topic.

Collection

Pinnacles National Park

Creation Date

1908-05-04

Creator(s)

Needham, James Carson, 1864-1942

Representative Tongue informs W. G. Steel that he received a letter from Gifford Pinchot stating that Theodore Roosevelt is in favor of the Crater Lake bill. Pinchot has seen Secretary of the Interior Ethan Allen Hitchcock, who said he will speak with David Bremner Henderson about giving the bill a chance. Tongue acknowledges that times are critical for the bill, but he is doing the best he can.

Collection

Crater Lake National Park

Creation Date

1902-04-18

Creator(s)

Tongue, Thomas H., 1844-1903

Representative Tongue responds to W. G. Steel’s invitation to Crater Lake. Frederick Newell of the Geological Survey will be attending, and he will inquire if Gifford Pinchot is also attending. Tongue writes that he will attend himself if he is able.

Collection

Crater Lake National Park

Creation Date

1902-05-15

Creator(s)

Tongue, Thomas H., 1844-1903

Stewart Edward White writes to President Roosevelt about his visit to Washington, D.C. White thanks Roosevelt for the Whitman saddle and for contacting Chief of the United States Forest Service Gifford Pinchot. White references his upcoming marriage.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-04-06

Creator(s)

White, Stewart Edward, 1873-1946

The editor of The Century requests Theodore Roosevelt’s permission to use the last line of the enclosure.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-03-31

Creator(s)

Johnson, Robert Underwood, 1853-1937

William D. Washburn offers to send letters attesting to John Crosby’s character. He encloses clipping from “Minneapolis Times” and discusses potential delegates from Minnesota.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-02-26

Creator(s)

Washburn, William D. (William Drew), 1831-1912

Robert Underwood Johnson thanks President Roosevelt for meeting with his son, journalist Owen Johnson. He discusses forest reform and the publication of Gifford Pinchot’s article in The Century Magazine. He is sending a book on forest destruction to Roosevelt.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-02-16

Creator(s)

Johnson, Robert Underwood, 1853-1937

This film opens with exterior views of Theodore Roosevelt’s birthplace, Roosevelt House, on its dedication day. Bought and restored by the Woman’s Roosevelt Memorial Association, the brownstone is officially opened to visitors on October 27, 1923. There are views of street crowds. The Gloria Trumpeters, four young women in Grecian costume herald the event with trumpet music from the balcony of Roosevelt House. There is a view of William T. Manning, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, who is to deliver an opening prayer. The next scene is of Governor Gifford Pinchot and his wife Cornelia Bryce Pinchot of Pennsylvania, Acting Mayor of New York City, Murray Hulbert, and other unidentified guests arriving.

Collection

Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound

Creation Date

1923-10-27

Creator(s)

Roosevelt Memorial Association

This film depicts Theodore Roosevelt’s commitment to the reclamation of desert land and his belief that natural resources exist for the public benefit. Included are close-up views of Frederick Haynes Newell, first director of the U.S. Reclamation Service and Gifford Pinchot, first chief forester and leader of the conservation movement in the U.S.; both influenced Roosevelt’s thinking and action on conservation. Roosevelt fought successfully for the passage of the Reclamation Act of 1902, which authorized the creation of the reclamation service. In 1906 work on the Roosevelt Dam on the Salt River in Arizona began and was completed in 1911. Film consists of views of desert area, including many varieties of cactus; construction of the dam; the completed dam, hydroelectric plant, reservoir, and irrigation system. Scenes of fields and orchards, sheep and cattle grazing, men clearing, plowing, and harvesting fields with various types of farm equipment, and scenes of crops of wheat, alfalfa, and melons, all represent the benefits brought to the Salt River Valley area by the availability of water.

At the formal dedication of the dam on March 18, 1911, Roosevelt presses an electric switch opening sluice gates, and speaks and shakes hands with workers. Behind him on the platform are, left to right: a woman who may be Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt; a bald man who is probably Louis C. Hill, supervising engineer of the project; an unidentified man; Benjamin A. Fowler, president of the National Irrigation Congress; another unidentified man; Richard E. Sloan, territorial Governor of Arizona; and a man who is probably John P. Orme, president of the Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association.

Collection

Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound

Creation Date

1928

Scenes from May 10, 1923, when Governor Gifford Pinchot of Pennsylvania signed into law an old age pension bill which authorized payment of allowances to indigents more than seventy years old, guaranteeing a minimum daily income of one dollar. The first time a gubernatorial bill-signing was filmed in the Pennsylvania State Capitol, the event drew reporters, public officials, and members of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, an organization which strongly supported the measure.

Collection

Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound

Creation Date

1923

Creator(s)

Unknown

Edmund B. Osborne writes to Everett Colby, listing the differences between their political platforms. Osborne repeatedly points out his agreement with Theodore Roosevelt’s policy positions.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Creation Date

1913-08-12

Creator(s)

Osborne, Edmund B. (Edmund Burke), 1865-1917

A booklet published by the Progressive National Committee. The publication lists the names of people in the Progressive Party’s administration and outlines the party’s ideals and goals. The Table of Contents is as follows: Organization of the National Service; Division of Administration – Organization of State Services, Office Organization; Department Work – Social and Industrial Justice, Conservation, Popular Government, Cost of Living and Corporation Control; Bureau of Education; Bureau of Legislative Reference.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site

Creation Date

1913-03-31

Creator(s)

Unknown