Volume 143, No. 34 covering the 1st Session of the 105th Congress (1997 - 1998) was published by the Congressional Record.
The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“FINIS MITCHELL” mentioning the Environmental Protection Agency was published in the Senate section on pages S2339-S2340 on March 17, 1997.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
FINIS MITCHELL
Mr. THOMAS. Mr. President, it is with great honor that I join Wyoming's Gov. Jim Geringer, and the people of the State of Wyoming, in paying tribute to Finis Mitchell, a man whose legacy commemorates the very pioneer spirit on which our great country was founded.
In remembrance of Mr. Mitchell's innumerable contributions to our State, Governor Geringer has issued a proclamation to designate February 15, 1997, as ``Finis Mitchell Day.''
I ask unanimous consent that the State of Wyoming's proclamation be printed in the Record following my remarks.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
[See exhibit 1]
Mr. THOMAS. Finis Mitchell was in the vanguard of mountain climbing at the beginning of this century, and continued his exploration of the Wind River Mountain Range until 1985 when, at the age of 84, he suffered a debilitating knee injury. He documented his climbing experiences through extensive mapping and photography, and eventually amassed a collection of slides numbering in excess of 126,000. This intimate knowledge of the area served as a reference for the U.S. Geological Survey in drawing official maps of the Wind Rivers, and inspired Mr. Mitchell to share his love of the mountains by penning a guidebook and giving educational lectures nationwide.
After marrying Emma Nelson in 1923, together they stocked over 300 of the region's lakes with fish and started the Wind Rivers' first recreational fishing camp. To this day, those lakes are being fished by the public. In recognition of his life-long dedication to environmental conservation, Finis Mitchell received an honorary doctorate from the University of Wyoming, in addition to other State and National awards. He also found the time to serve as a State legislator.
Throughout his life, Mr. Mitchell demonstrated strength in his rugged individualism. Starting from a humble beginning with his wife at their post-Depression fishing camp, this spirit of determination provided Mr. Mitchell with the foundation for a lifetime of success. Finis Mitchell rose to the challenges of exploring social, educational, and political frontiers just as he made his innumerable treks into the untamed wilderness, one step at a time.
It can be said that Mr. Mitchell's achievements were a byproduct of respect he had for the lands he called his own backyard, and those which he helped transform into a sportsman's paradise. The following passage in Finis Mitchell's own words surely echoes the sentiment of all who have had the privilege of knowing his Winds:
Evening alone in the mountains. No one to talk to. No one speaking out . . . Only the comfort of a murmuring breeze, the goodnight chirp of the snowbird . . . the glistening of the moon on a distant glacier, the faint music of waterfalls scurrying down. Where else can a man be so close to heaven and still have his feet on the ground?
Mr. Mitchell's extensive mapping of the Wind River region and his nationally recognized wildlife conservation efforts will be appreciated by folks from Wyoming, and others drawn to the area from all over the globe, for generations to come. We will continue to share his love of nature through the beauty of the majestic vistas and abundant wildlife that make our State like no place on Earth.
Mr. President, I would like to close with a quote from ``The Pioneer'' by James Fenimore Cooper, which seems to epitomize the life of Finis Mitchell:
None know how often the hand of God is seen in the wilderness but them that rove it for a man's life . . .
Such a man was Finis Mitchell.
Exhibit 1
Governor's Proclamation
Finis Mitchell was born on November 14, 1901 in Ethel, Missouri, the son of the late Henry Reece and Faye Troutman Mitchell. He traveled with his parents from Missouri to Wyoming's Wind River Range, arriving on April 26, 1906.
Finis Mitchell started mountain climbing back in October, 1909. He continued solo climbing until 1975 when at the age of 73, he suffered a debilitating fall that left him with a bad knee.
Finis Mitchell began taking pictures as a hobby with his climbing, so that he could show people where he had been and what was in our national forests. By the time he stopped climbing he had accumulated a collection of 35mm slides in excess of 126,000. Finis spent most of his free time exploring the Wind Rivers, capturing their beauty on film, naming lakes, and mapping the terrain.
Finis Mitchell and Emma Nelson were married in Rock Springs at the Congregational Church on June 4, 1925. The two pioneers, in 1930, started Mitchell's Fishing Camp at the Big Sandy Openings, which was to become the first recreation area on the Pacific side of the Wind River Range. Due to the lack of fish, Finis and Emma transported fish in five gallon milk cans, twelve at a time using six pack horses. In the seven years that they operated their fishing camp, they stocked over 300 lakes with over 2.5 million little trout, all free for the public to enjoy.
Finis Mitchell had been the recipient of many awards and honors for his conservation efforts by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Forest Service and several presidents. He served in the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1955-1958. In 1975 Finis published a guidebook to the Wind Rivers, Wind River Trails. In 1977 he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Wyoming. The Congress of the United States named Finis' favorite mountain after him. Mitchell Peak at 12,482 feet, is one of a very few land forms in the country that was named after a living American.
Finis Mitchell passed away November 13, 1995, the day before his 94th birthday.
Now Therefore, I Jim Geringer, Governor of the State of Wyoming, do hereby proclaim February 15, 1997, to be ``Finis Mitchell Day'' in Wyoming. Known by many as ``Lord of the Wind Rivers,'' Finis Mitchell hiked or backpacked over 15,000 miles and climbed 220 peaks since 1909. He shared his knowledge and experiences with anyone and everyone. He spent a lifetime exploring and learning about the Wind River Range and passing the information on to others.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Wyoming to be affixed this 12th day of February, 1997.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alabama.
Mr. SHELBY. Mr. President, are we in morning business?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Alabama is correct.
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