Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-07-11
FRED AUSTIN. OF CLARION, sE.
CURES TWENTY YEAR LEASE
ON WALL LAKE BED.
cLEvERLY WoRDED BILL
SLIPPED THRU LEGISLATURE
Msa.ur. Passed to Permit State Of
ease Lake Beds to lndividuals for
Twenty Years Tims-stats Trsasur.
Or Brown Charged With estrayins
Wright County epertsmsn.

BOWS, July ts1l.-|1ne \1OSV3 AUVOCdtc
today will say:
ibid Wright county capitalists Sc
session Of the state legislature. of q
bill which was primarily intended to
secure the drainage of Wall lake?
Dows sportsmen. interested in the
preservation Of the lake as hunting
resort are of the opinion that this is
the case, and without an exception ore
highly incensed at the apparently sue
cessfully laid and perfectly carried out
plans for wiping the celebrated Wright
county hunting resort OF the map.
"That such an act had been secured,
and that the lake bed had been leased
for period of twenty years became
publicly known in this city Tuesday,
at a conference Of State Game Warden
Hinshaw, Deputy Martin. and about
fifty interested Iowa sportsmen. who
were here to attend the shoot. It was
found that bill had been cleverly slip
ped thru the last session Of the state
legislature which provides that the
state may lease the beds Of state
lakes to private individuals for per-
iod of twenty years. the land to be
drained and improved, and to again
become the property Of the state. at
the expiration of the twenty years.
when the matter Of draining the
lake was agitated. local sportsmen In
terviewed Governor George w. Clarke.
and secured his assurance to lend his
aid in saving the lake. Il was also un-
der stood that Hon. w. C. Brown. OF
Clarion. state treasurer. who by virtue
Of his Office 10 also q member Of the
state executive council. would help the
Dowsites who have been spending their
time and money to make the lake q
popular hunting and pleasure resort
fell that they have a reason to doubt
this, however, when developments
show that recently. when the governor
was out Of the city, q meeting OF the
state executive council was held and
the bed Of Wall lake was leased to
Fred Austin, Of Clarion. q son-in law
Of State Treasurer Brown, for q period
Of twenty years. Just what the spe-
ciflc terms Of the lease are are not
known here. A copy Of the lease has
been sent for but has not as yet been
received. However, 1t IL understood
that Mr.. Austin is to drain the lake.
make certain improvements. and re-
tain possession for period Of twenty
years, at the expiration Of which per-
iod the land is to revert back to the
state. 2
Will Cost 100000.
Local parties who have given the
subject some consideration estimate
that 1t will cost private Individual in
the neighborhood Of 100000 to drain
Wall lake. not taking into considera-
ton the numerous damage suits which
would naturally accrue to the carry
ing Of such an immense volume OF
water thru tho farms Of land owners
thru whose possessions the drainage
canal must necessarily pass.
'The lake bed contains between 1000
or 400 acres, large portion Of the
bed Of which il gravel. the remainder
being mostly peat
"As q hunting and pleasure resort.
the Lake shore contains permanent Inn
valued at ~. 900 to $4,000
md Is the rendezvous Of hunters from
all over tho state Of Iowa.