The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1913-09-18
WILL CONSERVE
THE IOWA LAKES
STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL HAS
COMPLETE CONTROL.
PREPARING TO INSPECT THEM
Denial Made That Wall Lake Has
Been Leased--stste Law Enacted
With the Idea Of Preserv-
ing Such Lakes.


Des Moines, Sept. 13. - Il appears
that somebody has been circulating
great many statements about Wall
lake and other lakes that aren't so.
1t is stated at the proper office In
| the state house where such things
are of record, that nobody has any
lease of Wall lake, but the council
lentered into an agreement with a resi-.
| dent of Wright county for improve.
ment Of the lake bed and expenditure
OF money. Any lease OF Wall lake or
any other lake Is subject TO cancella.
ton at any time under the laws of
| the state.
For number Of years the state
! had u great deal OF trouble taking
care OF some of the best lakes, as for
instance Storm Lake, because of IN.
ability TO control the grass land
around the lake, which lies between
the meandered line and the highwater
mark And so last winter, Secretary
| Dawson, OF the state executive coun.
ell 60 whose much burdened desk all
such troubles fall, prepared bill for
a law which gave the state authority
over the lakes not only TO the mean
dered lines, but out so far rs the wat
er ever goes. Such law would oper
ate to save many OF the lakes of the
Estate and TO prevent much trouble
But Il seems the law would have af.
fected adversely some interests to
which the senator from Burlington,
Mr.. Cowles was responsive and the
bill was not allowed to come TO a
vote.
As an alternative then, Secretary
Dawson prepared bill giving to the
lstate the authority to lease the land
within the meandered lines until such
time as the land Is otherwise disposed
of. This was done for the purpose of
protecting the lakes and to permit of
care of the grass land surrounding
some Of the best lakes.
To inspect Lakes.
Members OF the executive council
will go to Wright county as soon as
the trip can be arranged, to personal.
ly inspect the summer cottages said to
be erected on the shores of Vail lake
and to take ride In the excursion
steamer, etc, They will also 20 TO
Rush lake IN palo Alto county, as the
trip they had planned to this lake in
the summer was abandoned because
iof the governors illness. The coun.
Icil will soon have up for consideration
the proposals in regard to Goose lake
In regard TO Rush lake there Is the
most conflicting testimony. II Is said
TO be dangerous to health and q
breeding place for millions of black.
birds rather than few ducks. II is
also shown by the records there Is
not enough water there to make OF Il
la lake no matter what might be done
in regard to dredging II out
| The state executive council is said
to be following about the same line
as for number of years regarding
these lakes, namely, that whenever
and wherever any pond or lake can be
saved or improved and be made into
u beauty spot or game preserve this
lis TO be done: but where the demands
of health or considerations OF the
property of the people demand It, up.
on the most conclusive evidence, the
state will permit drainage of the lake
and conversion OF the land into useful
farms. But primarily the state Is
seeking to save as many of the lakes
as possible rather than to have them
abandoned.
IL Is expected that fall rains will
help to I'll some of the lakes that
have been dry all the year.