Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1914-12-17
Bic BIRD
HOME IS
PROPOSED
Hag1uS SNe1S0n Offers Lad
Now Submerged As Refuge for
Winged Visitors.
(From Madison Democrat


A magnificent bird refuge for Wis
cOnsin.
That is what Magnus Swenson, presi-
dent of the Southern Wisconsin Power
Co., offers to the state.
Immediately above the Chicago &
Northwestern railway bridge at Merri-
mack, on the south bank Of the Wiscon-
sin river in Columbia county lies vast
tract of lowland which has been sub
merged by back water from the great
dam at Prairie du Sac. 1t includes
5000 to 8, 900 acres and cost the COM
pany about $3.50, 900!
1t is this area, the deed to which Mr..
Swenson now offers free to the state.
All he asks in return is that it be kept
perpetually as a bird refuge, and be
duly policed against hunters. Mr..
Swenson, in addition, of course, would
reserve the right Of fiowage.
Three Miles Wide at Merrimack.
This tract at the Merrimack bridge,
is nearly three miles wide, extending
south to Okee, and it reaches up the
river toward Portage nearly six miles.
Its average width is about two miles.
At present it is wonderful tanglewood
mostly of elms, with some birch, oak
and other forestry intermingled, and
underbrush everywhere. 1t is estimat
ed that in about two years all the trees
will have tumbled over, making thin
ly submerged mass that never will de-
cay, and above which in time may ap-
pear more or less vegetation. Over the
tract now lies water, from a foot in
depth or less, to dozen feet or more.
Wild rice could grow abundantly in
many places to furnish natural food for
the aquatic fowl that surely would
gather there in great numbers and live
in perfect security.
The Northwestern railway skirts the
plot as far south as Okee, with a new
highway on the opposite side of the
track. This new road was made neces-
sary by the prosp ective submergence
of the old road next the marsh.
Wonderful Nesting Place.
Of course with such safe refuge
for ducks and geese there would be
much nesting, and the fowl naturally
would, in seeking food elsewhere, radi-
ate far out over the country round
about. Hence such place of protection
should have the effect of immensely
improving the hunting over all of
southern Wisconsin.
A big Chicago hunting club has made
an overture to lease this land for the
purpose of converting it into private
game preserve, but Mr.. Swenson is
strongly disinclined to allow the proper
ty thus to be used. He is most anxious
that it go over to the state, and that
the commonwealth assume permanent
jurisdiction over it.
Only q Miles from Capital
This area lies wholly in Columbia
county, directly across the river from
Sank county. The state park at Dew
lis lake is only eight miles away, Bara-
boo II, Portage IA, and Madison 81.
The property, of course, would need
the attention of local game warden,
but during the season when there is no
ice-for perhaps seven months of the
year. The cost to the state for it's care
would probably not exceed $500 a year.
State Forester Enthusiastic
The state board of forestry has au-
thority to accept gifts for parks and to
administer them and State Forester E.
M. Grifiths expresses great enthusiasm
for this project. He says it is Won
derful opportunity for the state and
would be glorious thing for wild fowl
end birds