Jerome County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1919-1920, 1919-08-28

lhere is no question that the Indiana dunes are
""I'hS oi national park hOnors. October 80. 1916
puhllc nearing was held in Chicago by the in
terror department IN pursuance of senate resolu-
non In September, 1917 printed report by
Director Stephen T. Mather of the national park
service was issued. This report eliminated from
'"nsluefatlon all OF the dune country except n
strip along the shore of Lake Michigan about a
nne deep between Mers in Lake county and
michigan City After describing the 6unes with
c"hSldemble enthusiasm, Director Mather saws:
Assuming, without further description Of actual
Vonutlohs ID this dune country that the sand
uuhes OF Indiana are equal TO those in any other
secuoh or the country; that they are the most no.
cesslpe dunes; that they possess extremely inter.
estlng flora and fauna that they offer UNPARALLELED
opportunities to observe the action OF the wind
ana lis influence on the sand and plant life that
inc Lake Michigan beach is beautiful and offers
bathng facilities for multitude; that the recrea-
uonal uses of the region are myriad should they
or large section of them be preserved for present
and future generations? If they should be nre-
served are they worthy of inclusion in n national
park? And if they are worthy of consideration ms
possible national park, would ii be practicable
TO establish them as such park for the benefit
and enjoyment of the people?'
He answers the first two questions emphaticolly
In the affirmative He says this region should he
preserved Ia the people for all time ana thar II is
worthy of national park honors. As Ia the third
question, he thinks 1t of legislative policv 10
be determined by congress. inasmuch as the dunes
are not public lands. and private lands have nevar
been purchased for national park purposes He
thinks the park should contain from 5000 to IN oO0
acres extending 10 20 miles along the lake ua
finds that options secured by spectators vnrv
between $3.50 and $500 an acre, with one tract ar
300 acres held at $1,000 an acre
"Nnnifestly,' says Mr. Mather. none of these
lands are actually worth $500 an acre M This tina
\ figure less than $500 an acre probably represents
the actual value of the average tract of land NOT
under the influence of urban values due ia nrox
unity cities. practically-all of the lnrgpr hold
ngs must he purchased in their entirety ] believe
that 1000 to 1900 acres OF dune lands can nroh
ably he secured for park purposes for approxmate-
~ 500 mn acre. The purchase price OF n park of
the size suggested would therefore bt between
81 500 900 ana S@6OO.OO0.'
The proposed Dune National park is really n
wonderful place. In the first place the dunes are
nm uninhnhited Wilderness The fact that there is
an un,nhnhitcd wilderness within II few miles of
the center of pOpuaton--in 1910 al Bloomington
Ind-and ut the very doors of Chicago the second
city of the nation and the fourth city of the world
is I'm itself a marvel. incidentally, the dunes are
within few hours by rail and automobile of 20.
0OOOOO people This makes them unique as pub
lie playground.
Aynn: The dunes are n different world from
the monotonous fairness of the Chicago plain
They are country of hills and bluffs. gues and
valleys There are all sorts OF Interesting varia
lions: Little lakes streams. bogs. meadows. The
itself is wonder-broad smooth, clean. free from