The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-06-13

CURED by the federal government. If the forest
service does oppose it's establishment, national
park leaders say, it will be because it opposes all
national park legislation. Again the reason for
this general opposition is plain. The agricultural
department is waging a public campaign to get the
control Of the national parks away from the in
terror department and hence is endeavOring to dis
credit the rival department in every way.
The forest service was created in 1905 to take
charge OF the national forests, which were then
set aside for strictly industrial and commercial
urposes-scientii forestry, numbering and graz
inS-and transferred from the interior department
to the agricultural department. Now the forest
service is developing the recreational possibilities
of the national forests and wants to get back ma
tlonal park areas which have been taken from na.
tiOnal forests by act of congress.
In view of President Merrick's declaration TINT
the Mississippi valley controls so per cent of the
men in congress, the progress of the park bill in
congress will be well worth watching.
Middle West Has No Park.
The progress Of the bill will be well worth
watching for another reason: The establishment of
this park involves a question Of congressional pol
icy for which there is no precedent. This is un.
doubleday the reason why no action whatever was
taken by the last congress on a bill for it's estab.
lishment. The question is this: Hitherto congress
has established national parks out Of the public
domain it has never voted an appropriation for
the purchase Of privately-owned property for ma
tiOnal park purposes. Will it make a new depar.
ture in the case of this national park?
About 2OyOOO,0OO people are within a nights ride
by rail Of the park site. Thus the location Of the
park is a feature Of decided interest. There is no
scenic national park worthy Of the name between
Rocky Mountain in Colorado and Lafayette In
Maine. Yet this proposed park lies in the center
Of a circle trimmed by Chicago, Milwaukee, st.
Paul, Minneapolis. Kansas City, Omaha and st.
Louis. Several railroads touch it. River trans
portation Is available.
The bulk of the tourist travel to the national
parks is now by private automobile. The park site
is convenient to the tran sentimental motOrist.
The selected area lies along the Mississippi in
northeastern Iowa and southwestern Wisconsin. II
totals about 1900 acres, land and water. The
river area is about 1000 acres; the two states own
the land under the river; the federal government
controls its navigation.
One tract of land in Iowa Of 1871 acres has been
appraised at $50, 755. Another tract on the Wiscon.
sin side contains 7,45S acres and has been an.
praised at Sal, O42. A third tract Is a Wisconsin
state park Of 1851 acres; there Is a reasonable
prospect that the legislature would turn this over
Mrs. Martha h Mum of New York, who owns tho
125 Iowa acres which form the scenic keystone ne
the park, offers to donate this land, appraised 81
So, 500. Thus the federal government Is asked m
appropriate s223, 1917 SO for the purchase of abont
5000 acres out Of 1900 acres.
This area may be truthfully said to have sce,,o
historic and educational features Of national i'm.
portance. Careful private ownership has protected
the heavy forests, which are still practically ma.
meval. The hills rise abruptly from the river m
about 500 feet. The view from Pixies Peak. and
the nearby Pictured Rocks, have more than a Local
reputation. The broad sweep of the river is map.
nifcent and there are attractive islands. There
are deep ravines and valleys containing springs
lakes and streams. Many bayous. home of the wa.
ter lilies, meander from the river.
Indian mounds are many in the park site. There
is, for example, q system of them half a mile long