Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1919-11-06

GILL people tie W0HlCIleSL POSSESSION nelQ DIV any
nation in the world. Mineral, agriculture, fish
cries. stock raising ything for future develop
ment. It is the golden land Of promise for the
coming generation. All they want is your help.
Come and help them. Let us have 100000 people
in Alaska.
None Of the speakers mentioned Mount Nc
kinley. 1t will be noted that the small map sug-
costing the general course of the Alaskan railroad
shows Mount Mckinley. This great peak, with q
surrounding area Of 22O0 square miles, is now
Mount Mckinley National park. The government
railroad runs close to corner Of the peak and
will make it accessible.
Mount Mckinley National park lies approx
mately in the center of Alaska in the midst Of
the vast wilderness to the south of the Yukon and
to the west of the Tanana. Here the Alaskan
range. which forms a line of snow-capped sum-
mts 200 miles long, eliminates in-several gigantic
peaks, the highest Of which-Mount Mckinley
towering 10000 feet, is the highest mountain in
the world above the line of perpetual SHOW, and
one of the most impressive mountains of the
earth. Seen from altitude of 1900 feet Mount
Mckinley is stupendous; travellers say that there
is nothing like in even among the higher Andes or
Himalayas.
The park area is in scenic keeping with forests
glaciers, lakes, streams and lofty peaks. So from
a scenic viewpoint the new Mckinley National
park takes place in the front rank of our II ma
tional parks.
Mount Mckinley is a natural big game refuge
1t is the fountain-head of the big game supply
south of the Yukon and west of the Tanana. 1t is
the center Of region where big game abounds
Here can still be seen the wild game living in
security, protected by the remoteness and rugged
ness Of the region. Great moose stalk through the
valleys about timber line. Herds of caribou feed
on the moss-covered hills. Bands of bighorns
browse on the high mountain slopes The grizzly
monarch Of the American wilderness, gives the
crowning touch to this picture Of wild game
paradise
But already is this big game paradise menaced
The prospector, miner ana market hunter are
closing in. The white mans civilization is draw
ing near. Already sledloads of wild game reach
the Fairbanks market. With the completion of
the government railroad New York will be but
three weeks away. Our national expansion has
always carried with 1t evils as we'll as good
Fires have swept away forests; dynamite and
filth have killed of the fish; leaden hail has
extermnated the wild life. Remember the buf.
falo!"
When this day comes the big game Of the region
will naturally gravitate to Mount Mckinley And
there 1t will find sanctuary in the national park
So aside from its scenic magnifcence the creation
Of Mount Mckinley National park is wen worth
while as game preserve.
On the other hand, SO remote is this vast wilder
ness that the act contains concession to the pros
pector and the miner in the matter of killing
game for food The act establishes the park as a
game refuge and provides heavy punishment for
the killing of game. There is, however, this pro-
viso:
provided That prospectors and miners en-
gagged in prospecting or mining in said park may
take and kill there so much game or birds as may
be needed for their actual necessities when short
Of food; but in no case shall animals or birds be
killed in said park for sale or removal therefrom
or wantonly."
tits obvious that inasnuch as the passing of the
park act does not modify or affect the mineral land
laws now applicable to the area and hence does
not exclude prospectors and miners, it would not
40 to prohibit the killing of game for food by them
in case of necessity.