The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-09-04

There is no question that the Indiana dunes are
worthy Of national park hOnOrs October 80, 1916.
a public hearing held in Chicago by the
terror department in pursuance of a senate resOlu-
t1On In September, 1917, a printed report by
Director Stephen Z. Matler of the national park
service was issued. This report eliminated from
strip along the shore of Lake Michigan about a
mile deep between MIer's in Lake county and
Nllcnlgan City After describing the dunes with
considerable enthusiasm, Director Mather saws
Assuming, without further description of actual
conditions in this dune country, that the sand
dunes Of Indiana are equal to those in any other
secu0n OF the country; that they are the most ac-
cesslDie dunes; that they possess extremely inter-
estng flora and fauna that they offer unparalleled
opportunities TO observe the action of the wind
and its influence on the sand and plant life; that
the Lake Michigan beach is beautiful and offers
bathing facilities for multitude; that the recrea-
tonaI uses of the region myriad, should they
or large section of them be preserved for present
and future generations? If they should be pre-
served, are they worthy of inclusion in a national
park? And if they worthy of consideration as
a possible national park, would it be practicable
to establish them as such park for the benefit
and enjoyment of the peOple?"
He answers the first two questions e1npba ticaIIv
in the affirmative. He says this region should no
preserved to the people for all time and that it is
worthy of national park hOnOrs. As to the third
question, he thinks it of legislative policy to
be determined by congress- inasmuch as the dunes
not public lands and private lands have never
been purchased for national park purposes He
thinks the park should contain from 5000 tO 13 OOO
acres, extending 10 or 20 miles along the lake He
finds that options secured by SPECTATORS vary
between $3.50 and 5000 acre, with one tract of
$500 acres held at 81, 900 an acre.
"Manifestly," says Mr.. Mather, none of these
lands actually worth $3.50 acre at this time
figure less than $500 an probably represents
the actual value of the average tract of land not
under the influence of urban values due to prox-
unity to cities. Practically all of larger hold
ings must be purchased in their entirety. believe
that 1900 to 1900 acres of dune lands can prob
ably be secured for park purposes for approximate
" S2OO,a acre. The purchase price of park of
the size suggested would therefore be between
81 100000 and 50, 100000"
The proposed Dune National park is really a
wonderful place. In the first place, the dunes are
an uninhabited wilderness. The fact that there is
an unnhabited wilderness within a few miles of
the center of population-in 1910 at Bloomington
Ind-and at the very doors of Chicago, the second
city of nation and the fourth city of the world
is in itself marvel. Incidentally the dunes are
within a few hours by rail and automobile of 20
100000 people This makes them unique as a puh-
lie playground
Again: The dunes different world from
the monotonous hatness Of the Chicago plain
They are country of hills and bluffs gulIies and
valleys. There all sorts Of interesting varia-
tons: Little lakes streams boys meadows The
bluffs above the beach imposing. The beach
itself is wonder-broad, smooth, clean. free from