The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-11-07

can people the wealthiest possession held by any
nation in the world. Mineral, agriculture, fish
cries, stock ~raising-ever ything for future develop
ment. 1t is the golden land of promise for the
coming generation. All they want is yo"r help.
Come and help them. Let us have 25O.OOO 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 Il
surrounding area of 200 square miles, Is now
Mount Mckinley National park. The government
railroad runs close to one 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 ana
to the west of the Tanana. Here the Alaskan
range, which forms q line Of snOw-capped sum-
mits 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 snow, and
one of the most impressive mountains OF the
earth. Seen from an altitude of l,SOO feet, Mount
Mckinley is stupendous; travellers say that there
is nothing like it, 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
mark takes place in the front rank of our II ma
tiOnal parks.
Mount Mckinley is a natural big game refuge.
If is the fOuntain-head of the big game supply
south of the Yukon and west of the Tanana. 1t Is
the center of a region where big game abounds.
Here can still be seen the wild game living in
security. protected by the remoteness and rugged
moss of the region. Great moose stalk through the
valleys about timber line. Herds OF caribou feed
IN the mOss-covered hills. Bands of bighOrns
browse on the high mountain slopes. The grizzly,
monarch of the American Wilderness, gives the
browning touch to this picture Of a wild game
paradise.
Rut already is this big game paradise menaced.
The prospector, miner and market hunter are
c,os,no IN. The white mans civilization is draw
inc near. Already sledloads of wild game reach
the Fairbanks market. With the completion OF
Tho government railroad New York will be but
three weeks away. Our national expansion has
ALWAYS carried with it evils as well as good.
F;ras have swept away forests; dynamite and
Alth have killed off the fish; a leaden hail has
oxtarminated the wild life. Remember the buff
falO! ~
When this day comes the big game Of the region
will naturally gravitate to Mount Mckinley. And
tbere II will find sanctuary in the national park.
60 aside from It's scenic magnifcence, the creation
of Mount Mckinley National park is well worth
while rs q game preserve.
On the other hand, so remote is this vast wilder
moss FIAT the act contains a concession to the pros
hector and the miner in the matter OF killing
game for food. The act establishes the park as a
game refuge and provides a 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."
1t is obvious that inasmuch 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, II would not
do to prohibit the killing Of game for food by them
In case Of necessity.