The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1919-06-06

CURED by the federal government If the forest
service does oppose its establishment, national
park leaders say 1t will be because 1t opposes all
national park legislation Again the reason for
this general oppositioHsa plkin. The agricultural
department Is waging publk campaign to get the
control Of the national parks away from the in
terior department and hence Is endeavorng to dis
credit the rival department in every way.
The forest service created in 1905 to take
charge of the national forests, which were then
purposes-scentific forestry, numbering and graz
ing-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
tonal park areas which have been taken from ma
tional forests by act of congress.
In view Of President Merrick's declaration that
the Mississippi valley controls 50 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 The establishment OF
this park involves question of congressional pol
icy for which there is precedent. This is I'M
dOubtedy the reason why no action whatever
taken by the last congress bill for its estab-
lishment The question is this: Hitherto congress
has established national parks out of the public
domain ii has voted appropriation for
the purchase of prvatelyowned property for
tional park purposes VIII 1t make depar-
ture In the of this national park?
About 20.0O0O00 people are within a nights ride
by rail of the park site Thus the location of the
park is feature of decided interest. There is
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 circle trimmed by Chicago. Milwaukee, St
Paul. Minneapolis. Kansas City, Omaha and ST
Louis Several railroads touch it. River trans
portaton 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. 1t
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 1911 acres has been
appraised at SS2.T55 Another tract the " .scon-
sin side contains 745S acres and has been ap-
praised at S141.042. A third tract is Wisconsin
state park Of 1851 acres; there is reasonable
prospect that the legislature would turn this over
Mrs. Martha h Mum of New York. who owns the
1875 Iowa acres which form the scenic keystone OF
the park. offers donate this land. appraised Mt
So 50O Thus the federal government is asked 10
appropriate sob 1878 for the purchase of ubouf
5000 acres out of 1900 acres
This area may be truthfuliy said to have scenic
historic and educational features of national i'm,
portance. Careful private ownership has protected
the heavy forests. which are still practically nri
meval. The hills rise abruptly from the river To
about 500 feet The view from Pixies Peak. and
the nearby Pictured Rocks. have more than loon,
reputation. The broad sweep of the river is mag
niicent and there attractive islands There
are deep ravines and valleys containing springs
lakes and streams. Many bayous. home of the wn-
ter lilies. meander from the river.
Indian mounds are many in the park site There
is, for example, d system Of them half mile long