The Newark journal., 1919-09-11

There is no question that the Indiana dunes
worthy of national park heHers October 80 1916,
public hearing was held i'll Chicago by the in
terror department in pursuance of a senate resolu-
ten. In September. 1917 printed report by
Director Stephen T. Mather of the national park
service was issued. This report eliminated from
consideration all of the dune country except a
strip along the shore of Lake Michigan about
mile deep between Mers in Lake county and
Michigan City. After describing the Gunes with
considerable enthusiasm, Director AIather says:
Assuming, without further description of actual
conditions in this dune country, that the sand
dunes Of Indiana are equal to those In any other
section of the country that they the most ac-
ceSSble dunes; that they possess extremely inter.
eSth@ nora ana 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-
tional uses of the region are myriad, should they
or large section of them be preserved for present
and future generations? If they should be pre-
served, they worthy of inclusion in a national
park! And if t3ey are worthy of consideration as
a possible national park, would it be practicable
to establish them rs such park for the benefit
and enjoyment of the people,
He answers the first two questions e1nphaticalIy
in the affirmative. lie says this region should be
preserved to the people for all time and that it is
worthy of national park honors. AS To the third
question, he thinks ii of legislative policy to
be determined by congress- nasmuch rs the dunes
are not public lands and private lands have never
purchased for national park purposes He
thinks the park should contain from 5000 to 10 900
acres, extending Is or 20 miles along the lake He
finds that options secured by spectators vary
between $500 and 5000 acre, with one tract OF
200 acres held at 81 eco an acre
"AIanifestly," says Mr.. Mathcr none of these
lands are actually worth $500 acre at this time
\ figure less than 5000 probably represents
the actual value of the average tract of land NOT
under the influence of urban values. due TO prox-
unity 70 cities. Practically all of the larger hold
ings must be purchased in their entirety, | believe
that 5000 to 1900 acres OF dune lands can prob
ably be secured for park purposes for approximate
ly 5000 an acre. The purchase price of a park of
the size suggested would therefore be between
81 100000 and s., 100000"
The proposed Dune National park is really
wonderful place In the first place, the dunes are
an uninhabted wilderness. The fact that there is
an unnhabited wilderness within few miles of
the center of population-in 1910 at Bloomington
Ind-and at the very doors of Chicago the second
CITY of the 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 90
100000 people This makes them unique as pub
lie playground
Again: The dunes are a different world from
the monotonous fairness of the Chicago plain
They are country of hills and bluffs. guilies and
valleys There are all sorts of interesting yaria-
TONS Little lakes. streams. boys. meadows. The
bluffs above the beach imposing The beach
itself Is wonder-broad smooth. ciean, free from