Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-09-02

There is no question that the Indiana dunes
worthy of national park honors. October 80, 1916,
a public hearing held in Chicago by the in
terror department in pursuance of senate resolu-
ton. In September 1917 a 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 Miller's in Lake county and
Michigan City. After describing the dunes with
considerable enthusiasm Director Mather 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 are the most &C.
cessible dunes; that they possess extremely inter-
estlng flora and fauna; that they offer unparalleled
opportunities to observe the action of the wind
and its influence the sand and plant life; that
the Lake Michigan beach is beautiful and offers
bathing facilities for multitude; that the recrea-
uonal 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 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 peOpleT
He answers the first two questions emphatically
in the affirmative He 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 it one of legislative policy to
be determined by congress, inasmuch as the dunes
are not public lands, and private lands have never
been purchased for national park purposes He
thinks the park should contain from 1900 to ID 600
acres. extending Is or 20 miles along the lake. He
finds that options secured by spectators vary
between $3.50 and 5000 an acre, with one tract of
$500 acres held at $1,000 an acre.
'ManifeStly," says Mr.. Mather, none of these
lands are actually worth $3.50 an acre at this time
figure less than 5000 an acre 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 the 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
Iy 5000 an acre. The purchase price of park of
the size suggested would therefore be between
81 100000 and $2,600O00"
The proposed Dune National park is really
wonderful place In the first place, the dunes are
an uniEhabited wilderness. The fact that there Is
an uninhabited 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 a marvel. Incidentally. the dunes are
within few hours by reil and automobile of 90
100000 people. This makes them unique as a pub
lie playground
Again: The dunes are different world from
the monotonous fairness of the Chicago plain.
They are country of hills and bluffs gullies and
valleys There are all sorts of interesting yaria-
tons: Little lakes. streams. boys, meadows. The
bluffs above the beach are imposing The beach
itself is q wonder-broad. smooth clean. free from