The Mankato free press., 1919-10-31

Z
water supply to maintain adequate
level is met by the fact that springs
on the hanks constantly feed this tract
and today after weeks of moderately
dry weather one will find substantial
stream of water flowing through the
culvert on South Front street. This
could be augmented by sinking wells
10 the proper level to obtain flow
OF water 1t is also a known fact tnat
farmers farther up are interested in
q drainage proposition which would
add many acres tc this watershed.
An objection 10 this proposition.
voiced by q prominent banker OF the
city, was 70 The effect that il was
.;kely that the bottom formation Of
the ."act in question was TOO porous
te-hold the water which might be
obtained TO fill the basin. This is
met by the observation of Engineer
Blcmqnist. who made soundinss over
ihe tract and found several feer Of
clay beneath the pete formation. \
concrete example tending 10 show
what might be expected is The little
slough adjoining this tract oil The
Creamery Package company's prop
erty on South 'front.' This slough al
ways has water in IT, even in the dry
est seasons, and il never sinks away.
The whole plan seems practical, ami
III put through would add untold
beauty 10 the city. and comfort and
pleasure 10 the citizens of Mankato
and the community adjacent
Because | may own few acres OF
land during the few short swings of
the prndulum of my time on earth,
have | any moral right to deny to
you the privilege OF fishing in the
brock which flows through them or
10 your children the right to pick the
flowers which grow along its banks?
But this keep out and Off man is
not altogether TO blame. There Is
Another side TO this question. II is
careless and destructive city fellow
who lets down the farmers bars and
fails 10 replace them; who starts
camp fire and fails to- eXtinguish 1t;
who litters up the camping grounds
with boxes, papers ard refuse OF ey-
cry kind. This fellow is doing quite
as much as The keep cut and off man
toward keeping you and ME from
making the most of the scenic attrac-
tions of the vicinity.
But j have a legal right to keen
you from entering upon MY land, and
the only way 10 overcome il is for
the public to own as many OF these
natural beauty spots as possible,
nearly all OF (which are useless for
agricultural purpOses.-S.ome OF you
may not know that State Auditor
preus is fathering a eme TO con-
Gemn FOR public purposes, the shores
Of certain lakes and streams, and 10
exchange for them at their fair val
ue, state lands not accessible for the
purposes mentioned. This scheme,
believe, should I've the unqualified
support of every lover of nature and
Gods great out of doors. Out side
OF the lake shores in this vicinity
which might be brought in under this
plan. have ih mind two tracts which
should by all means become public
parks: one of>these is that part OF
the Blue Earth River shore from the
old Lockerby place to the junction OF
the LeSueur with the Blue Earth, and
the other is north bank of the Blue
Earth river at Spring Island. This
latter scene is second only in this
vicinity to Minneopa Falls. and
have no doubt that not more than 2oO
persons in the city Of Mankato, have
ever gazed upon i!1 beauties. 1t is
visited mainly by ardent fishermen
who cast fer bass around its rocks
and along its deep shoreliIie. IL this
r'a~n wore 4 part OF the scenery OF
cai'rN"nip Tho native sons would give
it "A Spanish name with many sylables,
and enierprising busmen would reap
:. rich harvest transporting Minneso-
10 tourists to the spot, and they would
y : Invh into that rocky gorge and
onto Il'a rushing waters and wonder
why California should have mono
Eoiv e. natural scenery.
"Wo have magnificent parks within
our city (none too many however,
but nature is the best parkmaker, and
we are greatly blest with. many with
ing easy reach which offer recreation
TO him who delights in the fishing
rod, The kodak or the canoe. Let us
move TO obtain and preserve tnem
while we may
Il an, thankful that I live in a
splendid, modern and uptO date city
hui | am thankful also that | have
been 10 the mountain tops, that
have gazed upon oceans great ex-
ranse. that ] have hiked along un
blaZed trails in the nOrthland where
no park policeman stands to direct
one: where in the quiet and solitude
of nature one may think free from
disturbance and give to the things OF
life their rightful proportions. All
these things we r,ay have in de-
gree if we take unto ourselves these
wonder .pc" Fl cur very doors and
make the NOS; Of our local attrac-
lions.
There are other points which
Right be elaborated upon. The small
tract near .Sherks store along Warren
Creek where giant trees are still
permitted to grow, should be saved
before il is too late and SOME, timber
slasher sees, few dollars Of, profit
in those old patriarchs of the forest
that has passed into history.-The
',wer bluff road iE Nicollet county
should be widened and constructed
into the most wonderful parkway in
Southern Minnesota, and there are