Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-05-28
America to. Lay
Keel of Largest
Warship Afoat
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times -Republican.
Des Moines. May 2S.-The first for
NAL dedication Of a state park pur-
chased under the new state park law
passed by the Thirty seventh gen.
eral assembly took place today when
the LOO acre tract in the north east
corner OF Delaware county was Of
hcinlly taken over by the state. 1t
was an all day picnic with the dedi-
catory program In the afternoon and
was attended by crowds of people
from all thru that part of tho coun-
try as well as state officials, mem
beers Of the Iowa State Board of
Conservation and others from Des
Moines and vicinity.
The park was formally presented
by Prof. l.. H. Pammel. OF Ames.
president of the state board of con-
servation. and was accepted ana
dedicated by Governor w. L. Hard
ing.
Biologists and students Of plant
life have long recognized this par
ticular region bordering the tMaquo-
| keta river as an unusual country and
| lovers OF nature who are acquainted
| with 1t have long praised It as one
OF the most picturesque areas In the
state.
The Maquoketa river makes an OK
bow bend thru this tract and has cut
valley for itself thru eighty to 100
feet of rock in places. These rocky
bluffs rise precipitously from the
| valley. Trees and plants peculiar to
q northern country are to be found
there II Is said to be the point
| farthest south In Iowa where cedar
and pine trees such as characterize
the north woods country Of Wiscon-
sin are to be found.
Biologists explain that the peoul-
lar formation Of this region is be-
cause 1t Is a sort OF an island" of
the Kansan drift surrounded by the
lowan drift which characterizes the
most Of the country adjoining. The
Kansas drift 10 the type Of soil which
particularly abounds In southern
Iowa and along the Des Moines river
Ssoutheast OF Des Moines. Hence
there Is q combination in this new
park area which il unusual.
| The tract IL situated about four
miles east OF Lamont, Buchanan
county. q station on the Chicago
Great Western railroad, four miles
south OF Strawberry Point. Clayton
county. which IL on the Milwaukee
and about twelve miles northeast of
4 tn nAIo
the Illinois Central. It was bought
up from large number of ind.-
yidual owners at an average price OIL
about $50 per acre. r.
Auto Roads Developed. nj,
| Automobile roads are being devel-
oped to the new park which will.
make 1t an attractive drive from az
Of the surrounding country and It
will be accessible from Waterloo
Cedar Rapids. Dubuque. Oelwein and
other cities in northeastern Iowa In
a few hours driving. 30
| A care taker is to be employed to
look after the tract but according to
officers of the conservation board
there will be no particular develop.
ment Of the area other than the pro-
viding Of good .roadways. The plan
is to leave the tract as nature made
1t in its wild state which is its par
ticular charm.
The conservation board expects to
dedicate other state parks during
the summer months. At Pennington
the state has been presented with
tract Of 100 acres of virgin forest in
which there is lake covering about
| forty acres. The citizens OF Van
Buren, and Lee counties purchased
and presented this tract cost free to
the state.
Near Keosaqua about 654 acres OF
timber country bordering the Des
Moines river, rough and brushy and
haboring fur bearing animals and
wild game has been secured by the
state. Residents in that region
optioned the land and sold Il 70 the
state at an average price Of $40 per
acre. The land has sold in parcels in
that vicinity at q much higher
| figure.
| Another picturesque acea which has
been acquired by the state Is in the
vicinity of Muscatine and Is known
as Wild Cat Den. The Brandt
| sisters presented the state sixty
acres in this region and thru the
help Of citizens In that region some
300 additional acres have been ac-
quired bordering the mississippi.
Many other tracts are being 80.
| cured. The board is acquiring not
a few of these thru gifts from
owners. Public subscriptions in the
vicinity help on the purchase pricc
and the executive council Is author
| lied to use funds from the fish and
game department as well as annual
appropriations amounting to $780,
900 for the purchase and mainten-
ance Of these parks.