Omaha daily bee., 1920-02-13
Successful Year Ends
For Fontenelle Forest
Reserve Association

scenery in Nebraska.
DR.. Clifford asserted that much
praise is due to F. ]. Adams, I. r
Kimball, Roy N. Towl c. J. Erns,
and others for their untiring efforts
during a period of years to bring
this great enterprise to a success
full conclusion.
The Young Women's Christian
association and BoyScout :racts are
part of the Fontenelle reserve" the
doctor said. 1T is my hope that
some day we may be able to &C
quire some land on the other side
Of the river, SO that we may hold
intact this wonderful river scenery.
We are going to experiment in tree
cultivation. We have 100 royal wal
nut trees planted and we hope to
have sugar maple trees growing in
the reserve.
Il wish the teachers of Omaha
would instruct the pupils against
picking the wild flowers in the re-
serve, because continued picking of
these flowers will result in their ex-
tnction. 1t is the most natural
thing to pick wild flowers when in
the woods.
Need River Drive.
Il wish also to urge support by
the general public of the big river
drive project which will be present
ed to the voters next fall, as planned
by the city planning board"
The doctor also stated that the
association deliberately placed the
Boy Scouts in their camp adjoining
the reserve so that the boys could
serve as rangers for the protection
OF the woods.
The meeting of the association
was, in part, Lincoln birthday Gel
ebratlon, this feature being referred
to by Rev. f. H. jerks, pastor of
the First Presbyterian church. He
stated that Abraham Lincoln looked
upon this river scenery when he To-
Gated the eastern terminal of the
Union Pacific railroad.
Lincoln Saw Tract
Il think that Lincolns spirit is
with us tonight" the minister said.
Il wonder what Lincoln would say
If he were here tonight and could
see this magnificent city which has
been developed since he located the
terminal of transcontinental rail-
road"
1. J. Ernst, president of the as
soclatlon, gave an interesting &C
count of the years of work to ac-
complish what has been done. He
referred to DR.. A. A. Tyler, former
professor at Bellevue college, as the
original promoter of the Fontenelle
reserve idea.
"All that any Of us could have
done. after the war had started,
would not have sufficed to have
brought our hopes and plans to real
ization by this time had not DR..
Clifford, one of our charter members,
come to the rescue by acquiring
Chlds' point and other properties
and giving US plenty of time within
which to raise the money. He and
Mrs, Joslyn contributed literally
toward the fund"
Cannot be Sold.
Mr.. Ernst explained that the
charter of the association provides
that the property can never be en-
sold or otherwise be dis
posed of and it is exempt from
taxation.
I'VE are simply self-perpetuat-
ing, nonpolitical board, holding
property i'll trust for the people
of this state" he added.
John Fitz Roberts defended the
English sparrow as destroyer Of
roXious insects and he stated that
it is possible to see from $50 to 200
varieties of birds in the Fontenelle
forest during the springtime..
]. Z. Davidson, president of the
Nebraska Humane society, stated
that his organization hopes to es-
tablish a child's summer camp in the
woods.
Camps are Appreciated.
Appreciation of the Camp Fire
Girls for privileges enjoyed in these
woods was expressed by Mrs. w. T.
More, past president of the Camp
Fire Girls organization.
Mrs. Harriet McMurphy spoke on
behalf of the Omaha Woman's club
and Otis Smith responded for the
Boy Scouts Clara Brewster assert
ed that the girls who attended Brew
ster camp during the summer time
learned to reverence the woods.
Reelected President Ernst.
c. ]. Ernst was reelected presi-
dent of the association, having
served seven consecutive terms.
Other officers reelected were: c. NJ.
vice president; Roy N.
FOWL, secretary; c. F. McGrew,
treasurer; F. J. Adams, T. R. KIM
ball and DIR. S. R. Towne, other
members of the executive council.
The tract already acquired by the
association contains 357 acres, with
reversionary rights in tract of 10>
acres used by the Boy Scouts, total
of 400 acres as the first unit of the
reserve which the association hopes
ultima tely will be 1000 acres, ex-