Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1920-04-30
PROGRESS IN
RURAL PLANNING
Continued from Page /

flowers on the other side of the high
way. The wild trees on the river bank
arc splendid specimens of oak, elm and
ASH varying from few feet to many
feet in height. 1t is proposed by the
Rural Planning Committee to employ a
landscape engineer to work out plans.
Jefferson cOunty's Rural Planning
Committee has already obtained an
appropriation of $500 from the county
L0ard for the purpose of securing OPP
ton on the ancient Aztalan Mounds.
This means that the famous AZtalan
Mounds are to be preserved. There
are no Indian mounds in the United
States that can be compared with the
Aztalan Mounds in size and Importance.
.Aztalan village received votes by the
territorial legislature at Belmont for
the capitol of the state. This fact in
addition to the Indian Mounds makes
the place of great historic Importance.
1t is proposed to obtain about twenty
five acres Of land. preserve the mounds,
plant trees and shrubbery and other
wise beautify the already aesthetic
Crawfish river bank. The place is of
such Importance it should be made at
an early. date one of WiscOnsin's state
parks.
The Rural Planning Committee hopes
te-improve many of the rOadsides in
Jefferson county during this year
Emphasis however. will be placed up
III 1,,sxy
Other Counties
Many Of the other counties of the
state are working out plans to carry
out the provisions Of the rural plan
ming act Attention is to be given par
ticularly to the creation and develop
ment Of community centers. County
fair parks are being generally set aside
for camping sites in the state. Almost
every city III the state. under the III
SEPARATION of the rural planning act. is
at present considering the providing
Of camp sites Almost every county is
studying places of local and historic
interest. places Of scenic Importance,
with view to securing and preserving
same for future generations. Many
counties are looking forward to OBJ
tanning titles to lands along rivers and
lakes. and places of fine outlook from
hill tops. These things are thought
of with view to preserving our native
landscape. Some attention will be
given to the planting Of trees, shrubs
and flowers along the highways in
of
course, the movement is new in Wis
cOnsin. and those who are interesting
themselves in the work are not looking
for mushroom development.
Following is an extract from letter
received by the Highway Commission =
You commended the state trunk
highway marking system and de-
clared it to be the best in the
world If to this utilitarian
statement another could be added
that the state trunk highways are
also to be the most beautiful i'll
the world. your commission would
place future generations under
lasting obligations.
An example of the extreme To-
cal control of a state trunk high
way is a stretch Of road in Jeffer-
son county between Waterfowl
and Ebenezer For years this road
was noticeably beautiful on ac-
count of the fine shade trees and
abundant shrubbery that made it
Il JOY to the traveller. Public utlll-
ties and the farmer decided that
this form of beauty must go. so i'll
place of ancient oaks, elms and
NAPLES. stretches line of poles so
ugly in perspective that Il traveller.
viewing it for the first time, re-
marked If Ali Babi had done
this deed in times long past, he 1
and his forty thieves would have
been hanged to the cross arms and
the boiling Oil conserved
Cannot some way be found to
save the remaining beauty OF the
highways of this wonderful state
and at the same time give the peo-
pie the benefit of modern con-
ycnience?
France has a system Of tree
conservation that might. with
profit. be initiated and our pres
ent waSteful methods abolished.
The writer of the letter truly senses
the need Of an active rural planning
committee. There has been habit
among our road builders to destroy all
-rees and shrubhery within the four
rod strip. as we'll as companies running
wires. This should be stopped.
Watch Relocation of Roads
A man writes there is a road run
ning south from Hayward where the
county highway commission left a
group of white birches that encrOached
somewhat on the highway but that
these birches were a joy by day ana
delight by night. when the auto lights
showed them up.
Another reckless way in which road
builders are denying the public beau
tiful scenic drives, is that Of relocation.
There is a case cited up in Sawyer
county where the road ran along the
shore of White Fish lake and was
thing Of beauty 1t was JOY to tray
oh To w