Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-07-10

dignity and worth and congress passed an act es-
tabshing the Lafayette National park in 1919.
Originally Lafayette contained but eight square
miles Now 1t contains twenty-seven and is still
growing by gifts Ultimately it's boundaries may
Include half of the island which contains one
hundred five square miles.
Lafayette National park Is therefore object
lesson of what be done by public-sprited citi-
zens who have the will to preserve scenes of nat
ural beauty.
The national park system is far from complete.
1t should be comprehensive exhibit of American
natural scenery. Obviously it should contain, for
thing, Great Lakes area. great swamp
like the Everglades or Okefnokee-should be in
cluded. But until congress broadens its policy
to acquire national park areas by purchase thers
will be 40 more national parks east of the Mis-
sissippi unless pubc-spirited citizens emulate the
labors of men like Mr. Dorr and President. Eliot.
This writer has often wondered why some rich
American does not furnish the money to buy
great tract Of land in the East to be presented to
the federal government for a national park. 1t
would be something new in benefactons The
way has been made easy by the act of June 8,
1920, which authorizes the secretary of the In
terror in his administration Of the national park
service ito accept patented lands rights of way
over patented lands or other lands, buildings, or
other property within the various national parks
and monuments, and moneys which may be do
mated for the purposes of the national park and
monument system" Congress will not buy land
for national parks, but it will take anything that
anybody offers-provded always that the gift is
worth while according to accepted standards.
Donations, as suggested by this act, are becom-
ing numerous Archer M. Huntington, for ex-
ample, gave the Aztec Ruin in New Mexico to the
government and it was established the Aztec
Ruin National monument in 1923. The Estes
Park Womans club gave to the government the
lot on which has been erected the new admnistra-
ton building of Rocky Mountain National park.
The latest gift of Director Stephen I. MEther of
the national park service is tract Of 400 acres
in Kern canyon, which he has purchased and will
turn upon the creation of the proposed Roose-
velt-Sequoia National Park.
Lafayette National park, though small meas
ures up to the requirement of national Importance
Mount Desert island is the most celebrated beauty
SPOT on a coast famous for it's beauty. 1t is the
largest of group of many islands. Generally
round in shape it is cut into nearly east ana west
halves by Somes sound the only glacial flord
south of Newfoundland 1t is indented on all
shores by bays and inlets Of many sizes and
shapes It's ocean front is picturesquely rocky
East and west across the island for twelve mics
stretches a range of twenty or more mountains
North west and south of these lie rolling Mis-
forested levels meadows and lakes. Bar HarDor
on Frenchman's bay, Seal Harbor on the south
shore and Northeast and Southwest Harbors on
either side Of the entrance of Somes SOUND are
the principal resort centers. The national park
consists of all but one of the mountains also their
enclosed lakes and certain low lands and outlying
properties including an area of ocean shore
The mountains Of Lafayette are the only ones
fronting the Atlantic coast of the United States
They are very old--they were old before the
Rockies Sierras and other mountains OF the
Scenic West came up from the waters They are
the remnants of what was once a great granlte
range stretching southwark through Maine TO q
polnt at sea now deeply submerged. All this cage