The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1938-09-01
Would Establish
Duck Refuge On
Thompson Loke

Some of us Libby men have been
working toward an objective for
some time that would be another
valuable feature of the Sidney M.
Logan memorial at Thompson lake
if it can be accomplished said
Deputy Game Warden Darlington
this week. His remarks were called
forth when discussing the dedlca-
tory exercises held at the memorial
last Sunday.
"I should like very much to see
a duck refuge made of the Thomp-
son lake on which the memorial
is located" said Darlington. That
lake is ideal for such refuge.
There is now quite lot of wild
life on and around the lake. IT the
biological survey would take over
the lake and designate it as NIL
Eratory bird refuge, it would be
niost beneficial action from the
standpoint of game conservation.
.There are number of lakes in
the near vicinity of Thompson lake,
continued Darlington. IF the refuge
was established and wild rice and
other duck foods planted in the
lake by the biological survey, there
is no doubt but that it would at
tract large duck population. Many
of them would nest there and 9TH
ers would stop on the spring and
fall flights. A certain number Of
these would scatter out onto the
other lakes in the neighborhood and
the result would be great in
crease in the local duck population.
sid Logan was not only per-
sistent worker for better roads and
for mining development but he was
also ansaenthusiastic conservationlst
of wild life" said Darlington. ANY
movement for the conservation of
the wild game of the district had
his hearty support. Hence the des-
ignation Of Thompson lake as duck
refuge would be most appropriate
as a part of the memorial that is
being developed at the lake by the
chambers of commerce of Libby and
Kalispell and the state highway de-
partment.' Mr.. Darlington, E. M.
Boyes and other local sportsmen
have been carrying on correspond
ence with this end in view for some
time It would be a fine thing and
undoubtedly has the hearty sup
port of the community.
Another Good Suggestion
Mr.. Darlington also advanced an
other good suggestion regarding the
memorial The fountain built at
the park of pieces of Montana ore
is beautiful thing, he said, and un-
doubtedly will be badly Clipped
and defaced by souvenir hunters,
in time. Darlington suggests that a
bin be built near the fountain and
filled with small pieces of ore from
local mines. Over the bin would
be an inscription with this suggest
ed wording, Help yourself to these
samples of ore but please do not
deface the fountain" 1t is believed
such an arrangement would do
away with lot of chipping of the
fountain that is sure to take place.
That people are anxious for pieces
of ore for souvenirs is shown by an
incident recited by w. j. Lloyd,
highway maintainer in that dis
trict Lloyd reports that when the
fountain was finished several hun
dred pounds of excess ore was left
piled nearby. A party of Wiscon-
sin tourists camped at the park and
a woman was heard to remark about
a rock garden she had back home.
After they had left Lloyd noticed
they had taken away about 400
pounds of that ore. -
An ore bin at the fountain would
not only help to preserve the beauty
of the fountain but it would provide
souvenirs for tourists that would
be carried to all parts of the United
States and would be good adver-
Using for Montana. The bin coulc
be filled now and then by addi.
tional ore from local mines.