444 Department of Conservation of Louisiana 



mission at my house on Avery Island, on Ssptember 24, it 

 was decided to accept the offer of the Rockefeller Founda- 

 tion, and on September 25, 1914, the Conservation Com- 

 mission of Louisiana, by proper resolution formally ac- 

 cepted the care of this great wild life refuge, for a period 

 of five years. 



The Conservation Commission of Louisiana now had 

 under its management three great tracts of land dedicated 

 for perpetual wild life protection, a total of 174,663.95 

 acres. All but 13,000 acres, (being that donated to the 

 State by C. W. Ward and E. A. Mcllhenny), was held for a 

 limited time only. 



My next problem was to have the Sage Foundation and 

 the Rockefeller Foundation deed these lands to the State of 

 Louisiana. This was a more difficult problem than secur- 

 ing the purchase of the lands, but it was finally decided 

 that such a donation was proper, and on December 15, 

 1919, I wired from New York to Mr. M. L. Alexander, 

 Commissioner of Conservation, that both the Sage Founda- 

 tion and Rockefeller Foundation had decided to make the 

 gift to the State, and confirmed this information by letter 

 from Avery Island on December 18, 1919, and before the 

 New Year, the deeds to the State were signed and de- 

 livered, and Louisiana became the owner of one of the 

 largest and most important wild life refuges in the world. 



The cost of these properties to the several donors at 

 the time of purchase, was $407,480.00. The value of the 

 properties today, based on the annual fur catch, is $2,183,- 

 287.00, acquired at no cost to the State of Louisiana. 



(Signed) E. A. McIlhenny. 



Avery Island, Louisiana, April 4th, 1930. 



11279 R-J 8-31 



