66 ILLINOIS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



ing down, are proud of this record, and well they may be, 

 for who will be more benefited by such farsighted philan- 

 throphy, (note the word "love of mankind") than the peo- 

 fde themselves. 



Wisconsin has already made provision for some 13 state 

 parks, the largest being in Door County and at the mouth 

 of the Wisconsin Eiver, where some thousands of acres 

 each have been reserved for perpetual playgrounds for her 

 citizens. If one talks to those conversant with the am- 

 bitious plans of the Park people, there appears no ques- 

 tion of the advisability and expediencey of such a move- 

 ment, the only problem being how to obtain as many of the 

 desirable beauty spots before they are ruined by com- 

 mercialization. 



When we turn to Illinois, a very different condition con- 

 fronts us. We have one State Park at Starved Rock, beau- 

 tiful in scenery and rich in educational and historic 

 features, and rumor is, that one or two other insignificant 

 plats of a few acres have been acquired. But how utterly 

 inadequate is such a condition to meet the actually needed 

 requirements of five millions of people ! We ought to have 

 40 state parks — large and small — to provide for this host, 

 and Illinois is abundantly able to pay for all such lands, 

 receiving not dollars and cents of cash in hand, but what 

 is far more important, better equipped men and women, 

 who will add immeasurable assets to the commonwealth. 



And so I present for your consideration, The Canyon 

 Park of Apple Eiver, and bespeak for it your hearty sup- 

 port. The region proposed comprises about 1,000 acres of 

 the wildest, roughest and most picturesque lands in Illi- 

 nois, lying along Apple River from the junction of the east 

 and west branches five miles southwesterly. Tliis canyon 

 is a chasm eroded in the Galena limestone to the depth of 

 250 feet, and it has a bottom width of 8-10 rods. The walls 

 on either side are 45° forested slopes or vertical cliffs, 

 these alternating from side to side as the enclosed 

 river meanders from the west to the east rim of the can- 

 yon. The liigliest cliffs are 150 feet vertical walls of gray 

 or buff dolomite unevenly bedded, full of gash veins or con- 

 traction fissure, with many small caverns, isolated towers, 

 castles, rock masses, and huge talus blocks of all dimen- 

 sions. Everywhere a forest growth rich in species, clothes 



