20 THE AUDUBON BULLETIN 



The organization as a whole through its leading spirits is in touch with 

 the conservation movement throughout the entire country, even pointing 

 the way to new efforts and urging and encouraging every great act from 

 the acquirement of National Parks, to the preservation of Stony Island, 

 and of wild flowers along the railroad right-of-ways. It has chapters doing 

 similar work in various parts of the country. The local body in Chicago 

 is made up of men and women from every profession and rank of life, 

 many of whom are prominent in the world of art, in the Universities, and 

 in business circles commanding wide interests, and all are determined that 

 the commercial vandals shall not control as amusement parks, the wooded 

 dunes with their rare and marvelous floral carpet, the streams with their 

 adjoining bluffs and headlands, ravines and canyons, the ponds and 

 swamps where water birds make their haunts, and all places of beauty. 



The midwinter festival held by the Friends is a revelation of the beauty 

 of the woods at sunset in January, to many present, and in April the 

 pilgrimage to the crab-apple trees in blossom time is made with harp and 

 flute and birds, and dancing on the green. 



The Board of directors recently enjoyed a trip to Savanna, 111., on 

 the bluffs above the Mississippi, where they were received and entertained 

 by the Mayor and other public spirited citizens, and plans were made for 

 the organization of a new chapter to preserve the bluffs and floodlands 

 along the Mississippi which at that point are famous in Indian history. 



The society was organized in Chicago at the City Club, April 7, 1913 

 and incorporated May 15, 1913. Mr. Jens Jensen has been the president 

 untiring throughout the three years of active propaganda work. Mr. 

 Eames MacVeagh is the treasurer. Mr. Sherman Booth was the first 

 secretary, later resigning to be succeeded by Mrs. Charles F. Pearce. 



Genevra M. Pearce. 



The Conservation of the Indiana Dunes 



The movement for creating a park, state or national, to include within 

 its boundaries some of the most beautiful sand dune areas of Northern 

 Indiana, has been given considerable valuable publicity during the past few 

 months, and is attracting the attention of bird lovers all over the country. 

 Senator Thomas Taggart of Indiana, has taken an active interest in the 

 movement and the seventh of last September, submitted a resolution in The 

 United States Senate which is already bearing fruit. The resolution di- 

 rected the Secretary of the Interior to investigate and report to Congress at 

 its next session, the advisability of securing, by purchase or otherwise, all 

 that portion of the counties of Lake, La Porte, and Porter, in the state of 

 Indiana, and bordering upon Lake Michigan and commonly known as the 

 "Sand Dunes," with a view that such lands be created a national park. The 

 secretary was also directed to report the cost of acquiring such lands and 

 the probable expense of maintaining them as a part of The National Park 

 System. r 



The Secretary of the Interior has taken prompt action in accordance 

 with this resolution and on October 30, Mr. Steven T. Mather, Assistant 

 to The Secretary of the Interior, gave a public hearing at the Federal 

 Building in Chicago to all persons and organizations interested in the sand 



