12 THE AU D U-BfO'NS-_BiU; DL bee eiaes 
Conservation Council Newsletter 
By Dr. R. M. STRONG 
ILLINOIS BEACH STATE PARK. Preliminary construction of a hard-surfaced 
road into Illinois Beach State Park was begun during the past summer, 
and completion is expected this coming spring. The road connects State 
Highway 173 with the parking area, and will run a little west of the 
beach from Zion. This will be a great improvement over the present en- 
trance road, and its location should help in the development of recreation 
to the north of the park where it is supposed to be. There should be less 
danger of people overflowing into the educational and sanctuary portions 
of the park to the south. It is understood that Zion officials oppose extension 
of the park northward to Camp Logan, but there is much reason to expect 
acquirement of more land to the west. 
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ELGIN BOTANICAL GARDEN. The Illinois legislature in its last session,’ in 
response to pressure for more and better roads, set up a toll road com- 
mission with authority subject only to the governor, and it has been plan- 
ning toll roads without proper regard to other public interests. One such 
road has been planned which would be 300 feet wide and go through the 
beautiful Elgin Botanical Gardens, also known as Trout Park. Surveyors 
even cut a swath eight feet wide for surveying without asking permission. 
The park has many interesting wild flowers and is a fine place for bird- 
watchers. There is an unusual area on a slope where water becomes im- 
pregnated with minerals and petrifies plants with which it comes in con- 
tact. The Elgin Conservation Council has asked for help in its fight against 
the plan, and they ask that letters be sent to Governor Stratton protesting 
against this unwarranted invasion of the park. The Forest Preserve District 
of Cook County has also had trouble with the Toll Road Commission. 
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DINOSAUR NATIONAL MONUMENT. Although the 83rd Congress did not pass 
the Colorado River Development bill, it is understood that its proponents 
will try again this winter. This means that we can expect again to have a 
fight on our hands to prevent the flooding of Dinosaur National Monument 
by a dam at Echo Park. It was pointed out by Raymond Moley in News- 
week for May 10 that the project is unsound economically, and it is a 
question whether conservationists should not have attacked the whole bill 
instead of just the feature involving Dinosaur National Monument. The 
cost of the development is several times the actual value of the land that 
would be irrigated. However, this is really a power scheme, ani the gen- 
eral public is asked to pay for a project which would benefit a relatively 
small number of people. The Bureau of Reclamation and the Army En- 
gineers are believed to be seeking to get an opening wedge for invasion of 
other National Parks, i.e., to establish a precedent that could be used for 
other dam projects in ihe National Park System. 
