Casting Digital Nets

Biological Bureau Chief Inspects Many Lake Projects Here.

J. N. "Ding" Darling of Washington, D.C., new head of the U. S. Biological Survey, accompanied by Mrs. Darling, arrived here Monday noon as his first stop on a tour of the state investigating some of the proposed wild-life wildlife refuges.

He was met here by O. H. Johnson, director of game and fish; Dean Loucks, game department engineer, and John Ball of Madison, Wis., biological survey fieldman who has been making a survye in the state on suggested sites.

After a two hour conference over data, maps and blueprints pertaining to proposed Lake Andes improvements the party, in company with J. W. Cluett, local conservationist, and E. E. Allgier, deputy game warden, made a personal inspection of the sites involved. These included Owen's Bay, Johnson's Bay, and the north end of the lake.

The proposed plan would involve the acquisition of these tracts by the government for the purpose of establishing migratory fowl sanctuaries. In order to maintain a normal water level in these natural basins, it would be necessary to divert additional water supply. This is proposed in the so-called Choteau creek diversion in which part of the flood waters would be harnessed and emptied into Lake Andes creek instead of flooding valuable farm and hay land.

With the completion of the spillway, now under construction, Lake Andes, with a meandered area of some 4,000 acres could be enlarged at least a fourth more making it the largest water conservation basin in the entire state. It would be a boon to the thousands of ducks and geese that migrate through this section each spring and fall and would definitely restore this famous lake as far as humanly possible.

It was assured that surveys will be started very soon to determine the feasibility and approximate costs of the lands and projects involved. Inspection of the projects in the Corsica territory were made by teh party on their way to Mitchell.

"Ding," as he is known to millions through his ability as a cartoonist, is putting forth untiring efforts in behalf of the new job to which he was delegated this spring. He had acquired a national reputation for his conservation work in Iowa and his appointment was hailed as fortunate for the outdoors by sportsmen and nature lovers everywhere.

While a resident of western Iowa, before assuming his duties as cartoonist on a Des Moines paper, "Ding" used to make frequent hunting and fishing trips to Lake Andes. "What a crime," he says recalling those good old days," to see this wonderful recreational spot in its present deplorable condition." Should contemplated surveys show the proposed reclamation as feasible, local enthusiasts are positive that Chief Darling will be generous in his support of the program.

OBSERVATIONS OF "DING" WHILE HERE

"You certainly have a neat little town here nestled in the foothills . . . lots of trees and your streets lined with smaller ones."

"Your Court House is a credit to a city many times this size . . . too bad the whole block isn't landscaped."

"This lake always needed an outlet to freshen it up . . . your project (spillway) is a forward step in your lake improvement program."

"Show me where Dripp's point is, boys. That's where Al Shaw and I used to hunt back in the good old days but I've sort of lost my bearings."

"Politics . . . Game and Fish . . . cannot be mixed if we ever want to get somewhere." "Let's hope we have all learned our lesson. Our job now is to restore these natural marshes and water-holes that Mother Nature gave us . . . fill up those costly drainage ditches that have bankrupted some of our best farmers . . . get some water back into the country and KEEP it here."

"Old Boy, I sure admire your spunk" . . . and "this is one of the biggest thrills of my life" . . . when, out at the hatchery, an old Canadian honker showed what a fight he could put up when he thought Mrs. Goose was going to be molested while trying to hatch out three little goslings.

"The fellow that discovers some good carp eradication idea is in for a fortune and will go down in history as a hero among the sportsmen."