May 25, 1937 – JSA to William G. Howard (Director, Lands & Forests)

  • May 25, 1937 – JSA to William G. Howard (Director, Lands and Forests)

Dear Mr. Howard:

Completing the work of setting up the trees on Ship Island as stated in your letter of the 24th is commendable, but unless the trees are protected against further wave action which has already removed much of the soil from the roots, the work just done will be wasted.

As you probably know, a large part of this island has been submerged by high water recently and at a time when all the spillway gates were closed at the dam in the outlet. Even if the stones placed on the roots prevent the trees from toppling over, they are doomed to die standing up as other trees have done on this and many other islands unless further protective action is afforded by lower lake levels and more stones placed along the shore.

Since you have had both personal and official knowledge of these undesirable conditions for many years, it is obviously impossible to lay the blame on any else for the destruction of this famous scenery. Year after year I have kept working and hoping that you would stop temporizing and seriously try to protect the Lake George State Islands, but each year more trees fall along the shore, and each year we exchange more letters with little or no results of a permanent nature. I marvel at your willingness to take credit for such plain neglect of these lands.

Very truly yours,

  1. S. Apperson