number of unskilled, semiskilled and skilled laborers if sufficient additional money were available for planning, equipment, and construction material. In brief: We could use a few workers immediately, but would need to formalize plans and secure money for material in order to realize the full potential of a program such as you propose. If there is any other way we may be of assistance to you, we will be most happy to do what we are able. Sincerely, W. E. MARSHALL, Executive Director. COLORADO STATE FOREST SERVICE, COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY, Senator GAYLORD NELSON, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR NELSON: As a former resident of the Fennimore-LancasterPrairie du Chien area, it is a distinct pleasure to answer the letter from the Senator from my native State. We can utilize unemployed workers on conservation projects in Colorado. Specific projects would include maintenance and operation of our nursery, forestry aids in our six distinct offices, fire control aids on State-owned forestland, and for the more qualified individuals, applied research pertaining to the forests of Colorado. These folks would fit our present organization without extensive new preparation. We would have to concentrate on local people, for housing of migrant crews is limited within the framework of the State forest service. I estimate 50 man-years of immediate work with possible expansion to 100 man-years in the future. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance. THOMAS B. BORDEN, State Forester. CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, DEPARTMENT OF PARKS-RECREATION, Denver, Colo., June 25, 1964. Hon. GAYLORD NELSON, Washington, D.C. DEAR SIR: Mr. W. N. Greim, former manager of parks and recreation, forwarded your letter of June 17, to my attention. The Denver Department of Parks and Recreation has several thousand acres of mountain parkland, some of which is well developed and other sections undeveloped. In this area of our development program it would be possible to use a number of men for several years to renovate our existing facilities, rebuild many structures, and develop new areas for recreational use. As far as our city park development program is concerned, we are developing park sites at a rate almost too great to provide adequate maintenance under our existing budget limitations. The possibilities you suggest would lend themselves very readily to our mountain parks program. Very truly yours, JACK M. EVANS, Manager. CITY OF BOULDER, COLO., July 7, 1964. Hon. GAYLORD NELSON, U.S. Senator, Washington, D.C. DEAR SIR: Thanks so much for your letter of June 17, 1964, regarding your draft of legislation to provide funds to Federal, State, county, and municipal agencies to utilize unemployed workers on conservation projects such as park development, roadside improvement, timber stand improvement, etc. The city of Boulder is most interested in this type of legislation as we have been searching for means of making improvements to our parks and to employ the youth in our city. We own more than 3,000 acres of mountain park land adjacent to the city of Boulder, most of which was contributed to the city in the early 1930's by the National Park Service. Much work was done toward developing this area in the early 1930's by the CCC. Roads, buildings, trails and other facilities were constructed, much of which has deteriorated due to the lack of maintenance. For the first time since the development, the city will be more able to maintain this area due to a sizable increase in income through a sales tax measure recently approved by the local electorate. Extensive development and extensive maintenance, however, would be impossible with these funds. The city also owns a 1,220-acre site which includes a 450-acre water area that is virtually undeveloped. This facility is used for boating, fishing, swimming, etc., and is located approximately 4 miles northeast of the city limits. The city owns many other small undeveloped areas in the mountains to the west as well as within the city limits. Boulder is a scientific city, is growing rapidly, and there is much need for the development of these recreational areas. We could at this time use approximately 20 young men for improving trails in the mountain parks, building shelters along the trails, building picnic areas and play facilities. At our Boulder Reservoir we could begin a tree-planting program immediately and construct much needed picnic and boating facilities. Federal aid for this area can be justified on the basis that the city of Boulder's parks and recreation facilities attract people from all over the United States. Tourists, university students, people employed by the Federal Government in such agencies as the National Bureau of Standards, National Center for Atmospheric Research are the users of these facilities. Our department has asked to have included in the past three budget preparations a force that would be called a junior ranger force. This proposes to provide work for young boys in the city parks and recreation system and employs education programs and a social and athletic recreation program for those who could be employed. Thus far, due to lack of funds, we have not been able to have this included in the budget. Your legislation may be the answer to our wishes along this line. I would say that in estimating the number of man-years of work which might be usefully undertaken in the immediate future that we would like to have a sizable crew, perhaps 20 to 30 young men employed from March 1 through November 30, thus I would say approximately 16 to 20 man-years of work for the first year of a program of this type and then we could judge our needs for future years on a more substantial basis. I wish to say again that your letter was most welcome and we are very anxious to support your legislation and to participate in the outcome if possible. Sincerely, W. D. MILLER, Director, Parks and Recreation Department. Hon. GAYLORD NELSON, DISTRICT NO. 50 METROPOLITAN RECREATION DISTRICT, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. DEAR SIR: In reply to your letter of June 17, I would like to thank you for your interest in making inquiries in regard to useful utilization of unemployed workers into useful occupations. In most communities, as well as nationwide, the park and recreation development is an afterthought in planning. We all recognize the need for mass forces to be trained into useful occupations to be prepared with the tools of recreation to meet the present and future demands of a nation now in a period of automation, cybernation, and explosive population. As we all understand, the tools of recreation (parks, swimming pools, roadsides, etc.) are needed for the people of this progressive Nation for a sound physical and mental environment for everyone. Yes, we are behind in this program and we need help to keep pace with these programs. Every park and recreation department could train these men in various fields and utilize them to catch up on our park and golf course developments. One other vital program we must not lose sight of is the development of our many natural resources. We Americans take too much for granted with our God-given resources, and we seem to devastate rather than create. For example, in Colorado our riverbanks are debris ridden, excavated, eroded, as well as many other manmade destructions. We need a program in our State as well as other States to restore this natural beauty. We can take an example from the European countries and the pride of development of their riverbanks. The riverbanks of our country would be one of our major projects for the unemployed people of our country to develop into beautiful drives, parks, or beautification. We could start in the cities where the rivers flow and concentrate on this gigantic major project. I believe this as well as many other such projects are in dire need of developing after proper planning and engineering is developed. would create work as well as re-create our natural beauty. I hope these thoughts are taken constructively. These projects RICHARD W. FERGUSON, Parks and Recreation Director. CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER, 'Hon. GAYLORD NELSON, U.S. Senator, Washington, D.O. DEAR SENATOR NELSON: In March we received an urgent request through the U.S. Employment Service for aid in preparing estimates for local government participation in this sort of program. We made some rapid inquiries and calculations among various city agencies and arrived at an estimate that we could utilize the equivalent of more than 122 man-years of work. The budget and management office wrote a memorandum concerning this program and manpower estimates based on what little information they had received on it at that time. I am enclosing a copy of this memorandum for your information. I think it will answer most of your questions. Naturally, we must approach these things with a certain amount of caution since we only have scant knowledge about this bill. I would appreciate any further information from your office that becomes available concerning this legislation. Obviously, the need for such a program is tremendous and I wish you every success in your efforts. Sincerely yours, TOM CURRIGAN, Mayor. SOUTH SUBURBAN METROPOLITAN Senator GAYLORD NELSON, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR NELSON: Thank you for your letter regarding employment of unemployed persons on conservation projects. Our park district could very well use a number of laborers, semiskilled, and certain skilled categories, in general park projects. We could use these men for work such as grading, leveling, construction of walks, stairs, simple park cover structures, and planting of trees and general landscaping. The one problem we have had in the past in employing hourly workers of an unskilled or semiskilled class has been to find a worker with sufficient initiative, enthusiasm, and stability to do the job. We have used our State unemployment office as a source for securing these temporary workers; however, I believe that 1 in 10 of these people are considered for permanent work with the park district. What I am attempting to indicate is that just having a program where we can employ these people is not enough. We are going to have to have a supplementary reeducation and renewing of their desires to work constructively in these areas. Our park district is new and we have a great number of pre liminary developments underway so that we could ably use up to a dozen men full time over several years to develop these parks for public use in the district. I appreciate your interest in this area of parks and conservation work and perhaps the workers can benefit from the development of these parks which are certainly providing benefits for the general public. Sincerely, W. N. LEUTHAUSER, Director. STATE OF COLORADO, DEPARTMENT OF GAME, FISH, AND PARKS, GAYLORD NELSON, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR NELSON: In answer to your letter of May 29, 1964, if Federal funds were available to utilize unemployed workers on conservation projects in the State of Colorado, we could use approximately 250 men for 5 years in our park and recreation areas and our game management areas. The specific kinds of projects upon which we could utilize such a work force would be cleanup, trail building, signmaking, timber-stand improvement, building of road and parking barricades, interior fence removal, boundary fence erection and repair, prefab of recreational facilities, picnic tables, fire grills, painting of refuse barrels, buoys, buildings and equipment, and similar projects of this nature. We feel that approximately 1,250 man-years of work could be usefully undertaken in the immediate future. We appreciate the opportunity to send our comments to your attention. HARRY R. WOODWARD, Director. CONNECTICUT RESPONSES Hon. GAYLORD NELSON, STATE OF CONNECTICUT, SHELL FISH COMMISSION, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR NELSON: Due to the fact that I have been out of town, this is a delayed reply to your letter of May 29, regarding the prospects of providing employment through conservation projects such as park development, roadside improvement, timber stand improvement, etc. We have a long-term program for the rehabilitation of the shellfish industry in Connecticut which will utilize a substantial number of workers when we are able to develop it to the point of producing the quantity of shellfish of which our waters are capable. Up to this point we have been concerned primarily with basic research on the causes of the decline of our shellfish industry and on remedies. It is our conclusion that pollution of the streams entering Long Island Sound, predation by starfish, and a species of snail that drill the oysters are primary causes. We have been able, with very modest funds, to work out improved methods of predator control and we are hopeful that Federal legislation now pending will considerably improve the pollution situation. Specifically, we could utilize a large number of workers in an extended program of rehabilitating the former prolific natural shellfish beds in this State if we had sufficient funds to carry out such a program. These beds comprise several thousand acres of underwater land. A personal note: My mother and father were both from Wisconsin. My mother's name was Chase from Madison, and my father, Julius Nelson, was from Waupaca. Sincerely, J. RICHARDS NELSON, Chairman. STATE OF CONNECTICUT, Hon. GAYLORD NELSON, DEAR SENATOR NELSON: These are additional comments to your letter of May 29, 1964, to Mr. Leroy Jones, managing director of the Connecticut Development Commission, which was referred to this department as well as the department of agriculture and natural resources. You requested information that might be applicable to the drafting of legislation in order to utilize the unemployed workers on conservation projects. It is my recollection that in the depression years of the thirties a great deal of constructive and important work was performed on numerous projects throughout the Connecticut State highway system that did not lend themselves to contractual performance. These projects were known as works program highway projects that were tailored to improve the safety, utlity, and esthetics of our highway system. During certain periods of this program as many as 1,000 men were employed over many miles of our roads. Tremendous accomplishments were made in developing our highways into scenic, recreational routes. Numerous picnic area facilities were installed on land adjacent to these facilities that added to the safety, convenience, and comfort of the highway user. A great deal of valuable work was accomplished on our heritage of shade trees that adorn our highways and village streets. Considerable planting was performed that had the added functional values of erosion control as well as enhancing the highway roadsides. During the course of these projects, in addition to gainful employment of men, numerous people were trained to the extent that they eventually became valuable permanent employees of this department; several of whom have become key figures in this organization. At the present time, there is a considerable amount of work that could and should be undertaken along our highway system that is of a smiliar nature. This is especially true on many of our older roads that do not receive the attention of our new arterials. It would seem that it is just as essential, if not more so, that the safety features and improvements be accomplished along this system as well as on our major highways. A great many of the routes can be classed as recreational. Such work as selective thinning and cutting of existing growth, planting and minor grading, including drainage improvements, can be effected. Trees need to be pruned and care for, sight lines should be cleared, and vistas to scenic features should be opened (this latter might be determined as painting a picture with an ax). Numerous of our 100 roadshide picnic areas can be improved and added areas installed to supplement those now in existence, where locations are feasible and the need exists, to add to the safety, convenience, and comfort of the highway user. It would seem most apropos that a program be developed that would make valuable use of this reservoir of unemployed; many of whom are young men, physically capable of performing these operations, who need to be trained to carry on this constructive work. I am certain that in our present organization necessary supervision could be recruited from our present personnel. The essential tools and equipment might also be made available. Material costs would be minor. However, the valuable source of manpower that could be made available on projects of this nature would give to this department, as well as many others throughout the Nation, a very valuable assist in making our highways safer, more utilitarian, easier to maintain, and a great deal more esthetic, which would be conducive to conservation that is valuable for recreational purposes. Sincerely yours, HOWARD S. IVES, State Highway Commissioner. DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND TREES, DEAR SENATOR: Yes, we could use some assistance in park and woodland work. Right now I have 20 to 30 collegians clearing out woodland and could use another 40 to 50 if I had the funds. Offhand, I would estimate that we have fairly unskilled work (cutting up felled trees, cutting and burning brush, etc.) for about 4,000 to 6,000 man-hours. |