My answer to your questions will have to be somewhat general. There isn't any doubt but that we could use substantial numbers of workers in programs of this type in Springfield. We have extensive holdings under the control of the park department but because of the many other demands which must be faced in the field of building new schools, highways, sewer facilities, little or nothing has been done in a comprehensive way to maintain many areas of our park system for a great number of years. Spring cleaning, clearing of nature trails, thinning out of underbrush, removal of diseased trees, development of hundred of areas into desirable locations for recreation would keep hundreds of men busy for a long period of time. There would be no shortage of projects in the city of Springfield. I think that your legislation has a great deal of merit and certainly would seem to be in line with many of the programs now being considered as part of the overall war on poverty. We have a large unemployment figure in Springfield. There are thousands of men who are unemployed who could be productive if your legislation is given the approval of Congress. I would be pleased to further document these remarks if you felt it would be of assistance in this matter. Sincerely, CHARLES V. RYAN, Jr., Mayor. PINE BANKS PARK, Malden, Mass., June 20, 1964. Re park conservation projects. Senator GAYLORD NELSON, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR NELSON: In reply to your letter of June 16, 1964, I would be glad to participate in the program and improve the unemployment conditions in our cities. Pine Banks Park is supported by two cities; the city of Malden, and the city of Melrose, Mass. Pine Banks Park has an area of 112 acres. At the present time, we have a children's zoo, playground facilities, 6 baseball diamonds, 1 lighted softball field, and 10 fireplaces. We have a lot of land which could be utilized for recreation purposes if we had the help and materials to do with. Such as building parking facilities; at the present time we have no parking areas-all cars must park along the roadside. We also need more recreation areas. We have a piece of land that was used as the city dump and is now filled in and consists of about 5 acres of land that could be utilized for recreation purposes. We also have approximately 30 acres of land that could be used for picnic area, Boy Scout overnight camping, and winter sports, and also have a tremendous amount of tree work to be done. Such as reforesting, cleaning and pruning of trees and shrubs and also approximately 2 miles of road work that could be done. This is just some of the work that I am outlining for you. At the present time, we don't have any funds to do this work. During the WPA and the NYA many improvements were made by these two organizations. At least 75 to 100 men could be used for a year or two doing this work. Hoping that this can help you and your committee in solving the unemployment problem. If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hestitate in letting me know. Sincerely yours, Mr. GAYLORD NELSON, U.S. Senator, Washington, D.C. GEORGE F. CRAY, Superintendent. CITY OF BOSTON, DEAR SENATOR: Your communication of June 16 addressed to me and to members of my staff regarding proposed legislation to provide funds to utilize unemployed workers on conservation projects is acknowledged. If funds were available, we could effectively use 400 workers to maintain and develop public facilities under the jurisdiction of the Parks and Recreation Department of Boston. The attached list indicates the scope of public play areas under our jurisdiction. The type of projects which can be carried out without extensive new preparations are (1) conservation and repair of over 200,000 trees in streets and boulevards and in park areas; (2) riprap lining of banks of ponds and streams. Cleaning and dredging streams and ponds. There are 131 acres of ponds and streams to be serviced; (3) rehabilitation and beautification of road strips and squares throughout the city; (4) rehabilitation and development of public play fields. The limitation of municipal funds during the past 10 years has seriously affected the maintenance and development of outdoor park areas. Under supervision of competent foremen, unemployed workers, if physically and mentally able to work, could make a positive contribution to their own community by working for the parks and recreation department. Sincerely yours, Parks, playgrounds, and squares.. Roadways and driveways (Arnold Arboretum not included) __miles__ Ponds and rivers___ Bridle paths--- Public squares and roads.. Playgrounds‒‒‒ Fieldhouses--. WILLIAM J. DEVINE, Commissioner. -acres-- 2, 747. 16 74 73.96 Recreational centers. Greenhouses__ Public golf courses Clubhouses___ Outdoor swimming pools- Indoor swimming pools. Solariums___ Public bathing beaches (L St., men and women). Cemeteries____ Cemetery roads_-_. OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER, Senator GAYLORD NELSON, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR NELSON: Your letter of July 1, 1964, addressed to the office of Mayor Paul V. Mullaney has been forwarded to me as city manager. Pursuant to your questions, I shall be pleased to provide whatever information that may be available. I am delighted to learn that you have introduced legislation to financially enable municipalities to utilize the services of unemployed workers on projects, such as conservation, recreation, and roads. Even though our community was removed from the list of depressed areas just 2 weeks ago, it is possible that any funds that your bill would make available, could finance projects which might otherwise be deferred because of a high tax rate, etc. For example, we have some 28 parks and playgrounds in Worcester, and many could be substantially improved if we had the necessary funds. We could design and build more baseball and softball fields, as well as outdoor basketball courts. I have no idea what restrictions may apply to these funds, but I can say that a considerable amount of roadwork could be accomplished also, if the bill so allowed. We are a city with some 500 miles of streets, with many of these roadways in need of complete resurfacing because of their clay base. In general, may I say that there are many municipalities throughout the United States which have been forced by economic circumstances to allow much normal work to be deferred and projects delayed because of the tax rate impact. This is perhaps more so in Massachusetts than any other State except New Jersey, because Massachusetts is the second most dependent State in the Union, which relies on real estate as its principal source of revenue for running its communities. Worcester could certainly map out a required program, that would take some 2 years, operating in the months of April through October each year. If there is any other information of a more specific nature that I can provide, please so advise. Best wishes in your efforts. Sincerely yours, FRANCIS J. MCGRATH, City Manager. MICHIGAN RESPONSES STATE OF MICHIGAN, DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION, Monroe, Mich., June 8, 1964. DEAR SENATOR GAYLORD NELSON: I am very proud that you sent me your notice on your legislation to provide unemployed workers for conservation projects in our State of Michigan and others, etc. And I know that we can really use just such a program and so I wish you lots of luck in getting it through. But I am only a small Indian working in the field. So I am sending it, your letter, on up to Lansing to my new director, Ralp A. MacMullan, and I know that he is one swell fellow and will get his answer right out to you. Thank you. ROBERT C. STRAUBE, Michigan State Conservation Officer. P.S.-I see that you are a neighboring Senator from a neighboring State of ours, Wisconsin, so maybe you know Senator Garry Brown, our Senator from Michigan, who I went to school with. I haven't seen Brownie for a long time. So if and when you see him sometime I would greatly appreciate it if you would be so kind as to tell him I said hello. Hon. GAYLORD NELSON, Washington, D.C. MACKINAC ISLAND STATE PARK COMMISSION, DEAR SENATOR NELSON: Thank you for your letter of inquiry concerning utilization of unemployed persons for conservation projects at our parks. I am very much interested in this and certainly hope we are given an opportunity to work along with you to bring this about. We administer two State parks; one at Mackinaw City and the State park on Mackinac Island. During the period of the thirties a new program was undertaken here by Public Works Administration. They did a tremendous job and we certainly hope something along this line can be undertaken again. I would estimate that we could use between 20 and 30 men for a period of 9 months each year and would recommend the program extending over a 3-year period. Provided we had a mild winter we would even be able to work on the program for a 12-month period. I would estimate annual man-hours to be around 50,000 hours per year. On Mackinac Island particularly we would certainly benefit considerably if such a program were set up. I have made a brief list of some of the conservation projects for you to review. 1. Walking paths: Clear and brush all of the old paths and develop new ones here on the island. 2. Bridal paths: Same recommendation, develop new and clear the old bridal paths. 3. Woods clearance: We have 2,000 acres of land here that could be gone over, dead trees removed, entire area brushed and cleared, and beautify the woods. 4. Roads: 30 miles of roadways should be repaired and reconstructed for carriage driving. 5. I would recommend developing historic landmark sites. 6. Stairways and rustic fences: The CCC program did a fine job on this and we have just now arrived at a point where this program should be undertaken again. We would repair and rebuild miles of rustic fences and the stairways. If I can be of any further service to you, don't hesitate to call upon me. Yours very truly, CARL A. NORDBERG. Hon. GAYLORD NELSON, CONSERVATION COMMISSION, STATE OF MICHIGAN, ESTEEMED SENATOR: Your letter of June 3 came as our commission was preparing for our monthly meeting, subsequently held Thursday and Friday of this week. I was glad to hear that our department had already responded with some of the factual data you asked for in connection with your proposed legislation. I asked them to be sure to keep you further in mind and to immediately forward to you the facts on any new projects or programs they may develop in the near future. Two years ago our field personnel prepared a comprehensive inventory, almost acre by acre of worthwhile work that could be done on our State lands. Implementing this work would make big dents in the ranks of our 12,000 unemployed in the Upper Peninsula alone. Very important, too, would be the fact that these would not be boondoggles; the projects listed were of the type that would return the investments to the communities and to the State by providing such as the following, for example: Timber stand improvement: We are growing forests of cull trees in our hardwoods stands. Deformed trees impede the growth of potentially valuable stock. Good hardwood timber is becoming increasingly scarce. Additional campsites in both forests and parks to accommodate more of the 40,000 for whom there was "no room in the inn" last summer, for instance. Brushing out and marking historic and romantic old Indian trails like the Lac Vieu Desert-L'Anse trail; trail to the highest point in Michigan, here in the Upper Peninsula. More lake access sites for boaters: Clearance of windfall trees and other major obstructions from streams that would make miles of canoe routes. Construction of permanent, hard bottom roads (not paved) into State and Federal forests to facilitate orderly timber management; to enable smaller woods operators to survive because they wouldn't need huge roadbuilding tractors, etc. These roads would also open up additional hunter access, dispersing hunters over wider areas, promoting better game management as well. Fish habitat improvement in both streams and lakes. These major fields alone present vast opportunities for constructive employment-and especially of the ax and crosscut skills of which we have most in our northern areas. Impressive, too, about these projects is that they would require mostly labor, without great expenditures for equipment or materials-and that these projects could be started on most any Monday morning, without months of further "surveys" or "planning." May I take this opportunity to tell you that I have long followed every word of your pronouncements and your dynamic action in behalf of conservation in Wisconsin, and am glad that you can now extend your leadership into areas of national scope. I am proud to be associated in your camp both politically and in natural resources philosophy. If I can help in any way at any time, please don't hesitate to call on me. E. M. LAITALA. CITY OF MIDLAND, MICH., June 24, 1964. Hon. GAYLORD NELSON, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR: Midland at the present time has many conservation and recreation programs in the process of development. As a community deeply interested in these types of programs, public support is high and public interest is also very much in evidence. In the past, we have used the people on the relief rolls and have accomplished quite a bit in this venture. However, I have always believed that a little more remuneration for these men was indicated. We have found that most of them preferred to work for their dole rather than just accept it, but in working alongside of others making considerably more, the situation was not good. We could, and have used as many as 25 workers in our 520-acre city forest area. To handle more than that would be acceptable, but being a small department, the supervision would be spread pretty thin. This is a continuing project, good for many years. We also could use 25 to 50 men in an impoundment project we have underway. This is a 50-acre piece purchased from the State highway department, which someday will be a 15-acre lake and a 35-acre picnic reservation area. This project could be completed in 2 or 3 years. Our city council is very much interested in tree planting, and I believe if the manpower was available, the city would be more than happy to purchase the trees. Our roadsides on the freeway entrances to the city could be improved. We have done some planting, but I believe that the State highway department could use some assistance in improving the shoulders and ditches of all freeways in this vicinity. If I can be of further assistance on this, please let me know. Ross KRESSLER, Director. CITY OF PONTIAC, PARKS AND RECREATION, Hon. GAYLORD NELSON, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR NELSON: The Pontiac, Mich., Parks and Recreation agrees in principle with your proposed legislation of the utilization of unemployed citizens on community projects. In our city we have used welfare workers in recent years on various work projects not only in our parks system but in cemeteries and other related city operations. In general, these unskilled, undesirable workers are such a misfit in society that in order to get 1 man-day's work we must have at least five assigned to the job. In times of high unemployment in the automobile industry, the quantity and quality of men available through welfare improved... We have three large unimproved park areas in our system that could use 40 men for a total of 80 man-hours to carry out various improvement projects in our master plan. One of these parks was recently purchased under the Federal open space program. I might suggest that we would prefer a program of assistance using school dropouts and young men under 25, over the unemployed welfare workers that are now available in our community. I realize, that something should be done in order to rehabilitate many of these men to desirable work in the community, but generally, their education and work skills are such that a handout through a Federal program would be defeating society's progress. I would much prefer seeing programs raising the educational qualifications of these undesirables before a more strict work project was undertaken. You are to be commended for thinking and proposing something that will help society improve through the reeducation and the employment of these large masses of people that are causing such a drain in our relief loads in the city. Yours truly, DAVID R. EWALT, Director, Parks and Recreation Department. THE HURON-CLINTON METROPOLITAN AUTHORITY, Hon. GAYLORD NELSON, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR NELSON: We are pleased to reply to your letter of June 15, 1964, regarding the drafting of legislation to utilize unemployed persons on conservation projects. |