The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois • Page 3

Pntflrph A-3 Bloomingtorv Normal, III. April 10, 1971 Welch: County board has control over lot By Mark Spencer The McLean County Board hns the power to lease or sell a vacant lot behind the McBarncs Memorial Building, State's Atty. Paul R. Welch said Monday. The Association of Commerce and Industry of McLean County (ACI) is still Interested In leasing the site for a new lot, county control was questioned be-office building.

cause a county board resolution dating Welch said the Chicago Title Trust back to 1921 said that the lot and build-Company will confirm an opinion he Ing were under control of a board of issued in 1969 which said that the county managers. board has control over the lot. xne hoard 0f managers Is comprised of When the ACI proposed to lease the representatives of each recognized recommendation when the board meets Wednesday. It will merely report the fact that the county has control over the lot, said committee Chairman Clyde D. Hunter.

Hunter said the outgoing board of supervisors will not be asked to act on the ACI proposal. The Wednesday meeting a day later than normal because of annual town meetings will be the last regularly scheduled one for the board of supervisors. The new county board, elected April 4, will take office May I. Hunter said the present board would not act on the ACI proposal because it soldiers' and sailors' organization In the county. Welch has said the county has a clear deed to the vacant lot despite the board resolution.

He said the board resolution Is not included In the county's deed to the property and thus is not legally binding. Welch has not received a written opinion from the Chicago firm, but telephoned the firm Monday at the request of the count? board's public buildings committee, through which the ACI is seeking a recommendation that Its proposed lease come before the full board. The committee, however, will make no Cilies unite Pushina for road should properly come for consideration before the new board. The ACI still wants to rent the property, Executive Director Ben Pitcher told the committee Monday. He said the ACI is prepared to build a basement for public meetings beneath Its office quarters to make the proposal more palatable to the county board.

The ACI has proposed to lease the ground for one dollar a year in a 99-year lease. Some supervisors have said the suggested nominal fee is too tow for the valuable property. The ACI has replied that its organization now has county-wide representation and is expanding that representation in hopes that it will one day include mem-bersip of all commerce associations in each city or town In the county. The ACI also says the building would be owned by the county, although the ACI would pay for its construction and maintenance, the building would become the county's property at the end of the 99-year lease, according to the proposal. Pitcher also has said that the ACI considers the site desirable because of its proximity to other county and city offices.

The ACI proposal is for a 3.700 square-foot office buildling with a full basement. IMtcher Monday said the ACI would be ready to seek bids on the project within two weeks after the county board approved the lease. He said the ACI has approximately one-half the estimated $115,000 cost of the building in its building fund. He said it hopes to obtain the remainder through a loan and possibly a fund drive. Welch Monday said that county control extends only to the vacant lot.

The McBarnes board of managers will retain control of the memorial building and the driveway which adjoins it, he said. Five alternate routes were proposed for the North-South Expressway, similar to the Midstate Expressway first proposed In 1944. The group wants the Rockford-to-Centralia expressway built along the existing U.S. 51. One alternate would have the route follow U.S.

51 from Centralia to Peru then veer westward on Interstate 80 to Princeton before heading north to Rock-ford. Three alternates would veer the high-, way east of U.S. 51 north of BIoomlngton-Normal. There is a real push in Northern Illinois to have the highway go through De Kalb, home of Northern Illinois University. Regardless of the routing In Northern Illinois, all plans call for the expressway to pass near the Twin Cities.

Fifteen officials from nine cities along U.S. 51 from Rockford to Rloomington were to meet with Gov. Richard B. Ogilvie at 3 p.m. today In Chicago to push for construction of the North-South Expressway in the U.S.

51 corridor. The group included Bloomington Mayor Walter Bittner: Normal Mayor Carol Reitan; Willard Horsman, chairman of the transportation committee of the Association of Commerce and Industry of McLean County, and Keith Middleton, vice-president of the ACI and a member of its transportation committee. Other cities represented were Rock-ford, Rochelle, Mendota, Peru, La Salle, Oglesby and Spring Valley. The meeting was arranged by John M. Schoeph, manager of the Illinois Valley Area Chamber of Commerce representing La Salle, Feru, Oglesby and Spring Valley.

Topsy-furvy Clinton Train officials Monday morning were bvty inspecting over tumtd Illinois Central caboose. Inurtd but in satisfactory condition was the conductor, E. K. Leathers of Lo Roy. Cabooso and test car overturned six milts oast of Clinton on" run to Cilman.

(Pantagraph Photo) Le Royan hurt, in derailment CLINTON E. K. Leathers, 50. Le Roy, was in satisfactory condition Monday noon at Dr. John Warner Hospital after he suffered minor injuries in the derailment of an Illinois Central freight train six miles east of Clinton.

Leathers was conductor on the freight and other train officials were on hand at midmorning to inspect the wreckage but could give no cause for the derailment. Workers were clearing the tracks as another train wailed on a siding. Lingle estimated damage at about $3,000. A local daily train, known as the Gil-man Local, was headed east Monday when a scale test car derailed at 6:57 a.m., according to I.C. Trainmaster Maurice Lingle of Clinton.

When the test car derailed, he said, it caused the caboose to flip over. Lingle 9 $6 million budget on Unit 5 agenda A a The Unit 5 Board of Education tonight will discuss the proposed 1972-73 school year budget for the first time. The proposal estimates receipt for the replacement of six other buses for $49,000. Prior to discussing individual items in the budget, the board will get an overview of the proposal. Evans said the board will continue to discuss expenditures and other budget items at regular meetings between now and the time a final budget is approved.

An approved tentative budget will be on file for public inspection in the unit office for 30 days prior to final approval, Evans said. Helping hands who helped prtptrt O'Neil Park for the coming season. Reserves worked Sttvrday and Sunday on the community service project in its second year. (Army Reserve Photo) Pfc. Roger Kinder, 10M Tenth, Hilltop Court, left foreground, and Spec.

4 Gary Koch, 18T1 Truman Drive, Normal, were two of 27 members of the 388th Chemical Co. of Army Reserves Man's concern gave us Arbor Day next school year at $6,753,742, a growth of $710,252 over 1971-72 estimate receipts. Proposed expenditures for next year total $6,901,132, or $408,992 over the $6,492,140 budgeted for fiscal 1971-72 Supt. George Evans said figures in the budget proposal are tentative, pending board review and approval. He expects approval of a final budget before the fiscal year ends June 30.

Largest of the funds in the proposal is the educational fund, with receipts expected at $5,071,642 and expenditures at $5,189,032. Evans explained that $100,000 of those expenditures are for contingencies. He also said that the $117,390 deficit anticipated would be more than made up with additional state aid the district probably will get next year and through a balance in the education fund this year. The 1972-73 education fund calls for an increase in spending of $356,692 over last year's budgeted figure of $4,832,340. Budget considerations at tonight's meeting will be on $21,755 in proposed expenditures for equipment, part of which will be refunded under the National Defense Education Act, Evans said; $48,951 proposed for large pieces of equipment from the education fund, and $49,200 for equipment from the transportation fund.

Evans said his budget proposes the purchase of an additional school bus and By Roland White Arbor Day is an example of man's conscience at work in behalf of Governor to make if a day here Gov. Richard B. Ogilvie will begin a day-long visit to the Twin Cities at 10 a.m. Thursday by addressing a student assembly at Normal Community High School. The govenor will make brief remarks about state government, then answer questions from students, an aide said.

Following his high school talk, the governor is scheduled to visit Normal city hall about 10:45. At 1 p.m. he will meet with a group of women at Normal's First Presbyterian Church and at 3:30 he is to be at Bloomington city hall. After that he is scheduled to visit the offices of The Daily Pantagraph. Ogilvie will finish his visit by addressing a GOP dinner meeting at 7 p.m.

at the Scottish Rite Temple. Although the idea caught on and spread to every state in the union except Alaska, the founder of the custom is virtually the forgotten man. Planting trees to replace trees destroyed by man is an official custom whose hundredth birthday occurs today. Arbor Day began in Nebraska April 10, 1872. man, whose real name was John Chapman, devoted his life to planting apple trees.

He came to Ohio about 1800, wearing old trousers, a coffee sack for a shirt, and a saucepan for a hat. His other possessions included a Bible and apple seeds from Pennsylvania. The type of pioneer who felt crowded when there were too many neighbors, he moved on to Indiana when Ohio became settled. Another advocate of planting trees was i yr mh fy jfrf.v.in Ever hear of J. Sterling Morton? He was a newspaper editor at Nebraska City, who moved from Michigan tt Nebraksa in 1855.

He became secretary of Nebraska Territory in 1858, later was acting governor. By 1872 he was a member of the state board of agriculture. By 1872 Nebraska had a problem. Not blessed with the abundance of trees some other states had, it had seen most of its trees cut down for homes and firewood. Others had gone to clear the land for farming.

Some Nebraskans had log cabins like those of so many other frontier settlers. Others, lacking the timber, had to make do with sod houses. Parking lot project agenda on counci iVVc-i Birdsey G. Northrup of Connecticut, who traveled all over the United States and even to Europe and Asia urging an idea similar to that of Arbor Day. Even the federal government got into the act, shortly after the first Arbor Day.

A Nebraska senator, Phineas W. Hitchcock, sponsored the Timber Culture Act of 1873. Homesteaders were already able to claim 160 acres of government land by settling on it, filing their claim, making improvements and staying on the land five years. Now it was possible to acquire up to 160 acres more by agreeing to plant trees on 10 acres of the new claim. While the Timber Culture let largely unsuccessful, a historical marker in Garfield County, near Bunvell, denotes one spot where many trees planted as a result still stand.

A count was made of 87 different types of trees and plants along nature trails on this land, many of them dating from pioneer days. The timber claim on this tract was filed Sept. 29, 1875, by Richard McCli-mans, father of Mrs. Grace Crenshaw of Hopedale. In 1960 family members gave 60 acres of the timbered homestead to the United Church of Christ for church camp use, calling it Kamp Kaleo.

The Soil Conservation Society of America designated 32 acres of the forest land as a managed natural area. Another pioneer tree planter, Jesse W. Fell of Normal, will be the subject of a later story. AH over the western plains, a traveler could go for miles without seeing a tree. Historians of conservation give the Nebraska founder of Arbor Day mention along with John James Audubon, whose activity was in behalf of birds.

They point out that birds and other wild life won't survive too well without trees for homes and for cover. Morton was not unique in his concern for trees. He just gave the public a time to do something about it. That time varies from state to state with the spring planting season, but in this part of the country is usually the last Monday in April. Florida has it the third Friday in January.

Nebraska now observes April 22. To begin with the observance was largely by agricultural associations. About 1882 the plan of making Arbor Day a school occasion began. This helped spread the idea beyond the borders of the country. Although the first Arbor Day was in 1872, it did not become a legal holiday anywhere until 1885, when Nebraska placed it on the calendar.

Another name associated with planting trees is that of Johnny Appleseed. This it Mrs. Mable Donovan received $31,000 for her home at 216 E. Monroe and Mrs. Clarence Arthington received $30,500 for her house at 216 E.

Monroe. Negotiations are still under way for the service station and a home at 214 E. Monroe owned by Mrs. Cora Faulkner. The proposed resolution would allow the city to begin condemnation proceedings on the latter two properties if the sales cannot be negotiated out of court.

Other items on tonight's council agenda include petitions from 830 residents wanting the city to allow boat motors of up to 10 horsepower on Evergreen Lake and appointments to the Bloomington Housing Authority and Sister City Committee. The appointments were tabled two weeks ago. LaSt Tuesday, the Human Relations Commission approved a letter urging the council to appoint a member of the Bloomington Tenant Council to the housing authority board. The tenant council is comprised of public housing tenants. A resolution paving the way for construction of two parking lots near the Bloomington post office will be presented to the Bloomington City Council when it meets at 7:30 tonight at city hall.

Five tracts are involved. The properties are the McLean County Service Corp. service station at 301 N. East and four houses behind the post office on the north side of the 200 block of East Monroe Street. The city wants to build parking lots on the sites to replace the spaces which will be lost in the Old City Hall municipal lot at Monroe and East streets.

The 66-space municipal lot was sold last year to General Telephone Co. for $187,000. The city hopes to spend about the same amount to develop 75 parking spaces on the five tracts included in the resolution to be presented tonight. Three of the five properties have been acquired by the city. Mr.

and Mrs. Charles Cowart sold their home at 214 E. Monroe for $17,250. Mr. and Mrs.

Kenneth Durflinger, R.R. 3, Heyworth, are proud of the 600 shrubs and trees they have planted on their 5Vi acres in the past three years. They observed this 100th anniversary of Arbor Day today by planting a clump of white birch. (Pantagraph Photo) They do fheir part.