WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION

STATE OF WISCONSIN
RALPH M. IMMELL
ADMINISTRATOR
149 East Wilson Street
Madi son, Visconsin
March 5, 1936
Mr. Aldo Leopold
College of Iriculture
University of Wisconsin
_i      isoonsin
-ear -r. Leopold:
I find on my desk a letter written to Mrs. Edward
LaBudde of Milwaukee by L. C. Gray, Assistant Administrator of the
Resettlement Administration. This apparently relates to the road which
it is proposed to build from Babcock to Tomah following the abandoned
line of the Milwaukee Road. I have been receiving a number of pro-
tests against the construction of this highway all based on alleged
damage to certain species of wild life. From my own knowledge re-
garding highways I believe that this particular road would be quite
valuable in that it would furnish a rather direct line from the ':is-
consin Rapids vicinity to Tomah and LaCrosse along what would appear
to be a logical line of travel between centers of population.
This matter Las been discussed with representatives of
the Conservation Department, and they infoin me that the road, if and
when built, would be constructed in such a way as to serve through
traffic only and without affording facilities for travelers to crive
into the abutting lands. None of the people who have written to me
so far about the matter seem to have any special technical knowledge
of the subject, and I would therefore welcome an expression from you
as to what the effect of the road would be on the various species
of wild life in that vicinity.
Should it be your wish to avoid any personal reference
to you in connection with the matter, I shall be very glad to respect
that wish.
Very tr Z2 yours,
T. .TORELLSON
VKT:VX                                   Administrator