The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., September 20, 1973, page
2
Includes photograph titled:
THE CHIMNEY on this long-unused building, part of the Dry Ice Corp. Property
near Klickitat, is the one used as home by a large colony of birds known
as swifts. Klickitat residents seek preservation of the building, now owned
by State Game Department, because of use by the birds.
HOPE RISES FOR PRESERVATION OF BUILDING USED BY SWIFTS
The efforts of people of Klickitat to secure preservation
of the building whose chimney provides a home for thousands of chimney swifts
appeared to be bearing fruit this week, following letters received from State
Game Department officials and an on-site inspection conducted Tuesday.
Mrs. Art Graham and Mrs. Harry Nelson, who spearheaded
the movement by Klickitat residents, first received a letter from an assistant
to Department Director Carl N. Crouse, to the effect that demolition of the
building was scheduled but that efforts would be made to preserve the chimney,
rebuilding it if necessary and if funds for the purpose were approved.
Later, they reported receipt of a letter from James M.
Dolliver, administrative assistant to Gov. Dan Evans, who agreed with their
desire "to make every effort possible to preserve this rather unique piece
of wildlife habitat within the state."
At about the same time, they reported receipt of a letter
from Carroll A. Rieck, supervisor of a non-game wildlife program (of the
state Department of Game) in which he said "it has been agreed (by regional
game department people) that it is imperative to preserve the chimney and
the building." He indicated it might be necessary to seal the building to
prevent vandalism, but that the contractor had been instructed to save the
building.
It was Rieck, accompanied by Game Department engineers,
who visited the site Tuesday for inspection.
Although some reference apparently was made by state
officials to "the unsightly appearance of the old buildings," local people
agree that the particular building containing the chimney to be preserved
is "really not that unsightly -- in fact, it has historic value."
The building is part of a complex known as the "old Gas-Ice
plant" and before the manufacture of dry-ice, was the office building of
the firm which bottled soda water from natural springs for sale on the Portland
market.
One opinion voiced by a qualified naturalist was to the
effect that absence of the building from around the chimney might make it
less attractive to the birds because of the insulating and cooling properties
given by the brick building with its deep basement.
The swifts, whose number have been estimated at from
1000 to 2000 or more, spend their day on the wing, catching insects in flight.
At nightfall they return to the nesting site to mill around in the air until
dusk, when they disappear down the chimney as though sucked in by a vacuum.
It is their habit to cling to a vertical surface, such as the inside of the
no-longer-used chimney.
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© Jeffrey L. Elmer