The record-union., 1899-12-20
PROGRESS OF THE YOSEMITE
WAGON ROAD PLAN.

WAGON ROAD PLAN.
The report of the Engineering COM
mission appointed by order OF Congress
to inquire into the Yosemite road con-
ditions and to report upon the PRAGUE
ability of a free wagon road over the
Government reserve into the valley at
the cost and by order Of the Govern
ment, has been filed at Washington.
While reporting upon all main roads
leading into the valley and relating IL
not only to the San joaquin Valley, put
upon roads leading out of the valley to
still deeper mountain gorges and into
the transmontane region, it is under
stood that the commission indicates It's
preference for the free wagon ROAD
being constructed, If ordered, on the
line of the natural fall Of the MERGED
River as it leaves the Yosemite ana
reaches the San Joaquin Valley.
This is as was expected. 1t is with
out doubt the proper route upon which
to lay down the road into the Yosemite.
1t will be recalled that two years ago
the Record Union" brought to PUBIC
attention the necessity for and Dement'S
Of free wagon road access to the fo-
semitic and pointed out why the Fed
eral Government ought to construct
good wagon road and maintain it, at
least from boundary to boundary across
the national park surrounding the grant
of the Yosemite to the State.
The Record Union" was heartily in
dorsed by the press generally and urged
to push its idea before the attention
of the Government. This Office there
upon prepared and had circulated in
various sections memorials to Congress
upon that subject. After a time these
petitions, which were generously signed,
were gathered in, arranged by the
Record Union" forwarded and pre-
scented in the House by Congressman
De vries, who at once took a deep in
terest in the proposition With the
aid and advice of the California dele
cation in Congress he was able to Sc
cure the passage of his bin directing the
War Department to dispatch an army
engineer commission to look into all
road questions relating to the Yo-
semitic The California Commissioner
of Highways was made member of
the commission and it is that body
which has now filed report.
AS to the details of it's recommends
tons we are not as yet informed, but
it is assumed that the suggestion that
the Government should build the free
wagon road over it's own lands is given
essary legislative action and the es-
sential appropriation for carrying for
ward the work. The friends Of the plan
may be confident that the Congressman
from this district will have the support
of the California delegation in secur-
ing the necessary legislation, If it is
possible at this session, and that the
due appropriation will be made. There
fore within reasonable time we may
expect the free wagon road to the Yo-
semitic over the Government reserve
to be constructed.
The Record Union" takes pardonable
pride in this matter as it originated the
idea and put on foot the movement that
has progressed thus far in accomplish
ment. Yet it is conscious that to the
interior press generally. and to the cit
liens who became memorialists for the
road at its suggestion, is due the credit
for the influences which operated to
bring about the appointment of the
commission, and that to CONGRESSMAN
De Vries' energy and interest in the
matter is due the advance thus far made
in the matter, and which presages
early realization of this important work
OF building free wagon road over an
all-winter-open route with least pos
sible grade, by which access to the Yo-
semitic will be greatly bettered, and
made less a task in the output of en-
ergy and in cost.