Williams news., 1906-06-02
MONUMENT NEAR
 GRAND CANYON
In Memory of Explorers of That Scenic
 Wonder

MeulUeES Ol IIlS U OiiilCu OeoeO0 Geological Survey feel lively in- terest in the fact that the trustees of the American Scenic and His toric Preservation Society have re- gently presented to congress a me- morial in which they ask that a monument be erected at some place near the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River to Major John Wesley Powell, the explorer, and his companions. Maj. Powell was the second director of the Fed eral survey. The present organi zation, which he helped to found and of which he was the head from from 1882 to 1894, is in many re- spects the expression of his ideas of what geological survey should be.
 Remembered as patriot and soldier, his fame rests chiefly on his achievements as scientist. The single feat for which he was most renowned was his exploration of the Colorado river of the west. He and his companions were the first human beings to traverse that can yon, the most remarka ble in the known world, feared and summed by even the natives born on its edge.
 Prior to 1867, the portion of the Colorado river between Green river valley in Wyoming and the mouth of Rio Virgin in Nevada was a mys- tery. It flowed through long, deep canyons, the largest of which was over d mile deep and from ten to fifteen miles wide from rim to rim. At other places the walls contracted, the course of the river became ob- scured, and among the many wild and fantastic tales told about it were stories of strange and abhor- rent underground passages.
 In 1869, Powell made his first voyage, an undertaking probably never surpassed in daring. His party consisted of ten men. includ- ing himself. They had four boats, one of which was wrecked. One of the party left before they went be- low the mouth of White river, and three of them withdrew near the end of the Grand Canyon and were afterwards killed by the Shewit h. dians. After a perilous voyage made more rapidly than desired because of short rations, the sur vivors reached the mouth of the Rio Virgin. There they picked uI and succored some Mormon emf. grants who had been sent by Brigham Young to that point tc establish settlement.
 The scientific results of the first expedition were unsatisfactory, and a second expedition was planned fol the purpose of collecting scientific data and making better explora ton. The second party, which numbered. eleven men, left Greer river in 1871. Second in command of this party was Prof. A. H. Thomp son. who afterwards became mem Der of the Powell survey and later when Major Powell became director member of the United States Geo logical Survey, where he still hold the position of geographer.
 This party explored the river par way, but did not enter Grand Can yon in 1871 for two reasons. Tn weather became cool and food wa scarce. It was decided therefore t spend the winter of 1S71-2 explor ing the country adjacent. to tn Canyon and establish a base of sup plies. In 1872, the descent of tn Canyon was resumed with onl. seven in the party. The other fou had fallen ill, and no others ap peared to have the courage to tax their places. It was commonly be lieved that the explorers woul never be seen again, but no live were lost, although Major Powel was nearly killed.
 It is felt that the phenomena work of these explorers entitle