The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-01-29
SAVE MT. rainier


Continued from page 81
the busy routine of mercantile life,
Paradise Park is happily named. The
diversity Of the landscape, the solemn
ity of the silent forests, the prodigsiity
and wonderful eolcring OF the norsl dis
play, the foaming water OF the streams
that rush down the valleys and plunge
over the cliffs in many picturesque falls,
with the mighty white dome OF Rainier
towering majestically over all and
claping with lev fingers OF its glaciers
the green slopes below, all combine to
make this mountain park region of
irresistible charm.
This appreciation is not confined to
persons OF our own nationality or race.
Foreign world. travellers, lovers of the
gaDdly picturesque, unite in highest
admiration of the Rainier region.
"Hon. James Bryce, the well.knoyn
publicist and a member of the English
Alpine Club, and Professor Karl Zittel,
OF Munich, geologist familiar with all
the aspects Of Europe, several years
ago in joint letter suggesting in ad-
vance of National action that the Mt.
Rainier region should be. reserved as a
national park. wrote as follows:
"'The scenery of Mount Rainier is of
rare and varied beauty. The peak it.
self is as noble a mountain as we have
ever seen in its lines and structure.
The glaciers which descend from its
snow fields present all the eharseteris-
tic features of those in the Alps, and
though less extensive than the ice
streams Of the Mont Blanc or Monte
Rosa groups, are in their crevasses and
seracs equally striking and equally
worthy of close study. We have seen
nothing more beautiful in Switzerland
or Tyrol, in Norway or in the Pyrenees
than the Carbon River glacier and the
great Payallup glaciers; indeed, the ice
in the htter is unusually pure and the
erevasses unusually fine. The eombina-
ton Of ice scenery with woodland seen
cry Of the grandest type is TO be found
nowhere in the Old World, unless II
be in the Himalayas, and 80 far as we
know. nowhere else on the American
Continent
SOur committee has few reeommen-
dations to present as to means to be
taken to conserve the existing natural
features, an example Of what might be
done TO prevent deterioration in the
sylvan beauty Of the park the following
seems worthy OF mention:
The growth Of the sub.alpine fr
lAbies la-ioclrpal and alpine hemloeN
iTsuga Mertensiana around Mt
Rainier. which forms the extreme limit
of tee.Towth, Is dying rapidly
Besides being objects OF beauty these
-'rees have second very practical value
ss means Of conserving the water sup.
ply by retarding the melting snns in
the spring and summer months.
$50 far a. ~ cursory observation
would permit. il j, evident that The
cause Of the death Of these trees is mol
fire. but either a fungus or an in.ecl
disease. OF both. 1t j. therefore recon-
menlcd that the United Stltes Depart
lnent Of Agriculture send an expert tC
the paIN to determine definitely the
esu,e OF the death Of thi- valuable
timber and take measures to prevent
future damage. II possible.
Too much emphasi. cannot be placed
ou the Importance OF the means Of access
to tie various regions Of this great park
with their raried feature, of interest
and in particular on tie de-irability oI