The weekly herald. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 1906-19??, 1908-04-30

Since the MeXicans gave way TO tho
cattle barons," wild cattle lived in
the canyon in great numbers, and
tame cattle, when once among them,
would become wild. The dense CO.
dar forests and numerous canyons
that enter tho main gorge at frequent
intervals, made Il practically impos-
sible to drive the cattle from the can
yon, II was because OF this fact that,
about twenty years ago the stock
men Of the Panhandle got together,
with view, II Is said, 10 fencing up
the Palo Duro canyon. II failed be-
cause OF the immense cost The Wild
cattle stlll remain down there, as
we'll as black bear, deer, wolves and
panthors. In fact the canyon Is to-
day a wild and only partially oxplor-
cd spot and yet men are blowing,
sowing and reaping directly on the
rim Of this great gorge, whore one
thousand feet or more beneath them
are wild animals and Wild domestic
cattle in great numbers.
Beginnings at Dreamland Falls fol
lowing the meanderng OF the canyon
for five miles, the extreme width is
not more than n mile, As distance
Is reached greater depth il encoun-
tered, until one walks along the bed
OF a sandy beach fully 1000 feet be-
low the level plains on either side.
The walls stand sheer for hundreds
OF feet, presenting a scene that can
only be equalled by the Grand Can.
yon OF Arizona. Indeed, Palo Duro
IL tho Grand Canyon in miniature,
excepting the coloring effects;
wherein Palo Duro excels. Every
tint OF the rainbow is visible. II ap-
pears that same great artist has
blended these colors into scenes oven
more beautiful than any artist has
ever before succeeded in doing.
TIL visitor cannon but think that
here God has placed heritage for
man, and that here Is where the
mighty hand Of Nature has carved
out OF stone and shale a masterpiece,
and painted the whole with Divine
effects, that man might forever be-
hold the scene and become trans
fixed and elevated to plane higher
and better than all else in this world.
One cannot but feel that here the
All Wise prepared a place for His
children, and the beholder stands
entranced with its sublime grandeur
and beauty.
Through the center, serpentine
like. runs a beautiful clear stream
OF pure water, fed by innumerable
springs that gush out from the can
yon's walls hundreds of feet beneath
the plains. These springs furnish
a never-tailing supply OF pure water,
and their source is from the sand and
gravel beds which underlie the great
plains country.
About ten miles below Dreamland
Falls the canyon gradually widens
out, reaching a width OF three and
one-half miles from rim to rim. It
is here great virgin forests of cedars
are found. These immense cedars
are unlike others found in this coun-
try. Prof. Long, OF the forestry de-
partment at Washington, says the
Palo Duro canyon cedars are very
much like the cedar OF Lebanon, al
though somewhat firmer and harder.
A dead limb the size OF lead PEN
ell will bend like malleable iron, and
to break one OF that sire Is diff
cult indeed.
While the writer aud a party OF
seven explorers we're there last No
vember, dead cedar wood was burn
ed and found to be excellent fuel, ex-
ccpt for its popping and cracking.
II pops like the report of a rifle,
and frequently large Goals are
thrown off several feet. During a
ten days. stay in the canyon every
man In the party received one or
more burns from the cedar popping
and throwing off Goals OF fire onto
their clothing
As a health and pleasure resort,
the canyon would prove most valu-
able. A physician in the party de-
clared that many diseases would be
relieved and possibly cured, by
camping among the cedar forests at
that depth below the plains. He also
claimed that many of the large
springs found contained mineral
properties of great value.
1t. is proposed to have congress
purchase strip of land embracing
this wonderful gorge, and establish
National Park and Game Preserve
Those interested declare that a strir