The sun., 1909-01-10
NOW FOR ! GLACIER PiRK.
Proposed Use OF a Tract OF Montana
Containing Sixty Rivers Of lee.

'''N'S W. H'''
A petition is before Congress TO se
aside portion OF Montana for a nationa
glacier park The mountainous regiol
Of Montana is the backbone Of the grea
Rocky Mountain range that extend
into Canada, and this proposed new parl
contains peaks aud glaciers dupllcat eC
on this continent in Alaska only.
Hitherto this region Of Montana ha'
been almost unknown, since access hai
been so difficult that only the hardened
explorer has ventured along the poo
and insufficient trails. But il has beer
mapped by the United States Geograph
ical Survey and IL its admirers can Sc
cure It for park we will have a tract
set aside for a public playground thai
, can rival the imperia Alps in grandeur.
Canada has for some years made much
Of her national park in the Rockies
which has been the resort Of tourists
proposed Montana park equals Canada Z
in grandeur, says Hdrper's Weekly and
there is no reason why with good roads
and sufficient trails il should no, attract
equal attention.
The bill proposes to include in the reser-
walton about 400 square miles just be-
low the international boundary. The
park will take in about equal areas on the
east and west OF the summit Of the main
range OF the Rocky Mountains, one OF
the most beautiful mountain regions in
the world.
In this district is Mount Cleveland,
10,i3i feet above the level OF the sea.
with other mountains varying in height
from 700 to 10000 feet. There are about
sixty glaciers between a few acres and
five square miles in extent. A broken
chain Of big and little glaciers extends
through the whole region. forming an
ice roof for the backbone Of the con-
tinent
The range presents a steep rock wall.
cut in manv places bv caflons formed
by great glaciers, which carry water
from the Great Divide to the Atlantic
and Pacific slopes. The Carons usually
terminate in vast amphitheatres with
cliffs rising above cliffs to the snow line
Thousands of feet below are roaring
streams that plunge over falls and preci-
pices. The maps Of this region which
have been rrenared TO show Congress
give but a faint idea Of it's attractions
Surveyors state there there is rrac-
tically no agricultural land and that no min
oral bearing formations Of any commercial
value exist within the area Of the pro-
posed rark. which is bordered by great
plain drained by the Missouri and Sas-
katchewnn rivers. This area has all
the animals that attract people to the
Canadian Rockies.
On the high barren rocks are quanti-
ties OF white goats. while on the lower
ridges are big horn Rocky Mountain
sheep. The grizzly bear roams over
most Of its extent. and in places are deer,
moose and elk. II is the plan of the park
uro jectora 10 set aside certain pro-
tected erea for the benefit Of these ami
mails and for n game Preserve
If this rayio0 is obtained for park
the next business of Congress- in relation
to it will be to make il accessible. Many
Of the rasses are closed for many months
Of the wear and others are available only /,
after ste~s have been hewn in the glacial /
ice, The only persons who have trav-
ersei II ars Government engineers, |
traDr ors, hunters and Indians. One
transcontn 11tal linz passes near II |
however, and il is surmiscd that other .
roads will be built to it,
II Itispror osed to make good wagon roads |
as in the Yellowstone Park. so that per-
sons unwilling OF unable TO undertake .
tho laborious eyertion necessary to en-
able them 20 roach the inner rcoesses /
Of the marx will be able to sea the noun
tains at close range. So far the Indians
md traDrers have followed the game
rails end many Of thnsr fan lie utilized !
'oi horse and wagon roads. IL ia rar-
icularlv desirable 10 have a road around
axe Mcdonald. a sheet of water Of won
nous beauty and of extreme deDth.