Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1909-04-28
CRATER LAKE.
A Wonder OF South Oregon to be
Opened Up.

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Opened Up.
Crater lake, one of the greatest scenic
wonders of the world, is soon to come into
its own. Within very short time this
marvellous formation, which scientists say
was probably caused by the blowing away
Of more than 5000, feet of mountain
heights, will be easily accessible to all
who desire to gaze from its precipitous
and rocky rim into its crystalline and Inn
pid depths.
This will be accomplished largely
through the fundamentally OF Edward
III. Hartman, who has just been appointed
chairman of commission to open Crater
lake reservation to the public by means OF
good roads. Recently Gov. Chamberlain,
who was Mr.. Harriman's guest at Pelican
bay. visited Crater lake in company with
Mr.. Hartman and party of prominent
citizens of Oregon. The party was con-
Quoted by William G.. Steel, the man who
labored for twenty years increasingly to
induce the government to preserve Crater
lake and its surrounding beauties by max
ing it a national park. hrs. Hartman and
a number Of her friends were of the party.
When the party reached the lake, Mr..
Hartman and his friends climbed to the
rim and gazed for the first time upon the
waters of the lake, more than 1000 feet
below and covering the bed of an extinct
crater to depth of nearly 1900 feet. The
majesty, grandeur, beauty and sublimity
OF the scene impressed MFR. Hartman
greatly. For some minutes no member OF
the party spoke, but all silently drank in
the natural beauty which surrounded
them. Mirrored in the deep blue depths
of the lake they saw the heavens, the
clouds, the trees, suspended in some vast
universe of space, above them was silent
world, peopled with things of beauty and
grandeur, and below them in this same
iIlimitable space was the twin world of
the one above them. Mrs. Hartman was
the first to break the silence and in a
measure to dispel the illusion.
''There is nothing like it in the whole
world" she exclaimed, with her hands
clasped in front of her in an intensity of
emotion.
Then the party fell to discussing the
scene, ana Mr.. Steel was showered with
questions regarding the history and char
acter of the formation. MIR. Hartman
said he thought it was pity that SO great
q wonder was so little known and that
it was SO difficult to reach. Gov. Cham
berlain replied that only few years ago
Crater lake was known to very few peo-
pie even in Oregon. Mr.. Hartman said
that this condition should be corrected.
Gov. Chamberlain then and there asked
Mr. Hartman if he would serve on COM
mission to seek the best route into Crater
lake and find ways and means of con-
structing road over such route.
The work of this commission will be
made easier by the advent of Harriman's
new road through California and Oregon,
which is to be made the main line of the
Shasta route. This road Is now construct
ed and opened to within six miles Of KIa-
math Falls. In a short time it will be into
Klamath Fails and then it viii be con.
structed on north, reaching point with
in twelve miles OF Crater lake. 1t is prob
able that the new wagon road will be con-
structed from the new railroad line at its
nearest point to the lake.
1t is also expected that this commission
will assist the Crater lake company in ses'
curing the construction of a road COM
pletely around the rim of the lake, in es-
tablishing the necessary hotels, in provid
ing automobiles and in securing all the
conveniences possible for tourists who
wish to visit the lake. This year more
people have seen the lake than ever saw
it before. This was due to a concession
which the government has given Mr.
Steel and to the greater accessibility Of
the lake. Before the new Shasta route
began nearing, klamath Falls, the nearest
railroad station was eighty miles away.
this way or through the Rogue river valley.
II they came to Klamath they were obliged
to get up to the head OF the lake by boat,
. distance Of about thirty miles, and to
hire conveyances from Fort klamath to
the lake, distance of about twenty-five
miles.
In 1907 the department of the interior
asked Mr.. Steel if he would take hold of
the project and try to bring Crater lake
within reach of the people. The depart
ment of the interior gave Mr.. Steel an
exclusive concession similar to the one
which was granted with reference to Yell
lowstone park.
The Crater lake good roads commission.
just appointed by the governor, of which
z. Fl. Hartman is chairman, will doubt
less secure sufficient funds to establish
and maintain the best possible roads from
east and west Of the Cascade range to the
lake, and as soon as this becomes an estab-
lished fact, line of automobiles from
Medford to Crater lake will be put on,
making the trip in eight hours. Along
the line of roads, the United States con-
templates the construction of an automo-
bile road entirely around Crater lake, on
an easy grade so built that it will be pos
sible to reach the various high peaks with
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