The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1913-01-03
NATURAL BRIDGES.
The Biggest In the World Are In
the Utah Desert.
WONDERS OF WHITE CANYON.

20 MASSIVE towering Arcnees MA
Sstic III Their Rugged Grandeur,
6pan the Lonely, Picturesque Gorge,
Pr From the Beaten Paths Of Man.
Among the wonders Of the west
which the government has taken I'M
der its care are the remarkable natural
bridges Of Utah. which are, SO far as
is known. without a peer. In 1908
these three bridges. the Caroline, Au-
gusta and Edwin, were set aside as ma
tional monuments. and later certain
caves and springs near by were added
to the reserved area.
Il Is difficult to give an adequate
idea OF these stupendous arches, and
SO far they have been seen by few
persons. for it is a trip Of days across
the desert to reach them, but accurate
measurements have been taken and
convey some notion Of their size and
shape. The popular way of reaching
these curiosities Is from Bluff, Utah.
where one can obtain guide and out
at. Thence you proceed through dry
washes. old stream beds and sage COW
cred mesas to the great bridges. which
loom up in White canyon far from the
beaten path Of man.
The White canyon itself is many
miles long. and the bridges spring
from Its steep, light bun walls, the
three being within distance Of five
miles They seems carved by Titanic
forces, for the largest is 222 feet high
and 05 feet thick at the top OF the
arch. The arch is % feet wide. the
span is 261 feet, and the height Of the
Hspan Is 1877 feet.
The Natural bridge Of Virginia is
hby In comparison with any Of the
three Utah formations It Is to be re-
GREETED that these wonderful bridges
are not easier of access. Figures give
little idea Of their immensely, and
words but suggest their beauty.
" The first account OF chem given to
Nthe world was that Of Horace ]. Long.
who visited the bridges In 1908. Long
was an engineer and prospecting in
Utah. One day he fell In with cattle
man named Scorup. who was familiar
with Utah and In particular with the
region lying around the San Juan river.
#Scorup. after some preliminary con-
fFersation, said that he had seen some
remarkable bridges SO immense and
wonderful that he disliked to talk about
them for fear he would be accused Of
manufacturing the story. He added
that though he had seen them In 1898
he had always desired to go back and
If Long would accompany him and take
photographs he would guarantee to-
guide the engineer to the place.
= Accordingly the two men set out with
nlck hnEses and provisions. and after
lon3ly trip through deserts and
canyons A2d Xia ae asfFsttc hes where no
animal was Is be seen they descended
INTO the gorge Of the wi mite canyon tne
SIDES OF which are filleI Win deserted
clin dwellings. Two days later they
came to the wonderful ridges, the nrst
OF which, Of pink SAINT lstone' Scorup
called Caroline In honor kor ms motner'
Long was fairly dazed af tne beauty
ana size Of this natural WONDER Inc
pink walls were streakad with dehcate
colored 'ses-sns ana Pc OUT IN poiu
rrslef against a sky Of blue More than
this, both men felt that they were gaz-
ing on one Of the wonders 81 tie world.
They pushed rapidly down the can
yon and came to another arch. more
symmetrical and more beautiful than
the frst with i lightness and grace and
charm Of coloring that made It SPLEEN
did work Of nature Long named this
the Augusta after his wife and man
aged to get fair photograph. The
arch was so high that the trees Of Cal
ifornia would seem dwarfed beside 1t.
and the men took what measurements
they could BY climbing and clinging to
the canyons sides.
They found the Edwin, or Little
bridge. several miles down the canyon.
the arch in reality Of immense dimen-.
sions. but small In comparison with
those that they had measured. All
around these bridges are crags and
strange formations. cave dwellings.
springs and other objects of interest.
but the center OF attraction IS and will
always be these three towering arches
which span the White canyon.
Undoubtedly these bridges are Of
great scientific interest. not alone be-
cause they are SO far as known the
largest natural bridges in the world,
but because they are extraordinary ex-
Amples Of stream erosion. An ancient
river probably carved these great