The Seattle Republican. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1???-1915, 1913-03-07
The Scenic Triumph at Revelstoke.


nhabitantte and during 1912 it expended $550O0OO
its roads average per capita Of eleven dollars No
Province in Confederation begins to approach such
outlay. But big the figure is 1913 will be bigger
for this year the road estimate will be about 000
or sixteen dollars per head of population
To understand this remarkable expenditure one
should understand the geographical size and confgura
ton and variety and wealth of of this great
Province First then-its is roughly seven times
that Of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Ed
ward Island put together but the population Of the At
antic Provinces per square mile is 1917 that Of the
Pacific Province per square mile but 130 and Of it's
half million people about one-half or 250000 are
hived within radius of, say, sixty miles, with Van
City center The rest scattered pioneers
of progress in small cities and settlements
through the greater Interior That great hinterand
is rich in mineral timber agricultural and horticulture
resources, fruitful Of opportunity to their expansion
and to the development Of the consequent industries
With the mountain ranges and parallel valleys running
north and south and transcOntnenta railroads running
east and west the natural feeders of such railways the
arteries of commerce. Good Roads Thus, with the
(soon to be) double tracked c. P R. in the middle the
G. T. P. and c. N. R. a hundred miles to the
north and the WeyburnH Hope c. P R. division equally
distant to the SOUTH the connecting SYSTEM pending
railroad branches and river navigation must be good
roads. They imperative to the settlement and de-
veopment of the natural and commercial of
the country
There is one great feature in the policy Of road
structon in B. c. which is not, however provincial
even national Wider than that than either, tbs inter
national That s the opening to travellers to tourists
to the world of the glorious and sublime scenery to be
found within it's boundaries The automobile eliminates
artificial and often natural boundaries and by the sys
TEN Of good roads and national highways being con-
cd in e he abroad
travel almost its length and breadth in safety and
fort and with enthusiasm for the by the way.
The eliminating effort Of the scenic road IN B. C-ln-
deed the American continent for there is no other
like it's the mountain motor road at Revestoke b. C
''Captal of Canadas Alps" Here the Provincial Gov
ernment sought and found the opportunity to give the
world visitor of their provinces the most delightful,
unique and soul-strring enlivenment to be anywhere
experienced one that will live long in the memory, or
bring one again to the of enchantment
Mount Revelstoke at the city Of that name mid
way, and daylight rail journey, between Calgary
and Vancouver is about 900 feet high Starting at
its foot in the Columbia River Valley by the river
side with the altitude about 400 feet the new noun
tain road northward for short distance and'
turning to the right begins at once the wonderful
and fascinating ascent 1t doubles and re-douDles,
and turns and tacks o get grade) presenting at each
turn newer and still interesting and varied view
of the great river valleys, with their mountain fdged
ribs giant peaks silvery streams and green torested
slopes Thus, although the ascent in airline is about
one mile the distance traversed is, will be, about
seventeen The average grade is but 66 per cent,
and the maximum but per cent 1t is surveyed out
for 1873 miles and last year three miles Of it were
completed 1t will be carried to the summit Getty slde
or 13 miles post, by fall of 1913 and later additional
mileage in the Alpine Park at the top will be added
1t isn't however for the mere joy-rde interest
ing as it will be- that the road is being built but as
means to reach and enjoy the glories OF the Alpine
Park at the top This is what old-timers call GODS
country" and not called irreverently From the
3 mile post Of the road back to the rocky ridges and
peaks of Clach-na- Coodin lies beautiful parkhke
plateau of about 10000 acres in extent with but
gentle slope northwards and eastwards. Here you
may wander through groves of basams, fields of flow
ers akelets rocbuttes and shallow coulees back to