Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-09-10
A FLOOD OF TOURISTS COMING.
core gonian.

The time has come when the
American tourists and sightseers will I
discover their own country. Attract
ed partly by the historic associations
OF European cities, castles and
progenitors' stories of their former
homes, they have flocked TO Europe
by tens of thousands year after year.
The literature OF the old world has
clothed its scenery with a charm
which draws the reader and every
scene has its story of battle and ro-
nance. Lovers of painting, sculpture
and architecture are drawn across
the Atlantic by the worlds master
pieces. Those who yearn for Social
distinction hope to find ii in the So
ciety Of European aristocracy.
All except the last two classes can
crafty their desires in their own
country. and probably for several
years they will have no other open
ing. So long as the war continues,
Europe will be closed to the tourist,
and for several years afterwards its
transportation and hotel system will
be demOralized. Destruction of
ocean liners or their impressment
into military service will have sadly
reduced means of crossing the At
lantic. Altogether the comforts of
travel will be greatly impaired for
several years after the close of the
war has lifted the embargo.
The tourist habit must be graft
fled, and its best chance will be on
the American continent. No part of
the United States has greater scenic
attractions than the west. From the
lakes where the Mississippi river
rises westward TO the Pacific ocean
and from the Canadian TO the Mexi-
can boundary the country is rich in
everything which should interest
those who are wearied with the pro-
sale scenes of their homes in the
eastern cities. In the Missouri with
its Great Falls and its Gate of the
Mountains; in the Columbia with its
canyons. its rapids and its resistless
dash through the Cascade Mountains;
in the Colorado with its wonderful
canyon, and in many other streams.
the west has rivers which outrank
any in Europe. In the Rocky, Cas-
cade and Sierra Nevada mountains
the west has great peaks. glaciers,
waterfalls, lakes and forests which
are less famed in Europe than the
Alps only because they are less writ
ten about and therefore less known.
II the tourist seeks romance, he can
find IL in the stories of the pioneers.
who cleared the way for settlement,
in the relics they left behind in old
forts and blockhouses and in the bat
ties they fought with the Indians. II
he seeks more ancient historic relics
he can find them in the old pueblos
OF the southwest and in the crum-
bling Spanish missions OF California.
The opportunity now exists for the
west 10 reap a harvest. The hun
dreds of millions of dollars a year
which Americans have spent in Eu-
rope may be turned TO the west II
the west makes adequate prepara-
tions TO receive those who will dis
burse them. The failure OF our
scenic beauties and our equable elm
ate TO attract tourists in larger num-
bers is due to our failure to make
our mountain and lake resorts access
ible or TO provide modern hotel &C
eommOdations. when tourists leave
the railroads they expect to find a
smooth. hard road over which they
can travel in comfort and at the end
OF their journey TO find a hotel az.
fording them every comfort and con.
venience.
Oregon has made a good beginning
in this respect by constructing th'
Columbia Highway up the river. i
is to be hoped that all obstacles tC
the completion Of the highway TO thu
mouth OF the Columb bia will soon b,
removed and that it will soon be eK
tended farther up the river TO con
meet with the roads which travers'
central Oregon and the whole inlan,
empire. good hotel should b
erected a, each point Of interes