The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1914-08-06
ROAD WILL OPEN
SCENIC DISTRICT
Continued From Page One

AA0AAAhAtl I rum I AEt OuEg
northwest base Of Mount Hood. III
shape is triangular and it is three anC
a quarter miles in circumference. The
giant mountain looms up at one enc
and on all sides are boundless forests
for which Oregon is noted.
Lost Lake has long been the autumn
rendezvous of the Indians living within
radius of $50 miles. The ranges OF
its west shore were burned over abou
80 years ago and are now covered will
! immense fields Of huckleberry bushes
! The berries grow TO great size in som,
places and the Red men, bringing will
them their families, ponies and dogs
| flock IN from surrounding reservations
| The squaws, a horde Of pappOosei
around them spend the days gathering
the luscious fruit, to be dried for win
ter food, while the bucks hunt in the
surrounding forests.
The Columbia Highway will bring
all of these points more closely il
touch with the people Of Portland
One of the greatest stimuluses given
the hasty construction of the road was
the donation in 1912 given by S. Benson
Of SO, 900 toward the construction OF
the highway around Shell Rock noun
tain, difficult point in Hood River
county. The work then completed will
be useless, since the new survey made
by the State Highway Commission will
not pass over the old route. Yet the
money was not spent in vain. The
work done there has kept alive the in
terest of Hood River people in the
great scenic boulevard. The guarantee
Of Mr.. Benson made the hasty compile
ton Of the road possible.
At Shell Rock may be seen evidences
Of the old military road constructed
from The Dalles to MultnOmah county
a quarter century ago, hut abandoned
on the completion of the o. r. 4 N.
line. Portions of the old roadbed still
exist, its retaining walls the home of
chipmunks, porcupines and wOodrats.
1t is the grave of road, and the foil
age of mountain shrubs have been
planted by the winds of Nature to pay
tribute to this enterprise of the early
road builder But the old road will
soon be resurrected.
Whatever the season of the year, the
Columbia gorge is beautiful. In spring
wild flowers and the bloom of wild cur
rants and Oregon grape, the white pet
ais of big dogwood blooms, make pie
lures of delight. In summer the spray
of the numerous waterfalls will cool
the faces of the traveller, for he will
pass at their very feet. Except when
the SHOWS are very deep the road may
be travelled in winter time. The white
snow loading the evergreen bOughs will
make superb pictures for the nature
lover.
While the new highway will connect
the east and west portions Of the state,
no county will be more benefited than
Hood River. All of its natural treas
ures will be unlocked, all the treasures
of the mid-Columbia region.
And, indeed, the mid Columbia region
is wonderland. Except for the small
valleys interspersed among the ranges,
1t will always remain as nature has
left it. Man can only bring himself to
these natural attractions by the con-
structon of good roads, and to this the
people of Oregon and Washington have
set their hands. They have realized
that they have an asset in their streams
and mountains as valuable as that of
their orchards and wheat fields. 1t will
bring JOY to themselves to visit their
own wonderful region over a system of
splendid highways and will cause them
to entertain as their guests the travel
loving men and women from all parts
Of the world. THOMSON.