Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-11-02
GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH AMERICA

ACQUAlNI With AMERlCA
The European war has done one thing for the United
States that was surely needed and whose effects will be
far reaching and that is by cutting off tourists from
visiting the scenic beauties, somewhat marred of
Europe it has turned their attention to their coun
try and induced many of them to get acquainted there
with.
The department of the interior has just made public
statistics about the visitors to our national parks
which show the number this year is than double
that of those visiting the same parks last year
This year 1920 visited Yellowstone Park and there
and then learned that the United States contained the
greatest wonder and beauty spot unequaed anywhere in
Europe or for that NATTER the world The number last
year 20250.
Yosemite which for majestic grandeur stands with
out peer and which following the opening of the first
Pacific railroad visited by hundreds of Europeans,
which literally raved about in the magazines and art
journals of the old world somehow did not appeal to
Americans, who crossed the Atlantic to see the Alps
largely because they had to go abroad to see them
negectng the far grander scenery of their land
visited last year by 5,131 and this year by 31642
Mount Rainier lifting its MAJ estc snow-crowned, sun
kissed summit nearly three miles into the skies, was
viewed in 1914 by 1923 and in 1915 by 3434 and so the
story goes.
The Panama Exposition had much to do with this too;
perhaps great factor the ITSELF for it sent
many tourist through the northwest who otherwise
would not have made the trip While there stats-
tics possible as to those who have viewed the mighty
chasm where the resistless Columbia fifth river in the
world has cut the great mountain chain in two and poured
its majestic flood through to the Pacific the num-
ber is known to be large and the stream of humanity
ever increasing
There is no such panorama of natural grandeur and
beauty in the world the fifty miles of river west of
The Dales. Just above that historic city, the river
though preparing for it's wonderful Journey turns on
edge and through channel can apparently al
most Jump across, then gathering for its it winds in
great along the edge of the hills until with sud-
den turn it sweeps into the grand canyon Then what
varied changing picture. On either side the hills
sweep up, ever more and more abruptly cut here and
there by some fOamng torrent rushing down from the
glaciers of Hood or Adams with the beautiful Hood
River valley tucked away and hidden like some wild thing
with just peep hole left out to the big river Then the
bluffs rising higher and still higher basatc-coumned
terraces that lift up step step until the eyes weary of
following them; while calm, majestic resstess the blue
flood sweeps around their bases and in its sivered
mirror, mocks at them and turns them upside down,
making depth of height and with her laughing rpples
makes them responsive shake their rock ribbed sides
Then the mighty sweep of angry waters at the Cascades
and peace again as the flood sweeps by tower and
pinnacle, titanic embattements streams that leap over
the lofty brims and kiss their way down thousands of
feet of moving sprayborn greenery lose themselves
in miss that drift and sway along the mighty walls,
verabe webs of gossamer Who can describe it? Let
him who thinks he can it, realize it, feel it-and then
picture it if he can
Then there is Crater Lake of which it can be said
God made but one then broke the mold"
few Of the East have seen some of these beauties
and as the years go by the number will increase yearly
as these beauties told until the Pacific Coast becomes
known the world over for its scenic beauty the greatest
in the world.