West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-07-22
RUSH WORK IN YOSEMITE FOR
ACCOMMODATION OF VISITORS
Preparations on Big Scale to Care
for Crowds Expected During the
Summer - Opening of Tiosa
Road Now Makes Accessible the
Wonderful Tuolumnc Canyon

| IeauN Tor the great crowds which eN-
position travel is expected To bring
with 1t during July and August. Yose-
mite is so near San Francisco. only n
nights run. that many whose vaca-
tions will not permit tour OF sew
eral national parks this year are ex-
| pected 10 spare two or three DAYS
| To visit this one at least All the
| signs point to large crowds. An ex-
traordinary number i'm inquiries have
| reached the department of the inter
Tor daily since early April Individ-
uals from many eastern and southern
states, parents, school teachers in
large numbers, clerks. business men.
motorists contemplating trans-Atlan-
| tic flights, tourist agents anxious to
make sure of hotel reservations for
enormously increased patronage, min
listers forming church parties. Sunday
school superintendents- these and
| many others have been seking infor-
nation about ways and means for see
ing the Yosemite along with the expo
sitions.
Then there have been inquiries from
many who are planning personally
conducted parties either for the profit
in IL or merely for the purpose OF saw
ing their own expenses. This years
westward flying has developed a brand
new kind of tourist agent, the anna
teur who seeks only the chance TO Wis
1t the eNpositions and the national
parks without expense to himself.
The scheme is TO work up co-opera-
tive parties OF greater or less size.
composed for the most part OF friends
or acquaintances with the purpose OF
planning out the most delightful COM
bination of places and securing, by
| concerted action. the best accommoda-
tions and lowest expenses possible.
or course some one person must lead
such party, which means much study
and labor in advance OF starting. and
man-sized job every day en- route.
II is only fair that the person under
taking this role should be left out OF
the count when the total expenses are
apportioned pro rata at the end OF the
trip.
a good many women will lead such
parties this summer 1t is the exper-
fence OF Enos Mills, the Rocky Noun
tain sage and naturalist, that women
make, on the whole better mountain
| guides than men. Here is an oppor-
tunity for their genius i'm economy and
management Railroad men say that
many of the women who will conduct
such parties westward this summer
are school teachers.
With these signs written large i'm
the sky, Secretary Lane has taken ex-
traordinary measures TO make Yose-
mite ready. The difficulties I'm the
way were great. Only one railroad is
| available to reach the valley The Sen
tinel hotel has small accommodations
at best and the several public camps
were little larger last year than the
minimum OF normal travel required.
The response on the part OF the con-
cessioners to the secretary's appeal
was prompt. Camp Curry was increas-
ed so as TO accommodate 900 tour
lists. Camp Lost Arrow was made to
accommodate 600.
In addition to these preparations I'm
the Valley, the grand scenery in the
northern part of the Yosemite Ma
tional Park will be made accessible TO
the public for the first time. In MAY.
Secretary Lane acquired possession
for the United States of the famous
old Tioga road, which crosses the park
from the Mono Lake region east Of the
Sierras and, on the west. connects
with state roads to San Francisco and
Los Angeles. This old mining road.
under private ownership since its
building in 1881. has been impassable
for many years. But as soon as The
SHOWS cleared the government began
its repair and during August IT will
| carry many hundreds OF automobiles
into supremely beautiful parts OF the
| Yosemite national park. which none
except hardy campers have ever been
able TO visit before.
From this road. upon which tenn
porary camps are 10 be erected. visi-
tors afoot and awhecl may make short
| ramps south 10 look over the rim into
the great valley. and north TO see tho
wonders Of the Grand Canyon OF the
| Iuolumne and the celebrated wheel
falls. AZ Soda Springs. north Of the
Iioga road, the Sierra Club has main
tanned a camp for many years. and this
year. in the absence OF adequate pub
Tic accommodation, the club will ex-
tend its hospitality to visitors
So the Yosemite is humming with
preparation. Transportation for the
unusual visitation will be harder
problem. Within the park. OF course
enterprise is successful An auto
stage service will supersede horse
drawn stages from Wawana into the
valley by way Of Inspiration Point and
will make the Big Trees OF Mariposa
accessible TO greater numbers Of visi.
tors. Considerably greater travel
should result from MADEIRA and storey
giving FIRST glimpse Of the valley
from above
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