Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-02-21
COL UMBlA HIGHWAY is
OF GREAT SCENIC BEAUTY
In Connection with Opening Yellow
stone Park to tutOists, II VIII
Attract Many Tourists.

Two impellinE attractions soon may
he added 10 the scenic assets .: the Pa
ciHc Northwest and serve to accelerate
road travel in that part Of the country.
ono OF these IL ccrtaiu-thC colum hia
River highway, the other is possible
opening of the Yellowstone Wonderland
to motor driven vehicles.
samuel Hil. the we'll known roads
enthusiast. thus informs Chairman
Frank y Mudd. OF the y. y. A. Touring
Hoard. as To the great thoroughfarc
which Will begin at Portland and skirt
the majestic river of the Northwest:
You may say authoritativcly that the
Columbia Highway will he open for
travel July |. although only hard SUR
faced in part. In my opinion the Co
lumba Highway will surpass in scenic
beauty any road anywhere in the
world"
The EFFORT to secure the admission OF
automobiles into Yellowstone Park is
not of rcccu; origin. and President
John y. Wilson OF the American Auto
mobile Association is continuing the
policy OF his predecessors in urging
that this national recreation area
should be available To the modern form
OF transportation. y communication to
the y. y. \ head from l.. L. Mathew
son. president Of it's Montana state
body. conciscly summarizes the situa-
tion in these words:
we. Of Montana. have felt for some
years past that the stage lines in yell
lowstone Park were not progressive
and were not looking TO their own best
interests in working AGAINST the intro
duCtion OF automobiles. rs a rule, the
visitor 10 the park nowadays takes the
fiVc-day trip. People VINO are not
physically tit are extremely weary after
q long ride in the stage Coach: and
many people who would otherwise visit
the park Will not 40 on account of the
poor arranc emcuts for transportation.
II the good people running the stage
lines would substitute the modern
Sightseeing automobiles they would
have twice the number of passengers
and could charge n larger fee. In addi
ton In this. they would bc able to take
a muci. more extended route through
the park. visiting points or interest that
arc never seen by the ordinary visitor"
1t was natural tina; the United States
Senators from the Pacific Northwest
should take an interest in the Yellow
stone matter. and senator James II.
Brady. OF Idaho, and senator r. T.. War
rem. of Wyoming, have been especially
active, In a letter Just directed To tho
Hon. stephen r. Mathcr. assistant To tho
Secretary OF the Interior. and in charge
of the national parks, senator Brady
thus refers to the subject. Confer
cuCcs had with Your predecessors in re-
IItlcll 10 certain Improvements ana
changes In the park roads cause me 10
express the hope that /; 'rS now p"Ssi-
BILE for the p""pl" on rout" to the Pam
anna Pactic Exposition to enjoy the adj
vantage which automobile service in
NcllowStou" would afford II would hc
Il splendid thing and of much hcnent to
the travelling public. ana ann hopeful
that the 1915 Interstate travellers viii
have opportunity Of using their own
vehicles I'm the park.
Admission into Yellowstone viii re-
suit in considerable travel over The
Park to-p Paris road connecting with
Glacier National rark ana Il use o' tho
new SuoQualmic rass road over the
Cascades. with seattle, as the dcstna-
ton Then would come the use OF tho
Pacific Highway through oregon south
ward 10 california. FOR thos" who
would emerge from Yellowstone At the
western gate there would h" offered the
Idaho route, which would inClud" Sho-
shone Falls, dcserv"diy known as the
Niagara Of the West and successfully
competing with tho great cataract in
its ricturcSQu" grandeur.
Unaucstiouahiy the western country
IS going to make an Irresistible appcai
20 large pcrccnta@c Of the million
and thr"e-IuartcrS Of motor car road
travellers.