The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-07-26
Rocky Mountain National Park
Now Ready to Accommo-
date Thousands.

the first season under national con-
troll of the stupendous. snow capped
mountain ridge OF Colorado, the Top
of the World" the great backbone of
the continent, now and hereafter to
be designated the Rocky mountain ne-
tional park. There are many noun
tains in the Colorado Rockies that ex-
coed 1900 feet in height, but only
one of them Is included in the park.
Not for record breaking attitudes. but
for its supreme scenic magnificenc3
and availability for public use and
resort. was that portion of the great
range. of which Longs peak is the
center, set aside for special develop
ment and administration.
This was done by Congress a. ste
last session. On July / Secretary Lane
took formal possession by the appoint
ment of Charlie r. Trowbridge as tenn
porary supervisor, with permanent
headquarters at Estes park, the nat
ural gateway to this region of eu-
chantment. The work of building -
road by the Fall River canyon from
Estes park across the range to Grand
lake on the west is now actively I'M
der way. This road is the states con-
tribution to the park.
The Rocky mountain national park
lies about seventy miles northwest CT.
Denver. 1t contains about $50 square
miles, not foot OF which is less
than 5000 feet above sea level. 1t
lies on either side of the Continental
divide, which at this point runs ir-
regularly north and south.
Bristles with Lofty Peaks.
This is wonderful snow capped
range carrying glaciers in its hollows.
1t includes, from Specimen mountain
on the north. the finest breeding
N1,n RN,. Lob
ed Rocky mountain sheep, Mounts
Ida and Julien, Terra Tomah peak,
Nakai peak. Snowdrift peak, Flattop
mountain, Hallet peak, Otis peak,
Taylor peak. McHenry peak, Storm
peak, Mount Lady Washington, longs
peak C14.255 feet), Mount Meeker. Pa
CODA, Chiefs Head, Mount Alice, Ia
nina peak. Mahana peak. Ouzel peak,
and Mount Copeland to say nothing
of many noble mountains rising Wen
apart from the divide.
1T simply bristles with mountain
peaks" says Enos Mills to the house
committee on the public lands last
December, there are more than sixty
! that rise above IL 900 feet and a num-
Der between 10000 and $4,000 feet, and
one that rises above $4,000 feet. Be
tween these peaks are a number OF
mountain lakes, nearly 200 of them.
These vary in size from few acres
up to fifty or sixty acres. They are
all beautiful. Then. along with this,
remembering that this is the Contin-
entail divide. it is not a high barren
region. For instance. the timber line
in the Alps is generally about $500
feet, but on these mountains it IS
about IL 800 feet and over to the tim
Der line. There are more than forty
species of plants growing. In this
region there are not only mountain
peaks and mountain lakes but there
are many kinds of wild life. For in
stance, you have in this RECON great
number of mountain sheep. an animal
as active and as alert and agile as
the cflamois in the Alps. He ranges
in the higher parts of this section,
sometimes running down to the low
er regions.
Grizzlies and Others.
"1n addition to the mountain sheep
other big game are the grizzly bear
and the black bear; deer are quite
common and that interesting animal,
the. beaver, is exceedingly common.
In addition TO this, hope you will
in this section each year not less than
1000 varieties of wild flowers. You
can not find in all the Alps in an
equal area as many kinds Of wild
plants. In reference to this area be-
ing scenic, gentlemen, / want to call
your attention to the fact that there
lis no place in the world, on the rail-
road, that has during the last few
years been visited by as many people
as this region proposed for the Rocky
mountain national park. Nature has
made it a splendid natural park"
R. D. Marshall, Chief geographer,
who was commissioned by the gov
eminent to report on this region, be-
gan in these words:
"The region, as a whole. is as beau
tiful as any to be found in the United
States, or, indeed, In the world. There
is spread before the eye a gorgeous
assemblage Of wonderful mountain
sculpture surrounded by fantastic
and ever changing clouds suspended
in an apparently atomless space. At
first view, as one beholds the scene
in awe and amazement the effect has
as of an enormous painting. vast
panorama stretching away to illimit-
able distances; gradually this idea of
distance disappears, the magnificent
work OF nature seems to draw nearer
and nearer, reduced apparently by an
unseen microscope to the refinement
of delicate cameo. Each view be-
come a refined miniature framed by
another more fascinating, the whole
presenting an Impressive picture new
| err to be forgotten"
Most Frequented Of All.
This national park is no undiscov-
cred paradise of supreme beauty, like
the Sequia national park in Califor-
MIA, which. in the twenty-fourth year
| of its existence, had, last season, only
1857 visitors. More than $4,000 per-
sons visited the region now covered
| by the Rocky mountain national park
last year, and considerable proper
tion OF these stayed there for a month
or more Most of them patronized
hotels at Estes park at the base of
/ Longs peak. Estes park has not been
included in tlle national park only be-
l EnR