The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1916-12-08
GLACIER TRAVEL
HELPS MONTANA
EVERY PARK VISITOR MUST GO
THROUGH MONTANA: GRAIN
FIELDS IMPRESS.
Returns to His Eastern Home a
Walking Advertisement for the
States Possibilities; Park Hotels
Cared for $4,000 Guests During
Season just Closed.


"See America First is the slogan
of the Great Northern railway. 1t is
used in connection with the rail-
roads exploitation of the scenic
beauty of Glacier park. Its use indi-
Gates recognition of the possibilities
for the development of great tour
lists traffic on the road. The aver
age tourist to Glacier comes from the
east AS the park is situated in the
extreme northeastern portion of the
state the tourists must travel across
Montana, and the waving fields of
grain that everywhere greet the eye
will do the rest. Every man who
comes from the east goes back to his
home a walking advertisement of
the states possibilities.
Bought From Blackfeet.
The circumstance which aroused
the Great Northern management to
the possibilities in passenger traffic
was the purchase by the government
from the Blackfoot Indians of the
tract now known as the Glacier Ma
tional park. This tract contains
about 1900 square miles and en-
braces some Of the most magnifi-
cent scenery in the world. It derives
its name from the fact that on it's
mountains, among which are some
of the highest peaks in North Ameri-
ca. there are a great many glaciers,
the number being commonly stated
as eighty or more. The dedication Of
the land to park purposes occurred in
1911, and in the following year the
Great Northern opened its first hotel.
The success of this enterprise was so
great that a large new addition was
thrown open in 1913. Roads were
cut through the park and number
OF chalets and camps were estab-
llshed at points of particular inter-
est or beauty, and in the last sea-
son new hotel, erected at a cost of
$500, 600, was opened IS miles back
in the mountains from the older hos
telry.
Lake McDermOtt's Beauty.
The new building is located on
the shore of Lake McDermott, pro-
nounced by many experienced travel
ers as the most beautiful sheet of
water in existence, and number of
glaciers can be seen from the piaz-
zas of the house. Auto stages cover
various routes, and everything is
done that could contribute to the
comfort and enjoyment of visitors.
Among prominent New Workers who
spent several weeks at Glacier park
in the last season were w. Bourke
Cochran and Nicholas F. Brady The
latter was 80 fascinated with the
place that he is planning to erect a
summer home there, and occupy it
next season.
The circulars of the department of
the interior describing the national
parks do not seek to "boom" any
particular location, yet one of them
speaks of Glacier park as "the mob
lest mountain scenery in America, I"
and adds: Its scenery is strikingly
Alpine, yet it possesses individuality
to high degree. In ruggedness and
sheer grandeur it probably surposses
the Alps"
Travel Last Year.
In the last season the hotels t
Glacier park accommodated about
$4,000 guests, notwithstanding that
many who contemplated visiting the
place put off the trip in fear of a
railroad strike. Numbers of reser-
vations were actually Cancelled for
that reason. Now that the beauties
of the place are becoming known, a
very, great increase of business is ex-
pected for next season.
From Glacier PARK westward the
scenery along the Great Northern is
impressive. Through the Rockies
there are beautiful views, while in
the Cascades, which the road climbs
by series of switchbacks, hardly
any adjective could be too strong to
describe the grandeur of the scenes
along the line. Nature has given
to the Great Northern an asset in
beauty which has not hitherto been
commercialized, but which will be
! henceforth probably with great prof.
| it to the road.
1876 Bushels of Wheat in Load.
The largest single load of wheat
| ever hauled to Roundup was brought