Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1916-08-11

~ ma llSANhA <NAeAA, VIZ
Switzerland of America" is short
ly to take it's place as one of the
i greatest natural show places on
the western half of the continent. This
wonderland of mountains, lakes,
streams and forests in the heart OF
Idaho is to be set apart and dedicated
for all time as a pleasure ground for
the people of the whole country. 1t
is to be added as an additional jewel
to that strand that reaches from Colo
RADIO to the Pacific coast, writes M. F.
Cunningham in the Utica Globe.
All America Is interested in this for
the reason that all the great parks OF
the West, including the Rocky noun
tain in Colorado. the Yellowstone In
Wyoming and Idaho, the Idaho in the
Sawtooth mountains in Idaho, the Gla-
cier in Montana, the Yosemite in Cali
fornia, the Grand Canyon in Arizona
and others of lesser note are to be
connected by a system of fine automo-
bile highways. Good roads and trails
are to be constructed in the parks and
good hotel and camping facilities are
to be provided for all tourists.
There are no large glaciers in the
Sawtooth mountains, but aside from
this there is no scenery in America
more beautiful, wild and varied. 1t
beggars description. Senator Borah,
after a hurried tour of the park last
summer while home on his vacation,
said:
Force seems to sit incarnate here
and. one feels, somehow or other, that
he is not far from the breeding ground
of hurricane and storm"
Geographer MarshaII's Tribute.
Mr.. Marshall, the chief geographer,
was equally impressed after making
his tour of inspection in October. In
the course of his report he said:
This section of the Sawtooth range
is unusually striking in mountain
sculpture and is a brilliant composite
example of the characteristics Of three
Of the main mountain ranges in the
United States. The southern portion
strongly resembles the Rocky noun
tains in Colorado; the middle section Is
q counterpart of the Sierras in Califor
mia, and the northern end is a rugged
brother of the Cascade range In Wash
ington. The lakes are rare in theil
brilliant transparency, rejecting the
mountains and the black pine fringine
their edges, making most inviting
places for campers and tourists to rest
and enjoy nature in all her glory"
The mountains in this section are
bold, Jagged and precipitous. From 9
distance the range gives the impres
sion Of a great inverted crosscut saw
hence the name. Mount Hyndman, the
highest peak in Idaho. 12,07S feet, II
found here within easy reach of thu
end of the railroad at Ketchum. Th'
wild and grotesque mountain scener!
on all sides leads all travellers to com
pare the country with the Alps II
Switzerland.
Three rivers of inestimable value TO
irrigation in the valleys far below hav'
their common source in the mountain
Of the proposed park. They are tn
Salmon. the Boise and the Payette
These streams, together with mum
ber of smaller ones. swarm with trou
and other game fish. This Is equal,
true of the lakes. some sixty in nun
ber. The reddish, found in but fe'
places on the continent is common
here. 1t has given its name to tn
largest of the lakes.
Streams Full Of Salmon.
David Starr Jordan, speaking for tn
United States fish commission in a RI
cent report, tells how the Chinook an
Colorado river salmon ascend tn
streams. shooting the rapids and leaI
ing the falls, until-they reach their ia
vorite spawning beds in the headw'
ters of the Salmon river in the Saw
tooth mountains Of Idaho, more tina