The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-07-20
OUR ALASKAN PARK
It Is CIasaed as One Of Worlds
Colossal Spectacles.
GRANDEUR OF THE SCENERY.
Mighty Mount Mckinley, Most Lofty Of
All Our country'o Towering Peake,
Crowns the Titanic Glory Of the New
est Of Uncle Sans Reservations.

Crowns the Titanic Glory Of tho New
est Of Uncle Sans Reservations.
The national park In Alaska which
congress created in the spring of 1917
,s one Of the monster spcctaces of
lie world. TO say that Mount McKin-
icy rises 20,3DO feet above sea level and
that it Is the lofticst peak In America
is to convey no idea whatever of It's
grandeur. There are several mountains
in the IIimalayas which materially eX.
coed its height, one which rises more
than 5000 feet above sea level, and
yet Mount Mckinley to the observer is
/ lofticr than any Of these.
The reason Is that the greatest Him.
alayGs are seen from valleys 1000 to
10000 feet In altitude. while Mount Me.
Kinley rises abruptly from valleys
3GQO feet and even less In altitude.
The visitor to the Mount Mckinley
National park will look up more than
1900 feet to the double Peak, the up
per 1900 feet Of which are covered
with perpetual snow.
This enormous mass is the climax Of
the great Alaskan range Which extends
roughly east and west across southeast
central Alaska, separating the vast
northern inland from the more popu-
lated country whose shores are the
gulf of Alaska. The range parallels
the mighty Yukon many miles to its
mouth.
The reservation contains 2,200 square
miles. Its northern slopes, which over
look the Tamana watershed with its
gold mining industry, are broad val
eys inhabited by enormous herds of
caribou. Its southern plateau is
perpetual winter wilderness through
which glaciers of great length and
enormous bulk flow into the valleys Of
the south. In tLis National park, which
the railroad now building by govern
ment into the Alaskan interior will
open to the public, America possesses
Alpine scenery upon a titanic scale.
From the stormy south Mount Nc
Kinlcy is wholly inaccessible. But
from the plains of the north valleys of
easy grade lead one from another to
its foot.
at is an awe inspiring region of mas
sive mountains and ice capped peaks
Belmore Browne of the Campfire club
testified before the senate committee
on territories. The Piedmont plateau
that follows the range affords n beau
tiful roadway direct to Mount AIcKin
ley, and when you reach the plateau
all difficulties vanish and you see a
|. view that is unique on this earth. You
see the huge mountain line of perpet-
ual snow, rising like a great wall on
the southeast You can ride pony to
where Mount Mckinley rises 1900
feet above you in a glittering wall of
snow and ice. 1t is tlanked by STU
pendous mountains, which make Won
derful setting for the monster"
North of the vast mountain, however,
is a rolling country dotted with beau
tiful lakes and forests and inhabited
bv enormous herds Of caribou. In fact
the special reason why congress set
apart the region at this time was to
conserve the wild animal life In ad'
vance of the invasion of hunters which
the new government railroad will bring
into Alaska, the road as projected run
.
est of natures spectacles.
Charles sheldon of the Boone anc
Crockett club told the senate commit
. tee that several times lie has counted
. as many as 800 mountain sheep in
single day of ordinary travel and tina
herds of caribou numbering from 1,2V
to 100 are frequently seen.
| On1 hrnn1i n.
' ground the new National park con
serves Alaskan game which elsewher
e is rapidly disappearing. AS in the cas-
: of the Yellowstone National park, tn
= reservation serves as n perpetual cen
a ter of game supply for large neighbor
h ing areas.
# These animals do not greatly fea
o man, because they have never beei
Q hunted. One can approach the grea
herds of caribou. There are also man.
Alaskan bear of great size.
An extensive educational campaign
U has been inaugurated by the depart
l. ment of the interior for the tnforma
l. ton of the people concerning the hith
+ erto unknown quality and extent o
4 our national parks, of their scenic ant
d recreational possessions, under whicl
c public interest in our national parks Il
.. growing with unanticipated speed, ant
>, public realization, interest and prac
tical use is the condition as we'll as thu
object of national parks development
Public patronage of the parks has In
creased rapidly and steadily.
t Cooperation in the public interes
X has been promoted between railroads
s and the government, between conces
e sioners and park managements and be
I. tween parks. Large private capita
has been induced to enter several ma
e tional parks for the enlargement ant
Il improvement of hotel and transporta
;, ton service. Prices to the public hay,
: been decreased wherever possible.
Boudoir Gardening.
"How is your wife making out witt