The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1917-01-05

as mucn apparatus as can De au-
mitted without spelling the atmos-
phere of wild life which the auto
travellers seek. A big stone fire
place has been built, over which
dozen different parties can cook at
once, each on it's separate compart-
ment The city furnishes free fire
wood, and delivers it at the camp
Water has been piped to the park
for the special benefit of the auto
tourists If there is anything else
the city can do for them it would
like to know it.
This town is only one of
scores that are doing the same tning
on a larger or smaller scale; and
what the city is doing the county
and state are doing, not only in
Colorado, but in most of the noun
tain states. Colorado has carried
the program further tnan any of the
rest of them, but they are all work
ing for the same end. They are
out to get the auto tourist, whose
tribe is increasing with amazing ra-
pidity.
The auto tourist is the newest
source of revenue in the rockies. In
Colorado he classes ahead of the
cantaloupe and gives the sugar beet
sizes, unlike the old-fortune telling
breed, scatter gold instead of gath
ering it. To be specific, every au-
tomobile that tours Colorado leaves
in the state, an average of $3.50.
Then ne goes on to state how both
city, town, country and state work
together for the comfort and pleas
ure of the auto tourist State
lands are leased for the express pur-
pose Of setting aside tracts where
the campers may be undisturbed;
and no tourist is allowed to leave
the state dissatisfied if they can
prevent it. The people of the state
are being educated to realize the
value Of the tourist, and treat him
accordingly. He is welcomed by
land owner, city and state. Maps
are furnished him; weather and
road reports covering every section
of the state are gathered daily by
long distance telephone and put at
mis- disposal. If the roads are be-
ing worked or torn up, he is in
formed, and is told how much ad-
ditional time lie will need to go an
other way and where it will land
him at nightfall.
He is also instructed how to
drive over mountainous roads; and
some cities employ instructors just
to teach the lowland motorist how
to drive the mountain roads. They
maintain regular instruction
grounds to show them how to climb
without burning out their brake
Innings, and routes are recommend
ed according to the experiences of
the motorist. The whole effort of
the state, official and unofficial. is
to see that the tourist gets through
his vacation without getting into
trouble; that he enjoys all the
wild life compatible with comfort,
that he carries away a good impress
sion to make him come back next
year and bring his friends.
But the biggest thing that the
Rookie Mountains region is doing
for the tourist and incidentally that
the tourist is doing for the Rockies,
is the great development that has
come in road building since his ad-
vent, says this writer. "Whole
counties are being transformed and
opened up by new highways. Funds
appropriated for roads are recog-
mzed as an investment that will
| come back ten fold. Besides state
appropriations running into the
| millions, counties are appropriating
on their own account. The county
of Pueblo has averaged $4,000 a
year for the last five years" Now
| Wsah Florida the mecca for the
Northern tourist, and so many of
the multi-millionares have their
home in that state, who must neces-
sarily pass thru Marietta on the
National Highway to reach them:
why shouldn't Marietta get ready,
and bag some or all of the big
same as it passes thru? Atlanta
Is bidding high for it, and oas be-
gun systematic campaign-flooding
the Florida hotels with booklets.
But for ner Golf Courses and bat
tlefield sites, Atlanta cannot fur
nlsh the wild beauty and historic
| interest that Marietta has in such
an abundance in her Kannesaw
Mountains, old Confederate forts and
! cannon OitS Y9DaIn Of