The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-04-11
Park Bill Passed.

4 hIh Dill 6dSSGus
A bill was introduced in congress to
establish the new national park and
the senate passed 1t within three days,
and IL received immediate considera-
ton from the house.
In introducing the bill into the sem
ate, Senator Phelan, of California SAID;
California; state richly endowed by
nature-Can dedicate no finer monu-
ment to the memory of Roosevelt than
this, the choicest of her natural gifts.
Theodore Roosevelt was early iden-
titled with the West. He sought
among the great mountain ranges and
the vast expanse Of the prairie a field
for his Astounding energy, The liber-
ating influences of the Western life
nationalized him, prepared him, as it
were, for the larger tasks which he
was destined to pursue. ! can not
imagine a more fitting memorial for n
ma Of his tastes than the wild, rugged
and sublime scenery embraced In Cen
trail California.
Topography of the New Park.
For its eastern boundary the Roose-
welt National park viii have 10 miles
of the crest of the Sierra Nevada
mountains, From it's extreme north to
Mount Whitney, near its southern boun-
dairy, the region is q magnificent noun
ain climax-a collection OF peaks rang
ing from $4,000 feet to Mount Whit
ney's 1l,50l feet Of altitude-the high
est In the United States proper. Mount
Mckinley, in Alaska, Is the loftiest
North American peak. This area Is
connected by ridges and gigantic
mountain masses scarcely less In height.
For 10 or Is miles east OF the crest,
peaks, ranges n circled ridges are
massed in a tremendous glaciered and
snow-sprinkled area known by noun
tain climbers as High Sierra. II Is
the most celebrated high mountain re-
gion of America. Its devotees have
long compared 1t with the Swiss Alps.
West again from the zone OF the
High Sierra the range of lesser alti-
tude Is crossed by innumerable range
and divides, between which flow rush.
Ing rivers buried in deep forested can.
yons which are among the noblest in
The United States. Some OF the heights
exceed ii, 900 feet, The precipices i'm
mediately incloslng the valleys range
from 5000 to 5000 feet above the floor
level. The zone will become, when
trails are developed, the most wonder
| tul playground for the trail traveller and
the camper-out. In the far southwest
ern corner lies the present Sequoia Ma
tlonal park with its supreme forests,
The entire region has long been rec
ognized as the greatest place In Ameri-
ca for the traveller by trail and the
eamper-out. Its loftlest snow-crowned
heights are easily penetrable by trail,
and its middle zones and giant valleys
will especially become the resort OF
the campers. This part of the country
receives no rain from the middle OF
June until the middle or October. Very
few parties take tents INTO the wilder
ness. 1t is enough to load warm sleep
ing bags and plenty OF clothing upon
mule-back and, at night, slipping into
these, sleep around eamp-fires in tile
shelter of great pines.
When the Roosevelt park has been
even as we'll developed for handling the
public as liz the Yosemite today, the
former will attract fully as many peo-
pie as It's older rival. And the day
may not be far removed when a GER
tain amount Of interpark travel may
develop for the benefit OF those who
enjoy camping trips among the wilder
regions and the parks,