The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1919-11-28

/ - SieSS ana at InlS Writing is IN con-
| 49, ference over amendment
/ Californians-always the best of boosters-haye
long contended that Yosemite valley is the SUI
preme expression of scenic loneliness. They hold
that there is nothing like it on EARTH To them il is
/ the valley whose compelling beauty the world
/ acknowledges as supreme" But Utah enthus-
lasts believe that when lions beauty is known to
the public Yosemite will be put in the second
rank. OF course the new Zion National park will
hardly rank with Yosemite as a national park
Tor the latter contains 1862 acres while the
former viii have only 76,S00 acres But the con-
test in loneliness between Yosemite valley and
Zion canon is likely to be close and interesting.
Yellowstone National park in Wyoming, Mon
tana and Idaho, as everybody knows was the FIRST
national park to be established (1S72, in The
world 1t is our oldest and largest and most
famous scenic natural park. Its geysers and hears
nave made It's name worldwide household word
Yosemite in California, established in 1890 Il
scarcely less famous; all the world knows of ,ts
waterfalls and its big trees-fhe Oldest and
argest hving things In the world. And Yosemite
Vaiiey, Its greatest beauty is familiar to every
one through pictures. It is visited yearly by fhon.
sands; this season the attendance was 58 5s4
he proposed Zion National park Hes in sonth
ern titan, about 200 miles south OF Salf Lake
CITY The state has made it accessible IL tbe
tourist by building 100 miles of automobile high
way from Lund on the Salt Lake route. The Ar
able President Taft in 1909 created the Nun
kuntuweap national monument OF $40 acres to
preserve the wonderfully scenic area of the
canon OF the Rio Virgin. In recent wears other
scenic canons were discovered ana III 1918 Presi-
dent Wilson enlarged the natioaal monument to
sS's0o acres and changed ifs name to Zion. In
the debate over the Zion National park bin in the
house Representative yelling Of Utah said Ia
part
This region obtained its name Zion canon be-
cause of the devout reverence of the Mormon
pioneers who settled upon the Virgin river more
than bO years ago. It's perpendicular walls pre-
sented an impossible barrier to hostile tribes of
Indians, who infested these regions, and these
people looked upon Zion canon as q convenient
and hospitable refuge when threatened BY at
tack from these troublesome Indian tribes Zion
canon is an extraordinary gorge cut from bril-
1antly colored sedmentary rocks by the north
fork OF the Virgin river. It's proportions are
about equal to those of Yosemite valley In Yo-
semitic National park the walls are several han.
dred feet lower and the canon is considerably
narrower. In the cutting Of the gorge, however.
the torrential stream and wind and rain have
carved d0mes. spires, towers, and other curious
forms that strikingly resemble many of the fea-
lures Of Yosemite valley.
More interesting than the carving Of zions
GINS y their exquisite coloring. Red predomi-
mates. as 1t does in the Grand canon In Arizana
but there are amazing combinations of brown.
black. and white colors with THE red and with
each other White sandstone Is superimposed On
the red Strata, and other layers OF the red rock
lie IN turn upon the white. The action of water
upon the exposed surfaces OF these rocks has
produced symphony of color that gives the
canon its greatest charm. The finishing touches
are given by the forests of the valley floor and
the trees on the rim and in the inches of the 1
nearly perpendicular canon walls
Unfil recently Zion has been practically mac
cessble, and scarcely tens have seen II where
thousands have seen Yosemite. But lions yisi-
tors have paid eloquent tribnte. The Indians
saled It Munkuntuweap- of God--because
t was so beautiful The fierce Mormon zaaIot
famed it Little Zion because of its heay.
My beauty. Away back In the seventies
John Wesley Powell Of Grand canon fame
vas tempted far out Of his way By the exceeding
'eauty of temple OF rock lifting its opalescent
houlders against the eastern sky. It was the
'ermilion body and shining white dome of the
Vest Temple Of the Virgin at the entrance to
funkuptuweap
Again we are impressed with the marvellous
aauty 81 eutlines the infinite complication Of
hese titanic buttes. 1t Is doubtful III iii this re-
pect the faliey has its equal. Not even the
rand canon offers more varied spectacle get
q Is welded together In superb ensemble II
!. Bellenbaugh topographer Of the Powell party
lrote this on bis second visit.
TNothing can exceed the wondrous beauty OF
ion canon wrote G. e. Dutton. In It's proper
ons II Is about equal to Yosemite but In the
obiIfy and beauty 0f It's sculptures there II no
# Is Hyperion to q satyrs