The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-08-19

Denyef, Colo, Aus. l7.-First .
mining town. then . health resort,
Denver has now become the chief
tourist target Of the nation. Hum
dreds Of thousands Of tourists aim
for this point every year. many OF
them to settle down for the entire
summer and others to make the
city their temporary headquarters.
while they tour the surrounding ma
tional parks and monuments. For
Denver IL the gateway to our great
national park system. the. natural
entrance to that vast western re-
gion which the government has set
aside for the preservation OF trees
and recreation Of the public.
This season has brought an un-
usually heavy rush of sightseers, SO
that the hotels, boarding houses
and camps are crowded to their ut
most capacity; the postal card and
curio stands are doing an unprece-
dented business, and the kodak
supply stores are getting way be-
hind in their work Of developing
films. The streets are filled with
strangers from Oklahoma, Texas,
Missouri, Alabama, Georgia, New
York and Pennsylvania. Some of
them wear their state pennants pat
riotically wrapped around their
arms. while others are easily placed
by their native infections. Parties
with fishing tackle mingle with par
ties carrying off golf sticks and ten
mis- rackets, while along nearly ev-
cry curb are parked sightseeing au-
tomobiles, gradually filling up with
passengers.
The other evening an old man
with a white beard and bent shoul-
ders stood on a downtown street cor
ner surveying the crowd while
waiting for a street car. Two cars,
laden with tourists, had already
passed without stopping, and as the
writer approached, another car
swept scornfully by. The old man
looked helplessly about, and then
removing a broad-brimmed felt hat,
wiped the pefspiration from his
wrinkled brow. MY Cod" he NUT
tered hoarsely, "the gold rush was
never like tbis!"
Denver attributes its overwhelm-
ing popularity this year to the
earthquakes occurring at Los An
geles. which, it believes, have
frightened many tourists away from
California and sent them to Colo
RADIO. But inasmuch Is the cloud
bursts occurring in Colorado have
wrought good deal more damage
80 far than the gentle tremors ex-
perienced on the coast. We are in
clined to think that the tourist tide
has turned in favor of Denver not
because it is timid, but because
Denver makes things so pleasant
Tor it.
A Fine Automobile Camp.
In the first place. one of the best
automobile camps in the west is
located here in Denver, which was
the first city to recognize the needs
of the automobile tourist and to pro-
vide a municipal camping ground
for his comfort and convenience. A
sixty-acre tract beside Rocky Noun
tain lake at the edge of the city has
been laid out and equipped for the
free use Of motorists who wish to
pitch their tents by the wayside.
There, under a protecting grove
Of trees, you can park your car and
make your camp without worrying
about water and fuel, usually the
most important and irritating con-
siderations in choosing camp site,
as these are supplied by the city.
In addition, there are electric cook
ing ranges, shower baths, laun-
dry and soft-drink stand, while gro
ceries are delivered from the city,
SO that the travelling motorist is
able to rough it with the same de-
gree Of ease that he enjoys in dwell
ing in a city apartment. The only
perQuisites lacking are a movie
auditorium and department store.
This camp de luxe is naturally a
great drawing card to vacationists
touring the country in their motor
cars. Last year, it is estimated, a
total of 4,676 cars were parked on
the grounds and over 10000 persons
took advantage Of its facilities. This
year, according to the authorities,
it is accommodating almost twice
as many.
Another convenience maintained
by the city for the benefit of visit
ors is a tourists free information
bureau, which tells you all about
the places you should see and how
to get there, and otherwise acts as
q sort of combined Baedeker and
Cook service. As there are 14-one-
day trips into the mountains and
80 short scenic, rail, trolley, and
auto trips to points OF interest, the
bewildered tourist is desperately
in need of such assistance.
Denver itself possesses many spe-
cial features Of interest to the
sight-seer. but with the Continental
Divide dominating the horizon oil
the city, the average tourist usual
ly gives one look and then exclaims
LEAD me to the moun.ains!" All
the tallest Colorado peaks are
there in full view, with the excep.
ton of Pixies Peak. which is con.
cealed from the average eye by dis.