Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1920-01-23
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coNery or gorge crowded with
natural wonders within few
hours motor ride of a busy city. saws
London Graphic. Yet such is the story
| of Red Rock canyon. in southern Cali.
fornia, an enchanted spot. so rich in
ifs unique beauty and of such scien-
| tltic import that the president OF the
| United States is asked by some of
| the leading men and organizations of
the Pacific coast TO set il apart as a
! national monument This romantic.
rainhowhned gorge contains wealth
of amazing structures reared and
| carved ana even palnted by the ele-
ments, and yet comparable only to the
classics Of ancient and modern archi-
/ lecture. It's fossil beds practically I'M
touched, give promise Of paleOntolcg-
i ical treasure, and recent finds in its
caves interest ethnologistS.
The canyon rs a cash in the south
ern end of the Sierra Nevada noun
tains. Its mouth opens upon the
northwestern edge of the Moiave des-
i ert. II is 1876 miles from Los Angeles.
For nearly century the prosaic piG-
neers who passed that remote way paid
no heed TO its vivid charm II was
| TIE decision to extend the stare high
way from Los Angeles to Bishop that
led to the discovery of the beauties
of this gorge. Until the surveyors re-
turned and reporrtAI the existence Of
strange and wonderful rock formations
no one knew of their presence This
is all the more remarkable when we
remember :he Americans love Of
travel and that these are the days
of railways and motorcars. shortly
tow the canyon with its many won
ders will he on the main trail Of civ
ilization. and tens of thousands Of
tourists and others will soon admire
II with rapture and astoniShment The
new roadway approaches TO within 30
feet of the scenic marvels which the
government is petitioned to protect and
preserve.
Miracles Of Form and Color.
That section of the canyon which
contains the inspiring works embraces
a little more than four square miles. is
several miles removed from the desert
and lies at an altitude of 1000 feet.
On approach from either direction q
turn brings the walled-in mira rles Of
form and color suddenly into view-an
enhancing picture: pillars and col
umns. plain and huted and chased !;
pilaSters and colonnades, tiny and IL
tonic flor nnOn tfor milo ofta,. milo
far skyward: arcades. balustrades cor
ridors; temples, castles. cathedrals
towers. domes, spires. sphinxes. gar
goyles-aH perfectly nodded and ex-
quisitely adorned by the lord of crea-
ton.
Moreover, they are untouched and
unmarried as yet by the laundering
vanda hand of man. 4 buried city.
an acropolis, and scores of other fan
cies become realities. On an eminence
at the canyons head stands the Tenn
pie of the Sun. an impressive gray
pile, 125 feet high. approached through
series Of terraced entranceways,
with partially crumhled walls forming
an elliptical Enclosure approximately
$50 feet in 1iameter-an ideal amphi-
theater. Those who look upon this
temple find II difficult TO believe that
II is not human handiw0rk. Near by
dominating the mystic region, rises the
massive Sentinel Tower. imposing
rather than beautiful II Is apparent
~ harder and more substantial than
It's neighbor Biologists say II has
held its commanding bulk aloft for
thousands of centuries. The walls are
pinkish gray. and the ponderous flinty
capstones a brilliant red. A mile d.
agonally opposite is the colossal pile
known assthe Acropolis. This is, per
haps, the browning feature. More than
$50 feet high and 1000 feet long and
solemnly alOof. il has been likened TO
the Athenian Acropolis because of a
marked resemblance. and as well TO
the mammoth temple ruins of Baalbec
in northern Syria. Seen from any angle
il Is mysterious. awe-compelling, GER
tain to leave a lasting imprint on the
mind Of all observers.
The Closed Cathedral.
Still is another masterpiece In the
Closed Cathedral, study in magnif-
cent coloring, so gorgeous and yet so
softly harmonious that no wielder OF
the brush dares hope to equal 1t. II
is Of tremendous size, with an en-
trance % feet high and - feet wide,
solidly blocked at depth Of u feet.
Pure white. deep blue. yellow, red,
green, and al the Intervening shades
figure in the decorative scheme. and
In places give the suggestion OF
stained-gIass windows. The whole as
pect is OF antiquity, enhanced by
crack or fault diagonally through the
front-evidenee Of q slide before the
processes Of erosion began. The ca
thedral effect IS so realistic that one
involuntariIy listens for bells to In