The Holbrook news., 1920-12-10

IS not to be marred by system Of aerial tramways for the transporta- tion of sightseers from El Tovar to the north rim. Instead of this, the government is to build a bridge across the Colorado river just east of the foot of Bright Angel trail and tourists to the canyon will be able to continue their journeys into the canyon, which are made by mule and now stop at the river, across the river and up the north wall of the canyon to the rim.
 Announcement to this effect has just been made by D. L. Rayburn, superintendent of Grand Canyon Ma tional Park. Supt. Rayburn states that he has been informed by Steph- Interior John Barton Payne has park service, that Secretary of the officially vetoed the plans of the officially vetoedl the plans of the Santa Fe railroad to establish an 
 aerial crossing by means of cable for passengers, and the Secretary has ap proved the plans for the bridging of the river.
 Supt Rayburn has been instructed to proceed with the construction of the bridge, and he announces that construction work will commence about January l, 1921 Under the plans, the government will furnish practically all of the materia for the bridge and place it on the ground at the foot of Bright Angel trail. Con- tract for the construction work will be let this month, Supt Rayburn states.
 The placing of material for the bridge at the foot of Bright Angel trail is expected to be task of diff ficult accomplishment. The mate rial will have to be packed by mule down Bright Angel trail, which is one of the most difficult trails in the country. The transporting of steel and lumber is expected to be hard problem, but one that can be accom- plished with no more than the ordi- nary dangers of the trail.
 How the immense cable, upon .rl:.1 4lo 6,.;drra et,-,,ct,,ra ic +O hQ suspended, is to make this perilous passage is the problem that is now confronting Supt. Rayburn. Although an engineer of extensive experience before he recently abandoned that profession at the earnest solicitation of Director Mather to take up the superintendency of Grand Canyon National Park, Supt. Rayburn ad- mits that he is going to rely largely upon two of his men, whom he found | in the park service when he came to 1 Grand Canyon few weeks ago, who | are familiar with every crook aRd turn in Bright Angel trail and who l are expert animal packers.
 This steel cable which is to stretch from one rock promontory on 1 the south side of the Colorado to a | similar promontory on the north bank, will be about 500 feet long and will weigh in the neighborhood of 1900 pounds. This immense rope will have to be carried intact for a 1 distance of more than eight miles l down a trail, which in places clings to the sides of cliffs where the drop | is hundreds of feet and the path is l barely wide enough to furnish foot ing for the surest footed animal of domestic animals-the Missouri mule. |
 As POO pounds dead weight is full | load for a mule on Bright Angel | trail, it will require at least six l mules to make up the train to pack this cable. As the load on each mule l will be connected up with the pre- ceding and following mules, it is, ex- pected that the loads will have to be made lighter, necessitating greater number of mules.
 There are a number of sharp turns around cliffs along the trail and at each of these the journey will be A mishap, throwing over one of the mules, would probably mean the carrying over of the en- tire train with the loss of the ca ble.
 My two packers have assured me that they can load this cable on train of mules and land it safely at the foot of Bright Angel trail, and I am pinning my faith on them" stated Supt. Rayburn. "At this time I don't know just how they are going to do it, but they tell me they can, and I am simply leaving it up to them.
 They have been packing up and |