The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1920-04-22

t@l8g and Zion canon. For the bill
creating Zion canon national park has
been passed by both houses of congress and at
this writing is in conference over an amend
ment.
Californians- always the best boosters
have long contended that Yosemite valley
is the supreme expression of scenic loveliness.
They hold that there is nothing like it on
earth. To them it is "the valley whose COM
pelling beauty the world acknowledges as
supreme" But Utah enthusiasts 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, for the latter cotains 1862 acres,
while the former will have only 76, 800 acres.
But the contest in loveliness between Yose-
mite valley and Zion canon is likely to be
close and interesting.
Yellowstone National park in Wyom-
ing, Montana and Idaho, as everybody
knows, was the first national park to be es-
tabfished (1872) in the world. 1t is our
oldest and largest and most famous scenic
natural park. Its geysers and bears have
made its name worldwide household word.
Yosemite in California, established in
1890, is scarcely less famous; all the world
knows of its waterfalls and its big trees-the
oldest and largest livingthings in the world.
And Yosemite valley, its greatest beauty is
familiar to everyone through pictures. 1t is
visited yearly by thousands; this season the
attendance was 58,564.
The proposed Zion National park lies
in southern Utah, about 200 miles south of
Salt Lake City. The state has made it &C
cessible to the tourist by building 100 miles
of automobile highway from Lund on the
Salt Lake route. The Arrowhead trail from
Salt Lake City is also available. President
Taft in 1909 created the Munkuntuweap
national monument of 15,84O acres to pre-
serve the wonderfully scenic area of the
canon of the Rio Virgin. In recent years
other scenic canons were discovered, and in
1918 President Wilson enlarged the national
monument to 76,800 acres and changed its
name to Zion. In the debate over the Zion
National park bill in the house Representa-
tive yelling of Utah said in part:
"This region obtained its name Zion
canon because of the devout reverence of the
Mormon pioneers who settled upon the Vir-
gin river more than 90 years ago. Its per-
pendicular walls presented an impossible bar
rier to hostile tribes of Indians, who infested
these regions, and these people looked upon
Zion canon as convenient and hospitable
refuge when threatened by attack from these
troublesome Indian tribes. Zion canon is an
extraordinary gorge cut from brilliantly
colored sedimentary rocks by the north fork
of the Virgin river. Its proportions are
about equal to those of Yosemite valley, in
Yosemite National park; the walls are sew
eral Numbered feet lower and the canon is
considerably narrower. In the cutting of the
gorge, however, the torrential stream and
wind and rain have carved domes, spires,
towers, and other curious forms that strik-
ingly resemble many of the features of Yose
mite valley.
More interesting than the carving of
Zion's cliffs is their exquisite coloring. Red
predominates, as it does in the Grand canon
in Arizona, but there are amazing combina-
tions of brown, black, and white colors with
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 ex-
posed surfaces of these rocks has produced a
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
nearly perpendicular canon walls"
Until recently Zion has been practically
inaccessible, and scarcely tens have seen it
where thousands have seen Yosemite. But
lions visitors have paid eloquent tribute.
The Indians called it Munkuntuweap
Land Of God because it was 50 beautiful.