Pueblo chieftain., 1921-01-10

Pueblo, the gateway TO the great
Southwest!
Stretching away to the south and
west, mile after mile. square mile up
on square mile, linked together in n
great chain by the towering peaks of
the Rocky Mountains, lie vast cxpanscs
of our national forests, teeming with
wild life jeweled with hundreds OF
natural mountain lakes. clothed with
the overErcens of centuries. Here are
the Alps of America - the Rockies
Here is a sportman's paradise, a Sew
enth Heaven for the nature lover, the
photogra pher, the adventurer, an Ell
/ dorado for those who journey West
ward seeking the recreation of the
wilderness. and trails that lead to
health, Here is t!:e land of Cooper, of
Kit Carson, of Pike. AS these first
bold wanderers into unknown stretches
OF the earth found 1t. so is the South
/ west today. And to all of this vast
primordeal eXpanse, Pueblo is the
gateway.
Already, Colorado is known 10 be the
playground of the Rockies. But the
surface is no more than scratched. To-
day, nine-tenths OF the vast scenic re-
sources OF Colorado lie undevcloped.
The thousands OF tourists who throng
NtdllA ~ ,'IbliIO lOT IltiSuFt. ltr
re1t, for health, have entered and en-
joycd but a fraction of the country
that is here.
The railroads afford ample facilities
for bringing the traveller to the seem
cry; they cannot take him thru it.
Once a canyon or mountain side Is
scratched to receive the artifice of
steel rails its first freshness and
charm are gone. And he who goes by
train may only glimpse the mountains
huge walls of rock that blur in pas
sing. of all that lies beyond his SIGHT
behind those walls, he can merely
guess. Others have gone to see. and
have returned with tales and books.
But these are few and privileged The
great mass of those for whom the
great Southwest holds in store the
greatest good, are barred by natural
barriers from enjoying OF it, except in
few spots where men have bridgod
those BARRIERS with roads.
The railroad carries the traveller to
the mountains foot-and leaves him
there. II he is strong and cunning
ho may climb to the top, descend into
the valleys below and so enjoy the real
values of the wilderi ess. If he is not
he is most in need of those values
yet he is forced to return to his home
without them. He must, unless there
are roads and automobiles.
What tho steam railroad was TO the
Western plains. the automobile is to
the Western mountains. Once IA noun
tain country is traversed by highways,
1t is possessed of an open door that
the world may enter. When the great
Southwest has highways, Pueblo will
be this door. when this door Is opened
the world will pass thru.
Pueblo. in itself. is not a summer re-
sort. For future growth and prosper
ity, Pueblo must depend upon manu-
featuring. wholesale and retail trade
It can only develop as the territory
about it develops. For trade develop
ment in any large area, this city must
look to the Southwest, and good roads
are needed, IL that territory is to be
developed
But good roads do not lead to No
where. Every road must have its
terminal, it's stations on the way. In
addition to the need for good roads.
there is need for actual construction
and development within those terri
tories the roads are built to touch
In the great San Isabel National for
est, the federal government and pri-
vatc capital has begun such develop
ment. The city of Pueblo purchased
two mountain tracts during the past
summer to be turned into tourist
camping grounds. The roads to the
west have been built up. a short road
into the San Isabel has been opened,
by way of Goodnight. tho North Hard
scrabble, and so into Wcstcliffe. In
tensive work thruout the forest was
begun a few seasons ago; each year
brings new facilities for the rccrea-
ton OF the public in the San Isabel.