The Meeker herald., 1922-08-26

THE TOURIST
TRAVEL.
Turning to this live subject once
more, We notice In last Wednesday, .
Grand junction Sentinel, the follow
Ing:
Recently word has reached this
city that auto tourists en- route west
are being diverted from Rifle via
Mssker and through the Uinta basin.
This charge has been denied by resi-
dents Of Rihe, who insist that they
are remaining neutral ~ regards the
two auto routes west from that city.
However, last weeks issue Of the
Vsfnsl Express contained the follow
Ing. directly asserting that Rifle ia
routing tourists via that city:
".Ths tourist travel for the past
two weeks 10 better, It 10 thought,
than st this time last year, al
though there 10 no real check on
the number going through. The
camp grounds Wednesday night
were crowded almost to capacity
aud some were at the private park.
Rifle, Colo, is maintaining bu-
eeau Of information and divert
ing much Of the travel this way
ut 10 very probable that this will
be brought before the Chamber of
Commerce 1t the next meeting, and
that, II 1t 10 found to be true that tour
lists are being deliberately routed via
the Meeksr- veInal route, steps will
bs taken here TO route ali tourists east
bound via Delta and Montrose and
the south route.
'.Recently word reached this city
that Meeker Is paying y representa-
tive $50 per month during the tourist
season to route tourists via that city
and the Uinta basin, and that this
agent spends his entire time on the
road to the east from Rifle, meeting
with tourists and distributing litera-
2ture At Glenwood Springs and other
points along that route east Of Rife,
advising the Meeker- Vernal route.
before another. tourist season ar
rives, the Grand Junction. Rangsiy-
.Vernal route will be completed, SO
tourists can come via this city and
then north, II they do not care to fol-
low tho Midland trail west from this
city. This, It 10 thought, will bring
Thousands Of additional tourists here
during the season."
Replying to the above, We will say:
First-Rifie people are not engaged
In diyerting west bound tourists BY
way Of the White River route; on the
contrary, It has been held that Rife
people were throwing their influence
in favor Of the Grand junction route.
second-The bureau referred to 10
not Rifle agency, but . Meeker in
stitution. Its operations are open
and above board, and the Junction
people can find out all about them on
investigation. So the Vernsl Express
IL very much mistaken In Its sur
mises.
Thtrd-Grand junction has nobody
but itself to blame, II, at the present
time, It 10 losing some through travel.
Il Will be remembered that over .
year ago, two grating route-makers
came along and said they were repre-
ssutiug tho Pixies Peak Ocean-to-
Ocean Highway. One came TO Meek
or and the other went on to the juno
t,on. The fellow who came to Neck
or wanted certain amount Of money
for which he would make afAvorable
report on the Meeker-VernAl route
for the p. P. O. o. H. He was assur-
ed that our Commercial Club would
pey its membership fee in the Ocean
to-Ocean association, but would not
pay one cent In the nature Of hold
up scheme. The fellow who went to
the junction was wined and dined, ~
the saying goes; get what he wanted