The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-11-30
Frederick / Iaskln' S Letter
Cuidebook Proves a Thriller,
Washington. b. C.. Nov.

~
washington, b. C., Nov. "a
person seeking literature with a
thrill would not be likely to look
for II In q government document.
Nevertheless the diligent searcher
does not need much imagination to
ind plenty Of exciting reading In .
bulletin recently issued by the
geological survey. The bulletin is
titled "Guidebook Of the Western
United States-Part E." and it con-
tains a description of the scenery,
climate, and resources Of the coun-
try which can be observed by q
traveller on the Denver & Rio
Grande Western railroad. But with
in this wrapper comes the rafting
story Of the building OF the Denver
& Rio Grsnde-a western thriller
II there ever was one.
First, before we get on with this
story of empire building, word
about the guidehook itself. As q
geological survey publication, it is
the pet child of Marius R. Camp
bell, who was the author Of the
first part to be published, part A.
dealing with the country along the
Northern Pacific railroad. and also
OF the part which has just been is
sued. Mr.. Campbell, who is a geolo-
gist with the survey, has crossed
the continent many times on the
various railroads. AS good scien-
fist, he was at first distressed by
the railroad maps. The railroad
map-maker is. prone to draw his
own line straight and to comfort
the country to make It ft his
scheme. Mr.. Campbell believed that
the travellers through the west
ought to be able to get accurate
maps Of the country penetrated by
the railroads.
The geologist" also noted thai
many Of the summer tourists were
eastern school teachers. These
travellers seemed to to be thirsty
for information about the country
through which they passed, but fol-
this information they were forced
to rely upon railroad folders, train
men, or fellow travellers, who might
or might not supply authentic facts
In any event, it was impossible fOi
the chance tourist to see everything
OF interest along the lines. Many
important features were certainly
to be passed by without notice sim
ply because the tourist would not
be informed of the significance OF
various objects.
Mr.. Campbell saw in this situa-
ton an opportunity to do a double
service-to make travel more pleas
urable to the tourist and to popular
ize and spread accurate knowledge
of the resources Of the west. His
enthusiasm for the project prevail
ed upon the geological survey, and
he was given the task of compiling
the first volume of the guidebook
the dealing with the route of the
Northern Pacific. To get the infor-
nation for this volume he Travelled
from st. Paul to Seattle in a special
motor car which ran on the halls on
orders like any train, except that ii
was given the privilege of holding
up other trains whenever necessary.
Tramped for Two Summers.
The first book was such. sue
cess that it was followed by three
others, and now by fourth. OBJ
jects and features of interest are
so numerous along the line of the
Denver & Rio Grande that Mr..
Campbell did not even avail him.
self Of the comparatively leisurely
progress of a railroad motor car,
but in order to miss nothing along
the route he tramped on foot over
300 of the most interesting miles OF
it, taking two summers for this
work.
OF the guidebook itself the chief
feature is the series Of detailed
route maps which are more &C
curate, the survey contends, than
any ever prepared for guidebooks
before. These maps are in sec
lions, each showing hundred miles
or so of the route, and each one is
tipped into the book so that il
folds out beyond the edges Of the
pages. The next describing the
country along the route of the sec
traveller can sit in the Pullman and
ton precedes each map, SO that the
follow the route on the map and al
the same time read the pages de.
scriptive Of what he sees.
Now the Denver & Rio Grande
to the inquisitive traveller, is a
good deal of an enigma, both in its
name, for it does not come within
several hundred miles of the Rie
Grande, and in its route, for it con
meets Denver with Salt Lake City
which is northwest of Denver, bul
in going to Salt Lake City it trav'
els first 120 miles southeast to Pu-
eblo, then turns abruptly to the
north of west for about 100 miles
and then turning northward goe;
another hundred miles to regain the
latitude of Denver before heading