The Carbon County chronicle. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1924, 1924-03-28
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III THB BULWARK OF AMERICAN I1rERTTEs
n THE COUNTRY NEWSPAPER "


NdtOnal Park Roads
Montana, perhaps more than any other state
is deeply interested in the fate of the Sinnott bill
which has just passed the lower house of Con-
gress
This bill provides that S2,5OO,OOO shall be
spent every year for period of three years on
the construction of public roads in the National
Parks, and for the further Improvement of roads,
trails and bridges in these parks.
It is estimated that American tourists
spend more than one-half billion dollars per year
in Europe and it is more than probable that they
spend an equal amount in touring their country.
If our system of National parks was improved it
would no doubt result in a cutting down of travel
in foreign lands and more money would be spent
in seeing America first"
Nothing would be better paying invest
ment for the United States than offering the
greatest inducement to our own people to spend
their money at home.
Our system of National parks, of which we
have two of the most interesting and wonderful
IN our own state, are primarily set aside as play
grounds for our own people. Many millions of
residents of the United States have not the
capital to travel in foreign lands who could make
it possible to take tour of one or more of our
great Fairgrounds and many thousands of them
avail themselves of this privilege every year.
At present there are only Il miles of paved
roads in all of our parks and many OF the roads
are narrow and the grades exceedingly stiff If
the roads were adequately improved travel would
be much safer and would result in many more
thousands taking advantage of them.
The report submitted by Congressman Sim
mott in support of his bill showed that since 1872
the government has expended only $780, 900 in
improvement and road building in all of our
parks, while it is estimated that the states have
expended nearly S24000,000 since 1915 in improv-
ing approach roads to the National parks. For
instance the road leading to Mount Rainier Ma
ti0nal park was constructed at a cost of nearly
S4,OOO,OO0 to the state of Washington, to pass
over which the tourist must pay an automobile
permit charge of $3.50. After he has passed over
this fine road he finds only 20 miles of govern
ment road within the park, unsurfaced and
scarcely in fit condition to travel
M0ntananS realize better than anyone al
most, that the parks are enjoyed by people from
a distance rather by those residing close by We
see people from every foreign country registered
in Yellowstone Park each season. almost while
thee are people who live within $50 miles of its
main entrance who have never taken tour
through it. This is not because of indifference to
the beauties of the great Wonderland but rather
more for the reason that our people who live next
door neighbor to the park think there is no hurry
about their going through all of htem expect to
make the tour some day, and when they have a
vacation period they generally spend the time in
trip to the coast or to some of the eastern cities
They are accustomed to mountain scenery and it
is not SO wonderful to them as it is to those who
live far removed from the mountains
But these visitors from distance are becom-
ing more and more an asset to the state of
Montana.
The city of Red Lodge has had portion of
this tourist traffic for several years past and it
has wonderful opportunity to secure a much
larger shaFe of it in the future if the people here
will waken to the tourist opportunity knocking
at their doors and but waiting encouragement to