Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1924-05-29

now in the third year of construction by the ma
tional park service Already the service is plan
ming for substantial extensions to present accom-
modatons for visitors, which will then be neces-
scry Says stephen T. Mather, director of the
national park service, in his 1928 annual report to
the secretary Of the interior:
In common with the majority Of the other
tonal parks, Glacier experienced her most success
full season, enjoying more patronage than in any
previous year. 1898 visitors having registered in
the park as compared with 1926 visitors in 1922.
This is only forerunner Of g. tremendous increase
in travel that is ce~tain is take place the
pletion of tha TransmoUntain Rad, now in it's
year of construction Motorists travelling the
northern highways to Glacier have had
direct route across the Continental Divide, this
barrier requiring detour of several hundred miles
the Continental Divide through Logan Pass will,
aside from furnishing direct means OF traversing
the mountains attract thousands Of motorists by
is unsurpassed scenic qualities.
This is good as far as 1t goes. but the situation
may be made palmer by more detailed explana-
ton of Glaciers hard luck in the matter of auto
mobile highways. An attendance Of only S39S8
for frst-class national park like Glacier is
joke-and bad one. But the reasons for this
comparatively small attendance easily found.
A few years ago the bulk of the tourist travel
to the national parks was by railroad. Now the
bulk Of 1t is by private car. The per cent varies.
Contrasting examples: Rocky Mountain, In 1928,
had 51,S0O private cars in which probably more
than 80 per cent of it's 21SO00 visitors travelled.
Glacier naQ O,OS0 private cars uOl more tudu "
per cent of its 33,988 visitors arrived by private
car. This tells part Of the story. Rocky Noun
tain is Of no higher class than Glacier and is only
about one quarter as large-400 square miles IN
the one and 1859 in the other-but Rocky Noun
tain is the most easily accessible by automobile
from the geographical and population center OF
the country of all the 10 national parks.
Another factor In the attendance comparison be-
tween Rocky Mountain and Glacier is this: Each
park has an independent east and west entrance
on either side of the Continental Divide, each en-
trance taking care of separate and distinct lines OF
automobile tourist travel In Rocky Mountain the
east and west entrances are Estes Park and Grand
Lake In Glacier they are Glacier Park and Bel
ton In Rocky Mountain the Fall River Road
crosses the Continental Divide, connects Estes
Park and Grand Lake and makes possible through
traffic which otherwise would be Impossible. In
Glacier automobile tourist travel from both the
east and west halts at the Continental DIVIDE
The Great Northern which serves Glacier ana
runs along the south line Of the park, amelorates
the situation by maintaining daily shipments OF
motor cars between the two entrances Unless
motorists take advantage of this rail shipment
they have to make wide detour either through
Montana-as far south as Heena-or through
Canada
What the Fall River Road does for Rocky Noun
tain the Transmountain Road will do for Glacier.
Here is what the 1923 reports says Of the progress
of the work:
Work on the second section of the Transmoun-
tain Road on the west side was begun ana ABOUT
six miles, extending from the end or the nrst sec
ton at the head Of Lake Mcdonald. UP Mcdonald
Creek to above Avalanche Creek. VIII Dc nnlsheo