The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-02-04

service but S12,5o0 to care for all OF
them. Visitors TO the IS where records were kept
numbered but 212, $40 last season But that is be
cause the people know almost nothing about the
national monuments Some day these national
monuments will be made easily accessible and fixed
up; then the people will flock to them. For all Of
them are well worth seeing and many q them are
among the wonders of the world.
With national parks and national forests and
national monuments. etc. etc. the public is nat
urally mixed up on what's what. Here's the right
of that:
There are 10 national parks, each established by
separate act of congress and all in charge OF the
national park service OF the Interior department
Primarily they contain scenic features OF national
Importance, though two-Hot Springs In Arkansas
and Plat In Oklahoma-are medicinal They are
kept as far possible in their original wild state
and are wild life sanctuaries They protected
against commerciasm Familiar names in the ma
tional park system are Yellowstone, Yosemite,
Rocky Mountain and Grand Canyon Lafayette,
on the coast of Maine, is the only scenic national
park east Of the Mississippi Congress will not
purchase land for national park purposes and the
only public lands are in the West Lafayette was
presented to the nation by pubicspirited citizens
There are six national military parks-Gettys-
burg and Yicksburg are familiar exampies-under
control of the War department
There are approximately 15S national forests
under control OF the forest service Of the Depart
ment Of Agriculture. They were established for
scientific numbering and for grazing and were
originally purely commercial propositions Inc
Agricultural department however in its persistent
efforts TO get control OF the national parks has set
up recreational features In many national forests
In competition with the national parks
Now we come to the national monuments Ma
ttonal Landmarks" would be fitting desig-
nation Previous TO 1906 the United States had
no provision for the establishment OF national
monuments Public insstence became so great
for the protection Of natural wonders from vanda-
ism that In 1906 the Act for the Preservation or
American Antiquities passed by congress-
This act provides for the punishment or vandat-
ism and for permits TO eNcaVate anu eo"ee'- See-
ton . OF the act reads:
That the President OF the United States is hereby
authorized In his discretion. TO declare by puone
proclamation historic landmarks. historie ana pr
historo strucures and other objects OF historic or
scientnc interest that situated upon the isnus
owned or controlled by the government oi s
reserve as mart thereof parcels OF land the limits
of which in all cases shall be confined to the sms
est area compatible with the proper osre sno A
asement OF the objects to be protected
Under this act about 80 national monuments are
now established. About so are IN charge Oh uns
national park service and about 10 unuef coniio'
OF the forest service The War department con-
trolls three Exact figures cannot Do gwen %
changes are constantly occurring
OF those controlled by the forest service the
largest Is Mount OLYMPUS In Washington which Is
region OF h,ountains forests and glaciers and the
home of the Olympic elk. Bandelier IN Ne" Mes
leo contains vast numbers or prems'orc enn
dweller ruins and is presumably sia'eu 40, 10
t,onaI nart bonors. Bryce Canyon In Utah-of
which more later-is an eroded canyon OF ''44o
acres ~ ,,.,ho-
The 1923 report of Director Stephen t. Mather
q, rho national mark service TO the secretary OF tne
Interior gives in addition to Devils Tower, II
Morro and Fortified Forester "nich nioie
undar his charge. They have been grouped oy tnis
writer. The list: