Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1925-09-25
MAI. w. A. WEIGH
PARK ENTHUSIAST
No Where Is Natures Handiwork
More Inspiring

TO the poOPic Va ViHSnCoeci q y"
DAYS ago by Major w. A. Welch. gen.
eral manager of the Palisades Inter
state Park of New York and New Jer-
sey.
Major WEIGH, who is also mem
Der of the Southern Appalachian Ma
tional Park Commission, was the
main speaker at the great meeting.
which inaugurated the intensive drive
for funds in Frederick, Clarke and
Warrent counties, to assure the es-
Establishment of the Shenandoah Ma
tional Park in the Blue Ridge Noun
tains of Virginia.
Although the park of which Major
Welch is manager contains but co.
900 acres, stretched along the beau
tiful palisades of the Hudson River, |
l175,0O0 visit it daily. If each one
spent less than dollar, the reve-
nues derived would be tremendous.
The Shenandoah National Park will
contain nearly 100000 acres, far
larger than the Palisades Park.
Il have travelled all over the Amer
lean continent" said Major WEIGH
Il have been in every national park,
l have been all over the Andes Noun
tains and every other mountain range
on the two continents, and / say to-
you that, while each of them has it's
wonders and splendors, there is none
of them that brings one so close to
the heart of old Mother Nature, none
where Gods handiwork is more in
spring than in this wonderful Blue
Ridge Park.
God placed those mountains there
for the use and enjoyment of man.
kind. but man has not risen to the
opportunity and developed them, and
| am impressed with the idea that
!, God so planned that this great area
: should be reserved from the deflling
| touch of men that it might be used
: for the purposes that are now pro-
posed"
Sixty-eight millions of dollars had
| been poured into the national parks
: of the West and their contiguous ter
|, ritory up to August 1, according to
| reports reaching Washington from Of
, fieials of these great reservations, and
: the season at that time still had two
more whole months to go.
/, dol Af Il,
| from tourists. 1t does not represent
! the millions spent on the parks and
in them by the government, nor by
. the thousands of persons who have
) been attracted to permanent homes
J and business near them. The entire
: SOS. 100000 represents pure velvet"
brought in from the outside and left
there to enrich the residents of the
states having national parks.
: This gives some definite idea of
| the wealth that will be carried to
Virginia by the millions of tourists
|, who will visit the Shenandoah Ma
tional Park when it is established
predict that the s2.500,00O the peo-
pie Of Virginia are being asked to
. give toward the purchase of the pro-
, posed park in the Blue Ridge Noun
tains will be returned with interest
three months after the park has been
Established
Some idea of what the western
parks have meant to the western
states in single season-not during
; their entire existence but just in
few months-is contained in the fol-
lowing letter, received from John M.
Sharp, one of the officials of the yell
; lowstone National Park:
st is estimated that $4,000. 900
was expended in Yellowstone Nation
al Park by visitors during the cur
rent year and that 100000 was ex-
pended by these tourists in the State
and within a reasonable distance of
the park. Every community around
THE park has been doing it's utmost
through it's section of the country,
consequently all Of these cities on
the approach roads to Yellowstone
Park supply camping grounds and
other facilities for the motorists.
Glacier National Park is accred-
tied with bringing s1,250,O00 of
travel money in the State of Mon
tana, nearly 100000 having been
expended in the park One million
and half dollars is estimated as hav-
ing been spent in the State of Wash
ington as result of travel to Mount
Rainier National Park, the great
playground of the Pacific Northwest.
A new 100000 hotel in Seattle.
and a new s1.OO0.O00 hotel in Tao
oma are being constructed primarily
for caring for tourist traffic.
The total gross revenue estimated
to have accrued to communities adj
jacent to Crater Lake National Park.
Ore, this season is placed at $780,
900. An astute business man of Ore
gon recently stated that Crater Lake
National Park represents an asset of /
$7.000,000 to the State, paying four
per cent annual dividend on that sum.
Yosemite National Park, Calf. +
is estimated to have brought $1,000
900 to that section of the State with
in 200 miles of the park, in addition