The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-07-25

in the world: the extraordinary waterfalls of the
Yellowstone and Yosemite; the glaciers of Mount
Rainier and Glacier; the beautifully blue Crater
lake, lying in the vast hollow of an extinct vol
cano, with sides 1000 feet high the prehistoric
cliff dwellings of the Mesa Verde; the fantasia
cally eroded pinnacfes of the Bryce canyon; the
only active volcano in the United States proper,
at Lassen Mount Mckinley, the highest mountain
In North America, rising higher above the sur
rounding country than any other mountain in the
world. and numerous other marvels of nature.
There are more features of conspicuous gran
deur in the national parks of the United States
than are readily accessible in all the rest of the
world together, while, considered individually,
there are few, If any, celebrated scenic places
within easy reach abroad which are not equaed
exceed in America. At the same time there are
many features of American scenery which are not
to be found anywhere else or, if found. are un-
equaed abroad in sublimity beauty. There are
more geysers of large size in our Yellowstone Ma
tional park for instance, it is pointed out by the
National Park service. than in all the rest of the
world together, the nearest approach being the gey
ser fields of Iceland and New Zealand Again, it is
conceded the world over that there is no valley
in existence so strikingly beautiful as Yosemite,
and nowhere can be found a canyon of such stu
pendous size and exquisite coloring as the Grand
Canyon of the Colorado In Sequoia National park
grow trees so huge and old that none quite COM
pare with them" a l
Although the visit of President Hoover to the
national parks will, as previously stated, empha-
size their accessibility and the fact that they be-
long to all of u.s. not even the publicity which his
tour will give these Fairgrounds will be needed,
probably, to draw to them record number of
visitors this year. For Americans have been
taking advantage In increasing numbers every
year of Uncle Sans invitation to come out and
play In YOUR Fairgrounds. the national parks"
The growth in the number who have answered
that annual call has been a steady one, with the
exception of the year 1914 when the total amount
ed to only 235 1913. But by 1921 it had passed the
million mark and in 1927 1t went over the two
million mark. Last years record was 2,6S0,597
and 1t is predicted (partly because of the Hoover
tour) that this year the number will exceed $780,
000 In addition to the more than two and half
million Americans who enjoyed the wonders of
the 81 national parks last year, more than half a
million visited the SO national monuments-na-
tona reservations of historic scientific interest
such as the petrfed forest in Arizona, the Dino
saur in Utah and the Siaco cliff-dweller ruins in
New Mexco-which also administered by the
National Park service.
With the annual influx of this horde of pleas
ure-seekers, it has been an increasing problem to
take care of them in such way as to assure
their greatest enjoyment during their STAY But
the National Park service has proved itself equal
to- the task There ample facilities for all Wis
itdrs with all sizes of pockktbooks, so that rich
and poor alike can enjoy themselves. Many of the
hotels have the finest equipment and every luxury