Evening star., 1937-06-06

y THIN sight of one Of the most popular tourist
n resorts in the world is forestcovered plateau
wv mile long and nearly wide which no
human being has stood. 1t has been gazed at
by millions of human eyes, hundreds Of thousands OF men and
women have watched the last rays of the in
mantle of purple and gold but is still enchanted ground
with silence and mystery all its own.
Shivas Temple it is called but during its countless
ties existence has heard the football voice of
priest or worshpper had the eoest association with
humanity 1t isolated in the Grand Canyon only
few miles from the famed Ell Tovar Hotel.
There Temple of SILVA that lowered five hun
dred could hold five thousand people, but nature
has carved here from the solid rock that reaches nearly
seven thousand feet and if hollow might contain million
souls Its fiat forestcovered roof lies level with the Canyon
rim and it has mountain nearly as great as Mount
Washington.
Separated from the surrounding land by deep gorge its
precptous walls rise with dignity and grandeur They are
beautiful but they offer challenge to to invade
the sanctuary of the Temples summit.
After all these that challenge has been accepted
by Morehead Patterson adventurous New Yorker and
the American Museum of Natural History If it be humanity
possible scientists will stand on the summit of Shvas Temple
before 1887 faded into limbo But not be possible
at least with inventions available today We don't
know yet but will find out before the has ended
It would simple to land there airplane to flop
down in autogro like great prehistoric bird settling
its That the first thought of for Mr. Pat
is minded So reconnaissance was made from the
air The photographs showed that the fiat top of Shvas
Temple covered with heavy growth OF pnyons and un-
per- like those of the Canyon Landing in that mass OF
forest is impossible.
Next he thought of blmp Perhaps it could hover low
enough the drop with and who
could clear landing space When their work done
scientists could be landed to this treasure house of the
ages.
But air currents spoiled that plan Winds rush and swirl
through the teacherous ravnes and boiling over
the summit of SILVA Temple 1t is inconcevabe that blmp
could hover there parachute would undoubtedly be carried
far away drop the Canyons bottom mile below the m
Approach from the appears be impossible As if FORE
seeing that eventually would attempt to desecrate the
Temple has built her defenses with consummae skill
The attack attack be made with reasonable hope of
success be from the ground Therefore, Mr. Patterson
ordered series of vertical and oblique stereoscoc aerial
photographs of both Shvas Temple and Woans Throne
another in which interested These photographs
are being studied to determine whether trail could be
constructed up the sides of the reasonable
preliminary inspections often most misleading the
topographers have reported but Shivas Temple
pears much accessible than expected and there one
place on high ledge of Wotans Throne which suggests
possibilities.
There If the photographs disclose prac
cal route the attempt will be made If not the Temple will
remain nvolate has stood through countless ages
But why should risk life and gold to climb this isolated