The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-06-18
1000 Visitors at Opening
OF New East Side Highway
Tocomo Auto Is First to Pass Through
Tunnel After Tomlinson Cuts Ribbon

clared the 81, 500. 900 addition open.
Others In the first car" were
T. A. Stevenson, secretary-mana-
ger OF Tacoma Chamber of Com
merce: E. r. Fetterolf. assistant
secretary of the chamber. Wilbur
Raleigh. member of Washington
State Good Roads association. and
Paul II. Sceva, general manager
of Rainier National Park Co.
Pierce County Leads
Pierce county accounted also for
the greatest number of opening
day attendants. Complete tabula-
ton OF entrance records have not
been made. but these records did
list more Pierce county vehicles as
entering yesterday than cars from
any other county. King county
had a large representation, as did
Lewis and other southwest WASH
ington counties, and Yakim a
county, across the Cascades.
Travel to the east side of the
park yesterday far exceeded the
fondest expectations of officials of
Southwest Washington Good Roads
association, sponsors of the event.
Five hundred seventy cars came
from east and west on Chinook
Pass cross-state highway to enter
at the northern end OF the new
road just west of the Cascades
summit: SIT vehicles entered at
Ohanapecosh in the southeast COR
ner of the park and reached from
the road into the upper Cowlitz
valley. which will eventually be
White Pass cross-state route.
Perfect Weather
Weather was perfect for the &C.
casion. High clouds-far above the
top Of towering Mount Rainier
stopped direct rays of the sun, but
the day was warm. In addition, the
campground beside Ohanapecosh
river in the southeast park corner.
at which visitors yesterday had
picnic lunches. Is well shaded.
This campground was over-taxed
however. with more than $50 car
loads Of people there at one count.
Facilities at Ohanapecosh Hot
Springs lodge dining room were
well pressed also.
Most visitors were surprised
that the new road provides such
startling scenery. 1t Is near the
western base Of the Cascades, with
Mount Rainier 10 miles to the west.
In elevation 1t drops from 400
feet a. its northern terminus to
1900 at ohanapecosh.
ESQ Autos There
Ribbon-cutting ceremonies broke
out into terrific roar after the
Tacoma delegation started a horn
footing fest. There were more than
$50 cars within and in front Of the
tunnel with horns blowing at once
and the noise resounding from the
tunnel walls.
Later in the afternoon short dedi-
catory talks were made by various
federal and state officials and per-
sons interested in good roads. Fred
Norman. president Of Southwest
Washington Good Roads associa-
ton. presided. Speakers included
r. d. Waterhouse, district engineer
for the National Park service with
San Francisco headquarters: F. f.
Andrews, senior engineer; Jean
Even. assistant district engineer,
and George b. Forrest, associate
highway engineer, all Of the public
roads administration.
Transit Presented
William Sethe, district forest
ranger for the Packwood district
and early ranger in Mount Rainier
National park; o. r. Dinsmore Of
the Washington state department
Of highways: S. NJ. Morris. presi-
dent of the White Pass White
Bluffs Cross State Highway asso-
citation: U. NJ. Lauman. state rep
resentative from Randle; Mayor
Cain and Superintendent Tomlin-
son.
Before these talks were closed.
George Talcott of Olympia, friend
of the late Charles White. who
surveyed the White Pass route for
Northern Pacific railway back in
1880. presented a transit used by
White to the Washington State
Historical society. w. p. Bonney