National Parks as an Asset' 



By Hon. Fka.xklix K. Lane, Secretary uf the Interior. 



THE United States furnishes playgrounds to the Notional Park. Through it, from north to south, winds 



people of this country which are, we may the Continental Di\ide — the Snowy Range in name and 



modestly state, without any rivals in the world. fact. Two hundred lakes grace this rocky paradise, and 



Just as the cities are seeing the wisdom and the necessity Lear and bighorn inhabit its fastnesses. It has an area 



of open spaces for the children, so, with a very large of 350 square miles and lies only TO miles from Denver 



view, the nation has been saving from its domain the Many hotels lie at the feet of these mountains and three 



rarest places of grandeur and beauty for the enjoyment railroads skirt their sides. 



of the world. This is Colorado's second national park, the other 



.\nd this fact has been discovered by manv onlv this being Mesa Verde, where this department, with the assist- 



year. Having an incentive in the expositions on the ance of Dr. Jesse Walter Fewkes, of the Smithsonian 



Pacific coast, and Europe being closed, thousands have Institution, has uncovered during the last summer prehis- 



for the first time 

 crossed the continent 

 and seen one or more 

 of the national parks. 

 That such mountains 

 and glaciers, lakes and 

 canyons, forests and 

 waterfalls were to be 

 found in this country 

 was a revelation to 

 many, who had heard 

 but had not believed. 

 It would appear from 

 the experience of this 

 year that the real awak- 

 ening as to the value 

 of these parks has at 

 last been realized, and 

 that those who have 

 hitherto found them- 

 selves enticed by the 

 beauty of the Alps and 

 the Rhine and the soft 

 loveliness of the valleys 

 of France, may find 

 equal if not more stim- 

 ulating satisfaction inthe mountains, rivers, and valleys 

 which this Government has set apart for them and for 

 all others. 



It mav reconcile those who think that money expended 

 ui)on such luxuries is wasted — if anv such there are — to 



HON. FRANKLIN K. LANE 



Secretary of the Interior. 



toric ruins of unpre- 

 cedented scientific in- 

 terest. 



Oregon has but re- 

 cently completed a 

 great highway along 

 the Columbia River. 

 This should be con- 

 nected by road with 

 Miiunt Hiiod and a 

 portion of the present 

 forest reserve convert- 

 ed into a park. The 

 limits of Sequoia Park, 

 in California, the home 

 of the great redwoods, 

 should be so extended 

 as to include the Kern 

 River Canyon, a most 

 practicable project to- 

 day ; but tomorrow 

 may be too late, be- 

 cause of the lumber 

 interests. The Grand 

 Canyon is not yet part 

 of the park system, al- 

 though as part of a national forest it comes under the 

 control of the Department of Agriculture. 



There is no reason why this nation should not make 

 its public health and scenic domain as available to all its 

 citizens as Switzerland and Italv make theirs. The aim 



be told that the sober-minded traffic men of the railroads is to open them thoroughly by road and trail and gi\ 



estimate that this year more than a hundred million 

 dollars usually spent in European travel was divided 

 among the roalroads, hotels, and their supporting enter- 

 prises in this country. 



During the year a new national park of distinction 

 and unusual accessibility has come into existence. It 

 crosses the Rockies in Colorado at a point of supreme 

 magnificence ; hence its title, the Rockv Mountain 



access and accommodation to everv degree of income. 

 In this belief an eft'ort has been made this year as never 

 before to outfit the parks with new hotels which should 

 n:ake the visitor desire to linger rather than hasten on 

 his journey. One hotel was built on Lake McDermott, in 

 Glacier Park, one is to be built immediately on the 

 shoulder of Mount Ranier, in Paradise Valley, another 

 in the valley of the Yosemite, with an annex high over- 



'From Secretary Lane's annual report to Congress. 

 22 



