THE 8EMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRA8KA.
WhvMoi: TakeYoxtrVacalion in
iaiional Tore.
a
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If you can afford to go
to Colorado the federal
governmentwilllend
you a magnificent
playground of thir
teen million acres in
which to disport
yourself and enjoy
the world's most gor
geous sce?iery P
By JK I. HUTCHINSON
U. S. Fomtry Strvice
0 YOU know wlmt It tncntiB to bo cool
nil Kiimniorj to Ho in Inzy luxury In
tho shade of tho forest; to cook your
menls over an open lire, and turn In
for n night's rest on a lied of boughs?
If you do not know these things, you
know little of the grent out of doors,
nnd life still holds many pleasures for
you pleasures worth living for nnd
enjoying.
"Yes," you say, "I hnvo been In tho
mountains; I know them." Do you
renlly think you know the mountains?
Turn over In your mind tho places you hnvo vis
ited. Look them up on the map, nnd then enst
your eyes north, south, enst and west over tho
"remainder of this great country of ours. You will
ngrco with mo now, won't you, that your knowl
edge Is hut ns one of the lenves of n forest floor?
Perhaps you hnvo seen mountains, back Bust
or down South, nnd have even climbed them and
thought them stupendous. Hut you will novcr
know whnt renl mountains nrc until you hnvo
crossed the "Big Muddy" nnd stood at tho foot of
thoso mighty sentinels of the West the Rockies.
A thousand rugged peaks bid you welcome, nnd
tho snow-enpped summits seem ns lingers of n
gigantic hand lifted to drnw you to them.
Hnvo you not felt the call of tho mountains, you
Sir. Business Mnn, nnd you nnd you, my friends,
whatever mny be your plnco In this world? It
wns only yesterday I snw you sitting at your work,
dreaming. Wns It of tho big trout you were think
ing, in the dark pool by tho haystack rock, or that
llttlo lenn-tn enmp on tho edge of the mendow In
the big timber? Thnt wns some enmp, wnsn't It?
And do you remember tho fir-bough bed nnd tho
big open tire, nnd the deer that wundercd up Into
tho light ono ovcnlng to seo whnt It wiih nil about?
How it nil comes buck to us, nnd how wo long to
be ngnln "In tho clenr" nnd wnnder at will In
God's great out of doors. You must feel It you
can't escnpo It It Is tho cnll of tho Red Gods
of tho mountains n pnrt of tho heritage of us
Americans, handed down from our forefathers.
Lot us get out our mnp nnd decide where In
tho Brent West wo will spend our summer. We
will look over tho Rocky mountain) flrst; hero
they nre right under our linger. This Is tho Con
tinental divide, tho bnckbono of this grent country.
Most of it runs through nntlonnl forests. Do these
words menn anything to you? Forests belonging
to tho people of tho United States. Yes I you nnd
I nro pnrt owner of theso forests; you nnd I nnd
some hundred million others who are proud to
cnll themselves Americans. Tho government man
ages them for us, but they nre part yours und part
mine, because we help pny for their upkeep.
You nro welcome to use tho nntlonnl forests ns
a place for hunting, cnmplng, nnd fishing, nnd
for rest nnd recrentlon. Tho Intchstrlng Is nlwnys
out, nnd thero Is no closed door or cumbersomo
restrictions. Of course, you will be careful not to
set tho woods on flro; for who wants' to burn up
his own property? And you will bo sure to clean
up your enmp beforo you lenve, I know, so ns to
mnke It pleasant for tho next pnrty that comes
nlong. From Maine to Cnllfomln, nnd from tho
Canadian lino to tho Onlf of Mexico, there nro
lfiO.OOO.OOO ncres of such playgrounds, held In
trust for your uso nnd recrentlon nnd for thnt of
your children nnd your children's children.
Learn to know tho nntlonnl forests 1 They nre
well worth knowing, becuuso thoy offer to the
tourist, tho camper, the hunter, nnd tho health
seeker, everything that the heart of man could
nsk. The clean, bracing ulr of the hills, the glori
ous freedom of tho mountains, the cool summer
breezes, nnd tho rippling running water, nil theso
nnd more nro yours If you will only hnvo them.
Tho grent outdoors is culling you will never
cense to call you until you answer the summons.
Shnll wo spend tho summer In the Rockies In
Colorado? Everywhere wo hear tho slogan, "Seo
American First." Why not "Sec Colorado First
of All?" Whatever this great centennlnl state
mny be whether a lender in
mining, or a world-renowned pro
iliirnr of nerleultliral Crops It
Is, and nlwnys will be, n "Mecca
of the health-seeking and scenery-loving
Amcrlcnn tourist. The
snow-capped peaks, tumbling
mountain streams, nnd shimmer
ing lakes set llko Jewels amidst
the evergreen forests, rank
with those of uny country in the
world. Colorado spells outdoors.
Whnt do the Rockies offer to
you nnd me? A glorious climate,
the unsurpnssed beauties of na
ture, recrentlon. rest, henlth, nnd
freedom from all enre nnd wor
ry. To the camper is proueruu
tent life In the mountains nt
perfection; to tho wilderness seeker, n thousand
trails rarely trodden; to the uutolst, n mngnlti
cently planned system of roads; to the sportsmnn,
fishing nnd hunting in abundance; to the weary
and 111, rest and henlth; to tho well of mind ami
body, recreation nnd pleasure. Added to nil these
Is nn ndvnnced degree of civilization, with com
forts nnd conveniences of living nnd trnvel thnt
nre unexcelled.
Everywhere you go In the Rocky mountains you
will find nntlonnl forests 13,000,000 ncres In Col
orado alone which nre for your enjoyment ns
well ns general use. Here you may camp nt
pleasure, or hunt and fish without restrictions,
except thoso Imposed by the state game laws.
There Is nlwnys something for every member of
tho family to do for tho adults, mountain climb
ing, exploring tho woods, gnthering flowers, taking
photographs, berrying, or resting under tho shndo
of the trees with n good book; for the children,
plnytlmo In tho genlnl sun from dnwn till dnrk,
without fear of wild animals, snakes, or noxious
weeds. And after tho dny, a night of restful
sleep nmldst tho dellclouB coolness of the moun
tains. This Is life ottt of doors In the Rockies, nmld
tho pines, nnd spruce, nnd aspen, and tho whole
somo silvery snge; with the gray granite peaks
nnd snowy crests sentinel about; spring nnd
summer below, spnrkllng winter above.
In the Southern Highlands
By HARRY BAR.NET
(From Dlxla Highway.)
Tho most unique and weird rambling ground for
automobile tourists on tho continent is outlined by
proceeding north on tho enst leg of tho Dlxto high
way from Chnttuuoogu to tho vicinity of Lexing
ton, Ky., thence over u bunset course to tho west
leg, nnd south nlong tho latter route to the point
of beginning. Theso boundaries Inclose an Irreg
ular urea as largo as a minor Europenn principality.
Dropping deep Into tho heart of this region tho
tourist comes upon n curious wonderlnnd. Tho
cenery Is nH beautiful as any In tho world. It Is
mndo up of a mnss of mountains, In places covered
with dense and virgin forests, carpeted with nn
nstonlshlng Horn, through which meander new
country rondn, and fnntastlc by-ways In tho courso
of fcverlBh construction. Thero are clllts beside
which a family of skyscrapers would nppeur as
nmbltiaus bowlders, nnd fields of massive rocks,
lying helter-skelter as would tho discarded blocks
of some prehistoric gtant child grown tired at
piny. Over them Mother Nature has splashed her
most brllllnnt colors.
Here and there are tho homes of tho mountain
folk. 8omo are mere cabins; others moro preten
tious structures; but all aro constructed of nntlvo
materials which grow gracefully picturesque with
age.
Theso hlghlanders aro tho peoplo of a moro or
less truthful fiction. Oolng about their every-dny
affairs they present tho pleasing spectacle of liv
ing pages from tho books, bnckgrounded by tho
supremo In nature. They arc a kindly set, with
outcrops of uncommon beliefs. Among them Is a
high percentage of old-young people. That Is,
men and women, who boast of eighty and ninety
yenrs ns their ago. yet appear to he Just cleverly
Htnrted upon their Journey Into thnt realm beyond
tho half-century mark. These old peoplo not only
attest the henlthfulness of their environment, but
are human documents of an order to bo found no
where else.
Tho tourist llnds moro thnt Is now nnd Inspiring
In this region than In any other section to which
!io might turn. Thero comes tho thrill which tho
explorer feels when ho views Beetles that aro
Htrango to ordinary human eyes. Tho spell of tho
unltuown Is everywhere, for tho heart of this Ir
regular Inclosuro Is a country whoso history has
novcr been written.
At least live ancient migrations came Into, occu
pied for a while, then passed from this section.
Thero nro what looks llko traces of Roman legions
nnd of tho Jews, or tho Roman conquerors of tho
Jews. What they did history does not tell us.
TheYo are to bo found occasional hollow-trco-trunk
enskots Inclosing mummied remains wrapped
about In mntUngs of strnngo weave. Onco In a
while a cave Rives up Its dead. In one, three
mummied bodies were found. They wero seated
In individual pyramidal baskets, placed far back
In the cave, which was paved with brick fashioned
by ancient workmen. Tho mummied carcass of a
dog was found In another cavo not far away. In
life tho animal resembled somewhat our present
shepherd dog, except that a heavy mane grew from
bnso to tip on tho underside of Its tnll.
Thero pnss beforo tho eyes of the tourist a
panorama of civilization. Along tho rnllrond Is
tho clvillzntlon wo view from the train windows.
Farther back In succession tho tourist passes Into
that of tho seventeenth century nnd beyond, vtiic
In few Instances primitive peoplo live In rave and
beneath overhanging ledges of cliffs. Tho latter
are remnrknbly rare.
nut In whatever state ono llnds human beings
in this region written history Is scanty. History
of our own times Is Jielng made nnd recorded In
unusual manner. This whole section Is one of
tho richest spots tho nation has In actual und
potential resources. They nre being rapidly de
veloped. For Instance, tho town of Stearns, Ky., Is ono
of tho most curious communities In tho United
States. It Is a mining nnd timber town. All towns
elsewhere engaged In the snmo Industries nro ap
parently lnld out ufter tho same general unnt
tractive pattern.
Stearns Is about llfteen years old. In atmos
phere It offers a bit of tho Latin Quarter, In that
It Is tho resort of artlBts of national prominence.
They make their headquarters In Steams while
painting tho mountain typos nnd scenery. Ugli
ness nnd work are separated In this remark
able town. Servlco Is there, but It Is mndo
luss crudo by preservation of tho benuty spots.
The homes are not arranged In disorderly rows,
but aro scattered about In tho forest, nnd painted
to blend with tho varying natural tints surrounding
them. There nre no social distinctions so long as
men and women conduct themselves somewhere
near tho standurds Imposed by society for Its own
preservation.
Stearns Is, perhaps, the only town In the United
States founded nnd maintained upon tho thirtieth
chapter of Genesis. When the town wns founded
the Inbor of the mountains wns primitive nnd In
efficient. Nntlvo Independence prevented any ap
plication of tho doctrine of "Do" and "Don't."
Suggestion remnlned ns tho only course In tho
training of efficient labor for the mines nnd woods,
und tho lnws of suggestion hnvo been followed un
til they hnvo made of tho town n center of social
scientific experimentation.
Near Jamestown, Tenn.', tho tourist enn trull, If
be likes, the ghost of "Old Squire Hawkins" re
turned, wo can Imagine, and wandering happily
among the very things he predicted would como to
fss upon his "75,000 acres," as detailed by Murk
rwnln In tho opening chapter of "The Gilded
Afr" The most striking about such a rnmblo
-k iUe contrast between reputation nnd character.
T'e scene of thnt first chnpter of "The Glided
Ago" Is laid In the "Tennessee Lnnds," which be
longed to the father of Mark Twain. Of them ho
said they "hud a reputation llko Nazareth, as far
us turning out anything good wns concerned."
Those lnnds nro turning out many n good thing,
npples, for one, superior to thoso of any other
section of the United States.
In nny part of thlB region making up the henrt
ut the Irregular Inclosure, tho tourist Is bound to
come across tho folklore of the hills, decldedlv
parallel to that or tho old Scottish highlands, and
find that all romance Is not canned In tho movie
dramas.
It offors unusunl sport to tho fisherman; a rare
Held to the photographer; nnd for the delight of
the mnterlnl minded, flocks of goats nnd their
families are clearing tho undergrowth for the com
Ing of cattle. Tho goats nre n welcome sight
They mean the saving to this country of something
llko $M,o00,(X)0 annually sent abroad for goat
skins, besides the help tho flesh of tho goats nf
fords In relieving a rather tense meat shortage.
Road building Is going on with thnt Intensity
which follows n long period of Inactivity. Until
recently tho mountaineers hnvo been content to
follow mere trails, nnd mule paths nt times, lint the
wave of development which has come among them
from tho outside has stimulated them to build
rends that compare with nny.
TV
HNTncjMEuanT
PLANS READY FOR WAR
"Tho transportation division of
tho qunrtcrmnster corps of the army
Is not worrying over tho present sit
uation, us fur as Its own work is con
cerned," said Col. Chnuncey U. Ruker,
who has charge of till such matters
for the army, both on land und sen.
"Wo knew very well that If trouble
came It would como with a rush, so
four years ngo wo begun to get ready
for It, and, so far ns our organization
goes, all we have to do is to expand
and we are prepared for thut along,
tho broadest lines.
"We renllzo thnt wo nro in for tho
blpgest jobs thut the rullronds nnd
wuterwnys of the country have ever
had to undertake, in transporting
urmies nnd supplies for them, nnd thut
this must bo done without cutting oft
tho resources of the navy, tho raw mu
terial for munition plants, the food nnd
munitions for the allies, ns well us tho
food and commercial needs of tho
whole country. The closer study the division made of this problem, the greater
tho difficulties seemed and the clearer becume the need of the closest co-opern-tion
between tho rullronds nnd the qunrtcrmnster corps.
"The division begun Its work by seeking n enrcful lnvestlgntion of tho
main lines of tho country, und secured In this work the hearty assistance oC
tho rnllrond mnnngers. It now holds definite inforrautlon of the cnpuclty of
every rnllrond nnd wnter transportation compnny in the United States to
enrry men nnd freight. It knows ns well ns tho companies their resources la
curs, engines, switches, truckage and men."
NAVY'S BIG BOSS
The big boss of tho navy is Ad
miral Wllllnm S. Benson, chief of
operations, the renl hend of the unvy,
snvlng ulwuys tho presence of Jo
scphus Daniels.
But Admiral Benson is something
of n mythical character, hidden nwuy
In the grcut building ut Wushlngton,
discussing, planning, theorizing, prob
ably anxious to get Into action but
unable to do so. The trust of people
along tho Atlantic seaboard must bo
placed In Henry T. Mayo, commander
of the Atlantic fleet, upon whom fnlls
the burden of maintaining nn efficient
putrol from Maine to Florldn. All tho
officially designated areas of danger
must bo carefully, looked ufter by the
vessels under command of Admiral
Mayo and unguarded points nlong tho
const where nn enemy force might
lnnd nnd wreak some of their useless
splto must be protected ns well.
Guarding the long stretch of At
lantic coast line ls-n greater task than devolved on the British fleet in pro
tecting tho British Islands, for while the actual coast lino measurement thero
would nearly equnl thnt of the United Stntes Atlantic const, a pnrt of it, like
tho Irish sen, is pruetlcnlly n closed channel, and there ure so many docks
nnd yards near at hnnd that n vessel Injured In an engagement could be
readily taken to port for repairs.
U-BOAT'S DAYS NUMBERED
The naval consulting bonrd, com
posed of the best Inventive brains In
the United States, has been working
for several weeks on devices for com
bating successfully the German sub
marine menace. It looks now ns If
tho fact has been accomplished, though
naval officers are not telling anything
of value to the enemy about what has
been done.
Chairman W. L. Saunders of tho
bonrd hns been In charge of antlsub
murlne Invention experiments. This
is what ho snld the other dny:
"The plun Is bused on n novel nnti
submnrino device or invention which
Is theoretlcnlly sound nnd which Is a
radical departure from nny Invention
put Into operation or heretofore
thought of.
"Elmer A. Sperry, inventor of tho
gyroscope compass nnd perhaps the
lending Inventing nnvnl genius In tho
United Stutes, is the Inventor. Within
two or three weeks the navy department will have completed practical tests
of tho Invention under navy olllcers, which will show definitely whether thero
Is any unforeseen obstacle to putting tho Invention to use.
"It requires no elaborate preparation or construction work, but cun be
made a factor this summer. The Invention Is chiefly In the nnture of direct
offensive operations against the submurlne. It Is not merely destined to
protect merchnntment or to reduce the rnvnges of the U-bonts, but Is calcu
lated to erndlcnte them."
RED CROSS VOLUNTEER
Tho "big men" of tho United
Stntes huve set u fine cxnmple of renl
patriotism to all of their fellow citi
zens, rich and poor alike. Take, for
Instance, the cases of important rnll
rond bends, tho lending business men,
the grent Industrial chiefs, tho noted
professional men, who huve Joined va
rious boards and organizations thnt
will help tho government conduct tho
war. All of us know about Herbert C.
Hoover, the American who kept the
Belgians from starving for more than
two yenrs nnd Is now food controller
of the United States. But not nil of
us know about Eliot Wndsworth.
Mr. Wndsworth Is u civil engineer
of noted achievement. When it seemed
imminent thnt America would Join
tho entente nlllos, Wndsworth went
to the Red Cross und offered free his
expert services for organization work.
He was uccopted. Now he Is acting
chairman of the central committee of
tho Red Cross with offices in Washington, and he hns a real Job, one thnt will
grow bigger day by day until long after the war Is ovor.
Undw the central committee nro two divisions, thut of military nnd thnt
of clvlllnn relief. Tho division of nil activities under thaso two bureaus wns
accomplished during the past year. The director general of military relief is
Col. Jefferson R. Kean, V. S. A.
