and are not going ahead with a dollar of that expense this next year or until conditions become more normal. Now, in a matter of this kind every appropriation is charged against the project. Aside from the fact that it is taking money out of an empty Treasury, and the further fact that you will not get more than 30 cents worth of road for a dollar expended, I think a large appropriation this year would do more harm to the Rocky Mountain National Park than a small appropriation. Mr. TIMBERLAKE. I think conditions are a little different out there with reference to road building. They are using the State convicts under contract and are using them in building all of these roads-at least, to a very large extent-and that reduces the expense very materially. While I understand that the price of labor and material has gone up, in view of the fact that this park has been there the time it has, none of this work being done, and not seeing any prospect of any material change in that condition for several years to come, it does seem to me that some building program should be entered on at this time. Now, let me say further that the people of Colorado, showing their interest in this park, have appropriated $60,000 this year, which will complete the Fall River Road. That has been a bone of contention, and I had to meet it when my bill was pending before the House asking for the removal of this inhibition, because the promise was made at the time of the creation of the park that the State would build this Fall River Road, which is a very expensive piece of construction, and they were slow in carrying it out; the war came on, and they found it very difficult to get labor. But that road is very nearly completed, and it will be completed entirely before the tourist season this year, the State having appropriated the amount necessary to complete it-$60,000-at the last session of the legislature. That removes one objection to the increased appropriation which was made by the House. Mr. HARDY. I want to say a word about that road building. It differs very greatly from the road building you talk about in this country, because road building there is merely cutting out hills, building right along the sides of the mountains and alongside the rivers, and it does not include the putting in of cement and surfacing materials. So road building out there in the mountains is nearly all labor, and we are not buying any high-priced materials. The CHAIRMAN. The rock is hard rock, is it? Mr. HARDY. Yes: all they have to do is to spread it over the road and then the first rain makes it hard and one of the best kinds of roads in the world. They are like the roads in Mount Rainier, and if you have been there you know what the roads are. They do not have to surface the roads in Mount Rainier nor would they have to do that in this park. Mr. MAGEE. Would not the roads be better if they were surfaced? Mr. HARDY. A little better, perhaps, but you fellows from New York, who never get off a pavement, are different from the people in the West, where we are glad to get these roads. Mr. TIMBERLAKE. Sixty miles of road have already been constructed in the park, 100 miles of trails, and they have 61 miles of telephone lines. That is found inadequate, and a portion of this appropriation will be used for that purpose. It is very desirable to build a road right along the ridge, right upon the highest point of the mountains running through that park, which will give one of the grandest views that you could imagine, looking on each side of the range. That is estimated for here and it is believed that the construction of that road, which has been contemplated for some time, should not be longer delayed, and it would add very much to the attractiveness of the park. In view of the connection I have had with this matter I sincerely hope this committee will give favorable consideration to the appropriation submitted of $103,000 for this year. I am sorry you never had an opportunity to visit that country. I understood you were going out last year, but you did not. The CHAIRMAN. No; we did not go to any of the parks; the Pre-ident thought we ought to stay in Washington. Mr. HARDY. It would be worth your while to go to Estes Park just for a few days, if for no longer. It would do you good to visit a park to which thousands of your people drive in their cars in four or five days from the middle of Iowa. Mr. VAILE. A part of the appropriation asked by Mr. Mather is for camps. Mr. MAGEE. Are there a good many campers? Mr. TIMBERLAKE. Very many. Mr. HARDY. They have built little shelters and built a few stovesand when I say stoves I mean rock piles in the shape of stoves-and thousands of people drive out there in Fords and other cars and camp around those places. Mr. TIMBERLAKE. A great many who have no cars go out there and they need conveniences to take care of them as well as their horses. Mr. HARDY. This park has been neglected since it became a national institution because, looking to the Government to take care of it, not much money has been spent in making improvements, and that is one reason why a constructive program should be entered upon at once and help develop it. I desire to submit for the record the following letter: DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE. DEAR MR. HARDY: In reference to my conversation with you, regarding the estimates of the appropriations for Rocky Mountain National Park for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1921, I will try to make clear the manner in which we expect to use the funds if Congress appropriates the money requested. As you know a proviso in the organic act of January 26, 1915, limited the annual appropriations for Rocky Mountain Park to $10,000, a sum wholly insufficient to even properly protect its natural features from fire and other destructive agencies. This limiting provision was kept in force until March 1, 1919, when. by act of Congress, it was repealed. The repealing legislation, however, did not become effective, so far as increased appropriations were concerned, until the present fiscal year. In spite of the limitation on the annual appropriation the park has been sufficiently attractive to show very gratifying increases in its travel; over 169,000 people entered the park last year. During this period the State of Colorado has continued work on the Fall River road, which will connect the east and west sides, and this road will probably be finished by August 1 of this year. The State has also been spending large sums of money in improving the approach roads, to the park, particularly on the east side: $110,000 will be spent on the Big Thompson approach road under the Federal-aid plan. The appropriation by the State last year to complete the Fall River road was $60,000. Estimates of $150.000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1920, were submitted. Of this amount, $88,500 was estimated for construction of physical improvements, or 59 per cent of the total estimate. In the hearings before the appropriations committee I was frankly told that the policy of the committee must be one of strict economy during the reconstructoin period, and I was asked to prepare a statement regarding the items of the estimates which at this time might be reduced or eliminated. After very careful consideration on my part, I submitted three items of new construction which might be eliminated at this time, and under mi cellaneous expenditure one item, providing for the purchase of horses, mules, road, trail, and other construction equipment, was reduced one-half, or from $15,000 to $7,500. In view of the fact that one of the principal construction items eliminated was for road construction. I feel that the item for construction equipment could be properly reduced one-half. The item for new road construction, which was eliminated, contemplated the building of what is to be known as the Trail Bridge Road. We had hoped to build five miles of this road, at a cost of $37,500. This road was to connect with the Fall River Road about 24 miles east of Milner Pass, on the Continental Divide, and to run southeast at right angle to the Fall River Road, out over an almost level plateau known as Trail Ridge. The average elevation of this road is about 12,000 feet, and it will be one of the most scenic roads in the park when it is constructed. It is probably the only place in the Rocky Mountains where a road can be built practically on the top of the mountains. I felt, however, that the construction of this road could go over for another year, as the Fall River Road will probably not be open to travel until late in the present season. The other two items of new construction which were eliminated were for an entrance gateway and an entrance gateway lodge on the south St. Vrain Road. The e estimates were for $500 and $1,500, respectively. I felt that possibly these items could be eliminated at this time. The elimination of the above items amounts to $47,000, which will leave a balance of $103,000 estimated for the new fiscal year. Of this estimate $49,000 is for new construction, or 47 per cent of the entire estimate. I will briefly explain the objects of expenditure of this estimate and will outline more in detail the items for new construction. For administration and protection, $24,000 is estimated. This would appear to be a large increase over the amounts expended in preceding years; but we ha donly $10,000, and practically all of this was spent for the small protection that we could afford the park. With tourists coming in at the rate of over 169,000 in a single season we must have more rangers for the purpose of giving proper protection not only to the park itself but to the people who come to enjoy it. For maintenance and repair of physical improvements, $17,500 is estimated. We have had practically no funds for maintenance in previous years, and the roads and trails are in worse condition to-day than when the park was originally created. The residents of the region have turned in themselves and have given money for labor to maintain the roads in a passable condition. There are 60 miles of road, 100 miles of trail, and 61 miles of telephone lines to be maintained, besides the funds necessary for keeping the camp grounds sanitary. For miscellaneous expenditures, $12,500 is estimated. The principal item included in this estimate is for the purchase of horses and construction equipment, which has been previously mentioned. If we are going to have funds for maintenance and for new construction, this item is, of course, absolutely essential. For surveys, $2,000 is estimated, and the balance is included in the superintendent's contingent. For construction of physical improvements $49,000 is estimated. I have listed the items under this estimate in the order of their relative importance as follows: Longs Peak Road (part only), 3 miles, at $5,000. $17,500 Four buildings-storehouse, shop, stable, and garage-at $1,500– 6.000 The Longs Peak Road is to connect with the present road from Estes Park to Longs Peak, which is almost entirely outside of the limits of the park. By constructing this 34-mile stretch between the present road, following down Aspen Brook, to connect with the road to the Y. M. C. A. grounds, the road is kept entirely within the park, and makes a delightful circle tour from Estes Park to Longs Peak and return. The Fern Lake Road, 24 miles in length, is to connect the present Moraine Park Road up the Big Thompson to the beginning of Forest Canyon. This section of the park, which contains the Fern and Odessa Lakes, is susceptible to wonderful development. The telephone line to Grand Lake, 27 miles, is to connect with the present telephone line constructed at about the present end of the Fall River Road. As soon as the road is finished the telephone line is essential to control traffic over this high mountain road. The four ranger stations are necessary if we are to have more rangers. The four buildings-storehouse, shop, stable, and garageare necessary to house our horses and road equipment, and we must supply water for buildings and camps. The Cache la Poudre Trail, 7 miles, is to reach the northeast corner of the park, where one ranger will be stationed for the protection of this section of the park. The increase in travel has, of course, brought its increase of campers, and the demand for camp sites is very heavy. The last item is for miscellaneous construction and amounts to $750. I have prepared and am inclosing a map of the park, visualizing the estimates as outlined herein. New construction items are shown in blue, maintenance items are shown in orange, administration and protection in red, and miscel laneous in green. I hope that Congress will earnestly consider these estimates because all objects of expenditure which they cover are needed if the development work in the park is to be started, and it would seem that the tremendous travel which it has enjoyed entitles it to this development. Cordially, yours, Hon. GUY U. HARDY, House of Representatives. STEPHEN T. MATHER, Director. |