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Show Union Pacific Will Cease Operation Off Utah National Parks Business Leaders Express Concern Over Park Abandonment; Urge Immediate Action Much concern was expressed by civic and business leaders of Cedar City Monday when an announcement was made by G. F. Ashby, president of the Union Pacific railroad company, that his company would cease operation opera-tion of facilities at Zion, Bryce and Grand Canyon National Parks at the end of 1948. Urgent appeals were filed with the railroad rail-road company and with the government, gov-ernment, that everything possible possi-ble be done to prevent this action. ac-tion. Although no action has been taken as yet, every indication points to a solution of the problem prob-lem and continuation of the operations op-erations by the Utah' Parks com-patiy, com-patiy, subsidiary oX the Union Pacific. In announcing the company's Intention of withdrawing from the parks, Mr. Ashby told Secretary Secre-tary of the Interior J. A. Krug that owing to the inability of the railroad company to get any worthwhile results' on a new contract con-tract for the operation of the park facilities it would be necessary ne-cessary for his company to cease operations. Mr. Ashby's message to Secretary Secre-tary Krug was as follows: "For several years we have been trying to ascertain the terms on which we could extend ex-tend our contracts for the operation oper-ation of Southern Utah parks facilities fa-cilities at Zion, Bryce and the Grand Canyon. "We have failed to make any worthwhile progress, and it is now getting so late in the year toward the end of our contractual contrac-tual operating period that I am disposed to start withdrawing so as to be out of those parks except for physical facilities which we own and will expect to be reimbursed for, by the end of the year. "I am not disposed to spend any more time or incur any more expense in further development or looking to the future operations opera-tions of our facilities without knowing the terms. So I hereby serve notice on you that, in accordance ac-cordance with existing contracts, we will retire from the above named operations at the end of the present calendar year. "I thought you might like to know this so that you can make other arrangements if you care to." The Railroad company has been trying for the post couple of years to reach an agreement with the government for renewal renew-al of the lease, but red tape procedure of the government has constantly delayed action. The company, in fact, has been prepared pre-pared for some time to launch an extensive improvement program pro-gram at the parks, but have been unable to proceed because no renewal of their lease had been assured, or even Indicated. After local and state officials CenttniMd m Back Fbm) UTAH PARKS (Continued from Page One) had conferred with Secretary Krug about the situation, protesting pro-testing any action that would result in an abandoning of the lodges at the parks, the Secretary Secre-tary issued a statement that he would confer with western concessioners con-cessioners early in June in an attempt to decide on a definite policy with regards concessions operations, after which he would confer with Mr. Ashby about the renewal of the company lease. "The only points remaining undecided are special provisions relating to your operations," Krug's reply said. "Because of congressional and other criticism of the operation of concessions in the national parks, I felt that it was necessary neces-sary to appoint a competent group of men to study these operations op-erations exhaustively . . . and to formulate a policy . . . that would be fair alike to the government, gov-ernment, the concessioners and the public. Congressman Walter K. Granger Grang-er announced yesterday after conferring with Secretary Krug, that he felt certain that an agreement would be reached in the very near future, and that there would be no lapse in the operation of the facilities at the southern Utah parks. "A survey of park operations by a specially spe-cially appointed committee had taken longer than had been expected", ex-pected", Mr. Granger stated, "and this resulted in the delay in reaching an agreement with the railroad company". "There is no reason to believe that everything will not be worked work-ed out in time to allow the Utah Parks company to continue their operations." he said. |