Show dedication of zion mt carmel highway colorful intermountain historical hl st orical event 3 b V 4 VV L aff N A X f AV 9 Q e 6 3 gio 4 J aag B anz I 1 IX X ell r t 21 scene I 1 governor dern of utah speaking at the formal dedication scene 4 an interior view view 0 of f the new highway tunnel showing ceremonies of the zion mount carmel cannel highway some of the difficult construction work which was put july ath this picture was taken in the tunnel during through by the die national park service and bureau of the dedication ceremony public roads in completing the zion mount carmel scene 2 the east entrance to the highway tunnel highway scene 3 looking out over zion canyon from one of the six scene 5 scene in bryce canyon showing some of the spec is galleries through which ventilation and sunlight are canyon walls viewed by members of the national omitted dmit ted to the zion mount carmel cannel highway tunnel governors conference wf HE most unusual ca 1 I 1 dence day observance held in f the united states occurred when governors of seventeen states met within the famous zion mount blount carmel IlIg highway hway tunnel in southern souther n utah to participate la in its iti formal dedication to public use although it Is only 20 milts miles long this highway is the greatest project of its kind ever undertaken by the D U 8 national park service ard and bureau of public roads its cost was close to two million dollars and it incorporates two tur tunnels nela one feet long and the other more than feet long in its short length dedication ceremonies were held within the longest ot of tile the tunnels whose outer wall Is with six galleries through which yenti ventilation til ti and sunlight are admitted gallery 1 I the largest of them till all was the scene of the formal dedication within this gallery the stand from which various governors national park service and union pacific officers and other representatives senta tives of the U S government and the state of utah made their address was erected SIar Alar prevail at this point in the tunnel and there was ample room for the two thousand spectators all of whom could hear every eiery word spoken by the speakers even when an ordinary conversational tone of voice was used patriotic music was waa supplied for the occasion mccamon by sixty mate male members of the chorus of the st george utah temple with the massive bulk of east temple mountain nin rearing its ita head bead feet and glaring clar lii in frames of red and white splendor above the tunnel gallery tho audience heard mr albright as master ot of ceremonies recall that the day was the sixty third birthday of stephen T mather his predecessor as superintendent erin of the parks service to whom he gave credit for inception of the zion alon mount carwel carmel highway as the road la Is officially known mather blather died last january after making his last official trip of inspection spec tion of the work on the tunnel with B S superintendent of zion and bryce canyon national parks presiding president 3 grant gave an invocation 1 in I which he asked the divine blessing upon the undertaking ile he praised the cooperation of the parks service and the states of utah and arizona without whose help he said the task would have been impossible many engineering difficulties were encountered in building the road and tunnel through the ahe moun mountain taia range which Is feet high involving scaling precipitous on ropes and ladders so close was the calculation on the tunnel which Is feet long and 22 by 15 teet feet in size that they varied only by inches when the borea met from two directions De declaring clarini the work of the engineers had only to place the rood road where nature had bad intended it should bo be built millions of years ago macdonald hailed balled it as the symbol of a bigger idea of the cooperation and faith that Is taking possession of the people of the united states governor dero dern in the same view said the people of utah do not need or want national parks within their borders as playgrounds for local people alone but are proud to snare allure these natural marvels marvela with people of other states the audience included hundreds of people of southern utah who bad assembled within the portal of the tunnel to join with the governors party in dedication of the road and observance of independence day they found the he tunnel portal and gallery gaily decked with flags and bunting end and chairs placed for their comfort within a rock hewn ampi theatre work on the highway has been in ID progress for the past three years and its construction embodied some unusual and remarkable engineering feats its ita purpose la Is to ta shorten the distance between three national parks zion where the highway begins and grand canyon and bryce canyon national parks to the south and northeast respectively beginning rear near the park ranger station at the entrance to Z alon 10 n national park the road ascends in a long series of gently rising switchbacks switch backs until it reaches the sheer face of one of the crimson cliffs of zion Nat national lonal park here the longer of the two tunnels begins and penetrates this cliff tor for et a distance of more than a mile the road finally emerges at the top of the plateau from which zion canyon has been etched eons bons of time by one small river it accomplishes its purpose of shortening the distances between the three most colorful of all of the twenty two national parks in tho tha united states gov coy aern dem dedicates zion mount carmel highway governor dern in his address at the tha dedication ceremonies stressed some of the beauties of utah scenery it Is peculiarly appropriate that this great highway should be dedicated to the use of the people of the united states on our count rys birthday it Is also fitting that this ceremony should be held in the presence of the governors of so many ot of sister states their presence here Is emblematical of the interest of all the states in this project it is as if the people of the whole na tion were here this morning to see this marvelous marve lons undertaking placed at their service there may be differences of opinion among the western states in regard to the national policy of reserving their land and minerals from private entry but there Is no difference of opinion among them in regard to the national parks these areas of outstanding beauty are chiefly valuable tor for their recreational uses we do not need them nor want them as playgrounds tor for our own people alone we are happy that they have been set aside for the enjoyment of 0 all who may be attracted by their charm they are the show places of our nation in which every american holds a share of ownership while zion national park and bryce canyon happen to bo be situated within the boundaries of the state of utah yet we are proud to share our ownership of these natural marvels with all the rest reit ot of our fellow americans and we say to them come out and inspect your property you will be ba proud of it and your pride ot of ownership will make you a better more paerl patriotic american in the best sense zion national park has sometimes been referred to as yosemite done tn in oil I 1 trust you have all experienced the sense of hush and awe and mystery that cornea comes over one as he be looks up at the great white throve throne or gazes from the temple of SIna wawa over toward angels landing with its gloomy gorge by sheer red and white cliffs feet high on either side it Is in no wonder the indians regarded it as a spirit land to be entered only with fear and veneration veneration when you yon come to bryce canyon national park you will find an entrancing fairyland with lla its spires towers pud end minarets mina of the most exquisite hues so delicately carved by nature that stove stone resembles lace statues monuments cathedrals the eye can pick thern them out their beauty lingers long in the memory na as a masterpiece of the giver of all good and perfect gifts drive 00 60 miles through the incomparable kalbak forest the largest tract of virgin timber to in the united states seeing herds of deer as you pass along proceed to bright angel point or cape capa royal hoyal on the colorado and it if the majesty of that sublime spectacle does not impress you you must indeed be ba impervious to the beauties of nature 11 |