| OCR Text |
Show HON. JOS. HOWELL I ON "THE STRIP" Tells ' Washington Post About Annexing Same. Reason Why Utah Should Have Control. Congressman Howell who has from the beginning advocated the annexation annexa-tion or tho "Arizona strip" to Utah, Is keening up Ills light for this annexation annexa-tion and though there arc those who oppose 'him. It Is believed probable that the present Congress can be made to see the advisability of the annexation. The matter of taking territory from ono state and adding to another is not a light one and Congressman Con-gressman Howell as' the champion cf tills cnuse Is continually besieged by those who desire to bo shown. The Washington l'ost recently Interviewed Mr. Howell on tills subject, nnd believing be-lieving that his expressions on the subject will be of Interest tq readers of Tiik IIkiiui'licax we here, present the article enthc from the Post, which Is at hand. That paper says: Howell's "Arizona Strip." "Representative Howell, of Utah, In telling of a trip ho recently made to tho so-called Arizona strip, yesterday said: "The strip Is that portion of Arizona Ari-zona between Utah and the Grand Canyon of the Colorado. I believe in the annexation of the strip to Utah, and of the creation of a new national park and game preserve there, the President, in Ills latest message to Congress, brlelly refers to this latter pioposltton and urges It. The strip Is cut off from the balance of the Territory to which It belongs by the Grand Canyon. If, when tho. Tern-torles Tern-torles of Utah and Ailxonu were created, the geography of this particular par-ticular section had been known, is id is known today, It Is certain that this strip would have been included in Utah's boundaries as nature intended. "The clfect on Arizona's population or resonu'cs icsultlng from the loss of tlio strip has never been an clement cle-ment In the opposition, for the reason that not more than li'i people would bo alfected by annexation. The Inhabitants of the strip favor annexation annex-ation to Utah chiefly on account of the barrier separating them Irom the capital. At present thry arc com pelted to make a round trip of nearly .100 miles, all overland, to do business at the county seat, and this involves crossing the Grand Canyon twice at a point far removed from the direct route. "From the. nature of the strip it Is certain the population can never greatly exceed Its present number. This statement Is rendered safe by knowledge of tho scarcity of water and the utter Impossibility of getting an additional supply there. As a remit re-mit of this condition of a Hairs, Arizona Ari-zona would not lose anything of future greatness by giving up the strip nor would Utah gain much in acquiring It. Tho chief beuellt would be to tho people of the strip. They reside In tho town of Frcdonla, aboilt live miles south of the Utah line and close to Kanab,tho county scat of Kane county. The strip, Isolated as it Is from the administrative control of Arizona, Is a rendezvous foi outlaws and criminals, and a constant menace to the towns of bouthern Utah There Is a certain portion of the stilp ideally adapted for a national park and game presetvetli.il portion Immediately bordering on the Grand Canyon, about 1,800 square miles In extent. This portion Is lofty and covered with dense forests and tine grounds for deernnd other game, which now abound there. There It no running water, even In this more favoicd part, but there are several smaller lakes scattered about and a spring or two, which serve as watering places for stock and gainc. The timber Is not likely to be much disturbed on account of remoteness from railroads. "'J he magnltfcent scenic attractions of this portion of the strip, combined with the excellent opportunities for protecting the game and for adding and maintaining new varieties, adapt It pre-eminently as a national park and game pieservc. |
