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Show THE IDES OF MARCH 107 National Monument. Rep. Stringfellow of Utah was pretty upset, and he told the House that "various people have taken it upon themselves to change geological facts in order to subvert the interests of all our people to their own selfish causes." 128 Stringfellow got his information from C. R. Hender- son, of Vernal, Utah, who said that the height of Steam- boat Rock was claimed to be as follows by: Geological Survey ........................................ 1,006 feet Devereaux Butcher of the National Parks Association ...................................... 800 feet Martin Litton, Sierra Club.......................... 700 feet Philip Hyde, Sierra Club ............................ 650 feet Henderson didn't know what the conservationists did with the "billion" tons of rock they had swiped, but he thought they ought to be made to give it back. When Echo Park Dam was built, the water around Steamboat Rock would be 500 feet deep. Stringfellow charged that the conservationists were trying to lower the height of the magnificent rock to make it appear that Echo Park Dam would ruin it. On such trivial salients did the controversy rattle along until Saturday, March 20, a quiet day fanned by a breeze which carried the fragrance of spring blossoms. Then a major salvo was fired by the big gun emplace- ment at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Nearly two months had passed since the hearings ended, and the House Interior Committee had made no report on the crsp bill. It was known that bitter wrangling was going on behind the closed doors of the committee room. Some Bureau witnesses had been re- called for a conference with the committee in executive session.129 What was discussed was not revealed. |
