The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1878-02-28

$4,000 feet. 1t lies mainly, but not
entirely, on the east side Of the main
range Of the Rocky Mountains. By
act of Congress-, approved March !,
1872, this tract was withdrawn for
ever from sale and set apart as
permanent pleasure ground for the
amusement and instruction of the
people, under the designation Of the
Yellowstone National Park. The
grandeur and variety of it's scenery.
the salubrity of it's summer climate,
and the health-giving qualities of it's
thermal waters will. within few
years, make it the Mecca of tourist,
pleasure seeker, and invalid from all
parts Of the civilized world. Among
its innumerable attractions are some
OF the grandest cataracts, cascades,
canons, and mountain SUBMITS on the
continent. Its sponting geysers, in
number and magnitude, exceed all
others known. Its numerous mud
springs, solfataras, fumeroles, and
beautifully terraced hot springs are
beyond description in the magnitude
and splendor Of their decoration and
action. The sources Of the Columbia.
the Colorado, and Missouri rivers are
all said to lie within this pleasure
ground of the nations. Its mountain
SUBMITS are covered with eternal
SHOWS, while many Of the valleys are
made radiant with the sparkle of lakes
whose waters are clear us crystal
The most magnificent Of these lakes
is the Yellowstone, the source of the
river. lying nearly in the central
portion of the park. Its form is SINH
lar to that of the human hand with
the palm to the front of the fingers
pointing downward. The altitude of
the lake is I .427 feet above tide water.
and its present depth is about 800 feet.
it is fed by the SHOWS on the lofty
mountains that flank it on all sides.
The length of this beautiful sheet of
| water is about p miles, and the width
10 to Is miles. Professor Hayden
declares that there is nothing on the
continent that equals it in the bril-
liant hues of its waters and the splen-
dor of it's surroundings. The clear
green shading Of the mountain slopes,
with the ultramarine tint of its
shining surface, produces and effect
upon the observer which can neither
be imagined nor adequately described.
The temperature is that of cold spring
water. In the early part of the day
its surface is usually calm, and it's
varied hue. from livid green shading
off into deep nltramarine, presents a
picture of beauty that is dazzling to
behold. During the later hours a
strong wind sometimes arises, stirring
the calm lake into all the fury Of an
ocean storm. The amount of vege-
tation produced in the depths of
Y ellowstone Lake is immense, vast
ridges of it lining the shores at cer-
tain seasons after a high wind has
swept over the surface. The only fish
found in the lake and in the neighbour
ing streams is the trout, whose
Most of the fishes in the lake are
afflicted with the presence in the
bodies of Il peculiar intestinal worm
which, for the time being, renders
them unfit for use. The presence Of
hot springs, with their cones rising
above the surface, is singular fact,
the water within the cones being
almost boiling hot. Trout have been
caught by persons standing upon these
cones and cooked in the hot water
without being removed from the hook
as declared by the United States
Geologist, Professor F. v. Hayden.
But the most wonderful objects Of
interest in this region are the cataracts
and canons Of the Yellowstone, with
the sponting geysers in the valley OF
the Fire Hole river. Neither Ian
gdage nor the painters genius and
skill are adequate to describe either
The lower falls are more than 800 fee
high. The walls Of the grand canoY
are some $500 feet in depth, and arr
, colored by hues so various and bril-
liant that human art despairs Of an,
attempt to reproduce them. eth,
wealth Of red and yellow. brown am
orange. pink and green. black. gray
and white faScinates and bcwilder
every beholder.'' according to Pro
fessor Marshall. seeming to repro
: dnce before his admiring gaze all tn,
ravished splendors Of a very gorgeon
) sunset. whose charms, no longe
! evanescent. are here not painted bn
dyed through and through thes
2 mighty cliffs. and made as eternal a
G the everlasting mountains they bn'
I tress." The geysers are even NOR
! grand and magnificent. because nc
E companied hy much Of the pomp an
I. circumstances Of elemental mar /
1 the spouting Of immense columns 3
I hot water u the height Of 90 to p
q feet or more, in the shooting mp g
vast volumes Of steam to an occasions
Q altitude Of 900 or 800 feet. AMI i
Q the rambling sound and vibratin
a motions that accompany the carti
! quake shock. There arc three know
e geysers bysins. but two Of which nav
: however. been explored. These are i
y the valley Of the Fire Hole alread
e referred to. and lie to the westwar
2 of Yellowstone Lake. from whic
Q they are reached by tolerable we
l. worn trail. Some Of the Orifices /
o the geyseT cones are twenty feet i
: diameter. and during an eruption
e column Of hot water. filling this orific'
3 rushes outward and upward wit
terrific force. and to attitudes varyin
from Is. to Us feet in some case
The cones. rims: and basins forrne
z by the deposits from the springs an
II geysers are among the most rnagniI
II cent Of their attractions. Many /
e them have Ill the beauty of finish an