New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-25
THE YELLOWSTONE PARK SCHEME.
WHAT RUFUS HATCH AND HIS ASSOCIATES PROPOs
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l

TO DO.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON, Dec. 24-Rufus Hatch has been
here during the past week with regard to his lease
of part of the Yellowstone Park, the execution of
which was arrested by resolution Of inquiry Of
fcred in the Senate by Mr. Vest. Senator Vest evil
IDENTIFY doubted the propriety of making the prlvi-
lege of building hotels running stages, keeping
trading posts. etc, within the park q
monopoly, as the proposed lease does
and feared that the granting of such
rights might lead TO the destruction of game if Tot
of the natural curiositics, which already suffer-
ing greatly from the hands of vandsls
Mr. Hatch declares that he wants the very strict
est laws passed forbidding the killing of game and
the destruction of natural curiosities A. w. Cole.
Mr. IIatchs private secretary. says that the inten
ton is to erect several large hotels in the park The
company contains a number Of prominent men,
among whom are ex-senator Conkling and Richard
T. Merrick, of this city. The company
urge that the proposed lease offers the Government
a way of preserving the park from the devastation
TO which certain to if If remains in its
present unguarded condition The last report Of
the superintendent shows that the forests being
destroyed by the careessness of tourists, with their
camp fires, and that one of the tourists habits is to
batter down the beautiful geyser cones which have
been centuries in forming, in order 10 get crystals
The fact that these outrages tied
raised an interest as TO method
by which they could be punished. When Congress
passed the act of dedication no thought gwen
to the possibility that might DC necessary to have
a judicial authority within the district thus set
apart as a national park
Some members of Congress criticise the project
on the grounds that the Secretary of the Interior
was on the point Of granting very valuable fran
chise which it might have been better TO submit TO
Congress for its action The number of visitors last
season is estimated at 900. In the letter trans
hitting copy OF the proposed lease. the Secretary
estimated the number of visitors TO the park
during the coming year at 10000. This
number is bOund to grow every year
as the fame of the park increases and especially
when il is known that the trip can be made with
out discomfort. 1t is argued that one expected,
at the time the act passed authorizing leases of
resort OF travellers from the whole known world
and the point Is urged that in matter of such i'm
portance the Secretary of the Interior might better
have submitted the whole question TO
Congress, when IL could have been as
certained whether the franchise, which
they predict will be very valuable could not be DIS
posed OF to greater advantage to the Government
than a nominal rental for the land used and the
protection of the beauties of the region. The pro-
posed lease is for ten years. the buildings, etc,
passing TO the Government If the lease il not re-
newed with such OmpensatOn TO the company rs
Congress shall decide TO make.