Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-02-24
YELLOWSTONE AND YOSEMITE.

EDS. REcoRD-USIoN In 1872 the Amer
lean Congress did wise thing. 1t set apart
National Park 65 miles long and So wide,
containing an area of S,575 square miles. 1t
Is located In the northwest corner of Wyoming
Territory, AID extends, on the west. into
Montana, between latitude AZ and 45o and
longitude Ito. and liz The lowest portions
OF the great basin are 5000 feet above this,
ses. and It's ria OF mountains il from 10 600
to l., COO feet high, many Of the peaks being
crowned with perpetual snow, In includes
rivers, lakes, waterfalls, canyons. hot springs
and geysers. There sbounds also sulphnr.
borsx, iron, coal, copper, silver and gold. II
has limitlsss Sater-power, and fine grazing
lands for sheep. Portions OF il are rich in
timber, and vegetable gardens could be
locat a TO advantage in several places. Yet
the Government sees in it value beyond
that of potato patches and sheep pasturage,
and sets it apart as one sacred place where
trees may grow, eeyssrs 81 out, aId rivers roll
embarrassed and unvexsd by vandal cnpidity
and col fl.cting land claims. Is the Govern
ment wise. or foolishg Are its large expend-
itures on Yellowstone National Park waste
Of public money or q j1dicious and far.
seeing investment, by which it viii earn the
gratitude of ali coming generations?
To airy intelligence above driyeling idiocy
the question answers itself. Let there be one
placs where nature Is not defaced. Yet Yell
lowstone has no Yosemite In all its 8 575
square miles there is not an Ell Captain,
Bridal Veil, Tooloolweaok, Vernal,
Nevada or a South Dome. II it had equal
wonders in their several kisds scattered over
it's wide extant their distance from each
other would countervail the mighty effect.
California holds the worlds chief wonder yet.
And shall men haggle and hew and burn and
mar mp TO the very dge OF lis crooked bound
aries? Shall the contiguous primeval forest
be cOnsecrated to rowing sheep men and their
devastating fires. till Yosemite stands shorr,
discrowned, dried up, with wi.hered foothills
and valleys stretching below, for more than
half the year? There are half of half d. zen
potato patches within the proposed enlarge
ment Then the enlargement will give their
prOprietoEs monopoly. But Migrants hire
out TO tend bands of sheep, Gnd like to
pasture goats about the rim of the mighty
chssm. Yellowstone beats this territory 500
per cent. for goat pasture.
There is not government in Europe that
would not eagerly give millions fer such
scene. and millions more, il necessary, to
make it accessible" So in substance said the
Governor Of California the other week He
spoke wisely and well. Is it possible that
men can call themselves statesmen, and
neglect the opportunity to give to the world
and to pos,erity such an area Of uninvsded,
unspoiled nature as the proposed enlarge
mens of the Yosemite grant contemplstes? II
SO, theilegislators Of Congress are pr0digious,y
foolish. or the Legislators of California axe not
prodigiously wise. For, if Yellowstone is
national park, Yosemite is international. If
Yellowstone Is an honor to the nation, Yo-
semitic is heritage and glory to California,
and ought to be cherished with pride by every
citizen. If Yellowstone briggs tourists from
far lands, who scatter money slong their lines
Of travel, Yosemite brings more of both men
and money, and enriches State, rather than
a thinly- peopIed Territory Yosemite does
not belong to a county. 1t is the property
lin trust of the State, and is entitled, on
States fostering and generous care.
MORE ANON