Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1883-09-13
THE YELLOWSTONE PARK.

A Tract Larger than Rhode Island and
Delaware COmbined-ReserVed for n
National Park-InterestinR DoscrIp-
ton.
1t will surprise most readers not IA
milar with western distances that the
Yellowstone park is larger than the
states Of Delaware and Rhode Island
together 1t is situated on the borders
of Wyoming and Idaho Territories,
and was set apart for a national park
in 1872, though its striking character
iSticS were discovered ten years before.
1t is sixty miles long, from north to
south, and Gfty-fve wide from east to
west. 1t has number of lakes, but
its largest stream is the Yellowstone,
and its largest lake has the same name.
1t has number of mountains, rang
ing in height from seven to ten thous-
and feet. capped with snow all the
year, and full of geological curiosities
Volcanoes and glaciers were evidently
in operation there at a late period.
The roads run through chasms and
gorges and over the beds of streams
now dry. The greatest variety of wild
animals is there There gre buffaloes
in the basins, and elk Craze on the
mountain sides. Moose haunt the
marsh and heavy woodlands. Six spe-
cies of bears inhabit the forests, and
small game abounds, though reptiles are
few and far between. TwO-thirds Of
the area of the park are clothed with
dense forests of fir, spruce and pine;
choke cherries, gooseberries, and cur
rant both black and red grow along the
streams. The meadows are bright
with familiar flowers. Pasturage is
excellent. The nights are frosty, even
in summer; very hot days are seldom
known; and the winters, though
snowy, are not severely cold The
most remarkable features Of the park
are its calcareous springs, whose depos-
its harden into terraces as they dry
ard glisten in the sunlight. The
waters are hot and seeth up from
below with angry aspect. There are
many immense geysers, the earth
around which rumbles and shakes, and
the air is hot with fetid odors. There
are springs of boiling mud, white,
orange, green, violet, purple, brown and
blue. There are huge cones with open
ings at the tops, Whence issue clouds
of noisy steam. There are petrifed
forests, where the ground is strewn
with trunks and limbs Of trees which
have solidifed into clear, white agate.
There are mountain sides worn by gla-
cial action into spectral shapes that
look almost human. There are cata-
racts of the most stupendous majesty
and power. There are cratered hills,
with rocks all around that are warm
to the touch and hollow to the tread.
There is a natural bridge, rival to
that of Virginia. In describing the
Hot Springs of the Yellowstone Lake,
Mr.. Wisner says: Seldom are the
water and deposits of any two springs
alike. There are coral, honeycomb,
basinstone, pebble, scale and crystal
formations, the whole making kaleido-
scopic groupings of color and design.
Down in the limpid depths of many OF
the springs are grottoes and arch-like
structures. One dazzling white pool
the very type of purity, entrances the
visitor, who stands with wondering
eyes, to look far down below upon
what may only be likened to a resplen-
dent fairy grotto of frosted silver en-
crusted with pearls. Another crystal,
clear, and colorlesS basin has a rim
blazing with hueS OF sapphire, opal,
ruby, and emerald. Still another pool
full to the brim, has the corrugated
sides of its profound deeps adorned
with tints of reddish gold. Several ba-
sins of unknown depth are mantled
with saffron skum of the consistency
of calf's leather. This leathery sub
stance is not of vegetable nature, but
is deposited by the mineral constitu-
ents of the springs. 1t forms in layers
which are brightly mottled with red.
yellow, green and black On the under
surface, and the lowermost strata are
solldified into pure, finely grained
sheets resembling alabaster." 1t was
certainly very happy forethought and
wise act on the part of the Federal
government to set this wonderfully
picturesque region apart for nation
al park, to be kept for the enjoyment
of visitors forever.
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