, 1884-09-11
THE NATIONAL PARK.
Governor Hale Returns From His
Trip There.
He Appoints officers to Preserve
the Peace.
The Reports Of Lawlessness
Greatly Exaggerated.

a0Nt
from his trip to the Yellowstone park. A
representative ofTHE LEADER found the
Governor at his residence. He was look
ing well and cheerfully granted an inter
view. In reference to the statements
made by the Livingston Enterprise in re-
gard to his health the Governor said:
II am feeling better than 1 did when |
went away. Ofcourse I am not well, but
asi lie from feeling tired I am very much
improved, On my return | stopped of
for three days at Council Bluffs and the
hot weather there was too much for me.
It is quite a change from that i~ntolerable
beat to this atmosphere where a fire is
not at all uncomfortable. As to the park.
Well. L founl it rather isolated. but it
was more orderly than 1 expected to find
it. Like many other statements of a
similar character the matter has been
grossly exaggerated. 0fcourse there have
been deeds of lawlessness and crime, but
not to the extent reported.
THE object of my visit was to investi
gate the matters pertaining to law and
order in the Park and to take the neces-
sary steps to prevent disorder and to pro
tect the game. l have appointed quite a
number of officials for that locality, but in
each case the Apprentices have either de-
clined or failed to qualify. The fact is
that the fees arc insufficient for a man to
give his entire time and attention to onic.
ial business. 1t is very difficult to find
any one who is qualified for the duties of
an official to accept a position there. 1
spent some little time in selecting the
officials ere / made the appointments and
| think the appointees are qualified for
the position which they are to assume. I
appointed at Monmouth Hot Springs,
Merritt +. Metcalf, a Justice Of the
Peace and Prevuian Hale a Constable.
At the Big Fire Hole l appointed j. B.
Weimer a Justice of the Peace and
Charles B. Scott, a constable. Merritt
has a number of carriages for transport
ing visitors about the park and Wenner is
one of Assistant Superintendent. Now
as to the killing of game-I found the
reports. like those of la~wlessness, very
much exaggerated. l investigated the
matter as Thoroughly as L could. l was
physically unable to make a personal ex-
animation, but l employed two men and
the Superintendent, who made n six
days tour through the park and made
careful observations and examinations in
matters pertaining to game. l knew these
men personally, and have known them
for a long time-some of them since they
were children. They stated on their re
turn that they found the game very tame
and NOT at all frightened at their an
proach. Nowhere did they find any traocs
where game had been slaughtered, and
saw no dead game except in one instance.
They met a man on the boundaries of the
park who stated that he came from Fort
Cook CITY, in Montana, and had a dead
elk, which had the appearances of having
been killed for some days. He stated
that he had killed it in Montana.
While at the Springs met Governor
Crosby, of Montana, and had n very
pleasant visit with him. He stated that
Montana was not anxious to acquire the
park as a part of her possessions, but was
much Interested in the preservation oflaw
and order.
$50 far as the visitors are concerned,
there are, from the reports which heard,
as many this year as there have been
during any former year. My trip was
more for business than pleasure and I saw
but little of the park generally, but l be-
lieve that the natural attractions of the
park are unsurpassed. All of the visitors
both at the Springs and on the cars re-
turning therefrom, were loud in their
praises of the wonderful beauties which it
possesses. have no doubt but that the
park will ultimately become a great resort
for tourists and pleasure seekers.
THE accommodations are very fair, but
the prices charged therefor are very high.
Visiting them as l did, III an official
capacity, l do not wish to give or make
any further statements regarding the last
mentioned matter than that just stated