St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-11-09
THE MATT ONAL PARK.
The Tourists Third Station, Middle
Geyser Basin.
special Correspondence OF the Globe.
NO. III.

NO. III.
After having drive through the whole
length Of Norris geyser basin by passing
through the Gibbon canyon with its misera-
bic roads, we are taught that this romantic
trip may be complicated with dangers and
discomfort. The mountain roads here are
far from perfect, and oftentimes ] had 10
lean out Of the blackboard far over the wheels
TO preserve the balance. We have TO cross
the river different times with the water up 10
the axles and the bed OF the stream full OF
big boulders. II was here where Philadel-
phia party consisting Of two ladies', crossing
corduroy bridge were upset and thrown in
the deep mud, TO arise as two splendid mud
formations. Here it was that Senator Conk-
ling stopped short and turned back home,
afraid of such distractions; very significant
for the man. If he had continued on he
would have been richly compensated by the
sight of the Gibbon falls, one Of the finest
of hundred falls have seen in different
parts of the globe.
Bridal veil and all this nee Plus ultra Of po-
etical names would not be adequate 70 cover
the beauties of this falls. But If was not a
very estb etc committee which baptlsed many
of the most beautiful creations IN this, ma
ture's workshop, with commonplace names
derived from DEVILS empire, etc. Here IS
Hells Half Acre near by Hellroaring creek,
Devils well. Devils Thumb, Devils Slide. Dew
ills cauldron, Firehole and stinkingwater
river. 1t must have been the
Indians who selected these eu-
phonious names. They knew this
country well since ages, as / have seen from
the relics of the many Indian camps on the
Yellowstone Lake.
To walk some Of the worst hills is good
enough, but there is another point in regard
TO the thin air uphere. individuals born in
higher attitudes stand efforts in this attenua-
ted air well enough, whilst others living near
the sea shore get palptatiou of the heart, etc,
even without exerting themselves. The air
at the same time is so dry that the skin Of
the face and hands peels OF every few DAYS
and only bountiiui supply Of vaselne can
keep it in tolerable shape. The next sta
ton is Marshalls, the only squatter who is
allowed TO stay on this public domain, the
park, since he lived there before congress
enacted its bill setting aside the park as ma
tional property. His station is composed Of
a row Of block houses, centrally located in the
park and serves real want. In the same
time he is a Westerner and is in with the
boys, so that at any time he has bountiful
supply Of game, aud, as the crOssroad is com
ing in here from Beaver Canyon on the Utah
Northern railroad. where there is a fine farm
ing country, he has always q supply of fresh
vegetables. He saw the point that houses in
this high altitude, where wind and snow
storms are not uncommon, all through the
season, are far preferable TO these little tents
which we find on all stations throughout the
park. Here we find some geysers which
make quite an elegant display like the Foun-
tain aud the Surprise, which made its debut
this year and was then called the Cleveland.
The Sheridan geyser or Exselsior
made its last ERUPTION two years
ago. 1t is the largest of the
500 in the park in its cauldron is some 100
feet square. Its edges are steep like a vol
cano and partly caved in; the water in 1t
is boiling perpetually. 1t must have been
an awful sight when Gen. Sheridan saw It
first nearly all the water from the Firehole
river having gone down 10 its subteranean
rcfeetorium. After one of its eruptions
horse thieves were caught unawares while
fording the river some miles below, by rise
of six feet, and had all their horses scalded
TO death. There are many horses In this
and surrounding territories whole parties of
tourists were broken up occasionally, their
horses being stolen from them, And Judge
Lynch has just now good harvest out there
Lawless characters are found everywhere
who make a living by means which the law
cannot punish-there being only nine as
sistant superintendeuts out there and these
have no authority, being no legal officers, but
who never hesitate 10 resort 10 desperate
means of extortions and and impositions,
or even highway robbery, as can testify from
personal experience, where even the gov
ernor of Montana could not make any retri-
button; law in these territories being in its
infancy yet. There ought TO be a response
bic head and a military post to protect the
interest of the park and of the tourists alike
j always kept on the good side OF the boys,
being thrown in with them, professionally
aud otherwise, and some OF them who had
killed many men-man eatcr-would have
done anything Tor me. Most OF the time,
when there is no park season, they are cow
boys on the ranches, miners or trappers.
In many respects they are childlike, living
for ever so long from civilization, rs may be
seen from instances like this: There came
couple of them for over fifty miles, having
heard that child was born; since ten years
they had not seen child or a woman. One
of them offered an orange to the baby, and
when its mother said il could not eat it, be
said ''then please boil it for him."
DIR. DEDoLPH.