, 1885-12-11
YELLOWSTONE PARK.
Recommendation of the Score.
tary Of the Interior.
A Young Lady Stabbed by a
Discarded Lover.
New York Brokers and Bank
ers on Silver Coinage.
Yellowstone Park.

WASHINGTON, Dec. l0.-Secretary La
mar, in his first annual report, reviews the
legislation concerning Yellowstone Park,
and makes a number CT recommendations,
as follows:
The act Of congress setting apart this
reservation as a national park placed it
under the exclusive control of the secre-
tary of the interior. Under the ample
authority therein provided, Sec'y. Kirk
wood promulgated certain regulations
which, with amendments made by Sec'y.
Teller, were %abundantly sufficient to pre-
serve the timber, mineral deposits, natu-
raj curiosities or wonders within the park,
from spoilation and to retain them in
their natural condition. That these regu-
lations have not hitherto accomplished
their purpose is due largely to the want
of sufficient judicial powers and machine
ry in the park to enforce them and to
punish offenders for their violation.
To remedy this the territorial govern
ment Of Wyoming assumed to leRislate
for the park and to place there officers of
its own TO inforce such legislation.
Though the purpose was doubtless good,
the effect of this attempt has been TO
increase the mischief by conflicts of
authority, and the incompetency Of some
Of the Wyoming officials who have
located in the park in order to exercise
their functions. In view Of the made
quacy of the protection afforded by this
very questionable jurisdiction of Wyoming
Territory, | recommend the establishment
of a court within the park, with exclusive
jurisdiction over all misdemeanors, and
with power to examine and to hold to bail
in all cases Of f%elonies, to be tried in the
nearest court having criminal jurisdiction.
The assistant superintendent should be
authorized to serve any process of such
court and to arrest without process any
person taken in the act of violating the
law or any regulations. | respectfully
urge that such a law, or one having the
same object. shall be enacted at the earli-
est day.
The present superintendent of the park
reached here about the LIST day of July
last. He reports hat he found the stock
belonging to the government in a worn
out and almost useless condition; that
The discipline of the force was bad
and utterly unfit to prevent the spoila-
ton and total destruction of game and
objects Of interest in the park; that up
to that time game had been shot in the
park with impunlty and marketed to the
hotels without reference. He thinks he
has, in a measure, corrected these abuses
and stopped the wholesale slaughter of
the game. The game, he reports, is al
ready increasing in the park. 1t is now
tenanted by 200 bison, elk in large mum
bers, and several bands of antelopes, the
black-tailed and wLite-tailed deer, noun
tain sheep, Rocky Mountain goat, beaver,
otter, marten, fisher, grouse, prairie
chicken, pheasant, pool-hen, partridge,
quail, wild goose, duck, robin, meadow
lark, b~lackbird, %oriole, jay, snow bird, and
innumerable small singing birds.
l think the next appropriation for the
park should specifically state that which
is to be used for the improvement of the
highways under the direction of the engi-
neer in charge, and that which is to be
used by the secretary of the interior for
other purposes.
The superintendent estimate for the
next fiscal year amounts to $3.50, 0O0.