Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-01-24

YELLOWSTONE pARk.
IDsns Of the Natural Carissattss q 1has
Wondnfal Tract q LaoA
In the Northwest corner Of the Ter
ritory Of Wyoming there is tract
more remarkable for natural curiosi-
ties than an equal area in any other
portion of the globe. It was first
brought into notice by party Of sur
veyors from Helena, n. T., in 1859.
In 1870 an expedition, under the di-
rection of the Surveyor General Of
that Territory, visited the region, and
in 1871 Prot Hayden, at the bead of .
scientific corps, made an examination
of its remarkable features. This re-
port induced Congress to pass an, act.
approved March l. 1872. by which the
district now known Is the Yellow
stone National Park was reserved
and Withdrawn from settlement oc-
cupancy or sale under the laws Of tho
United States, and dedicated and set
apart as public park or pleasuring
ground, for the benefit and enjoyment
of the people," and was placed under
the exclusive control of the Secretary
of the Interior. The limits Of this
park. as first fixed. have been three
times extended by Congress It's
western boundary now comedies with
that between Wyoming and Idaho and
Montana, and its northern boundary Is
identical with that between Montana
and Wyoming. The southern boundary
of the park is the forty-fourth parallel
of latitude, and its eastern line is the
meridian Of 100 degrees 80 minutes
west longitude. It is, therefore, now
about seventy-three miles east and
west and nearly ninety miles north
and south, and has an area of about
$500 miles. The entire park is more
than 5000 feet above the sea- Yellow
stone Lake has an altitude of 7,788
feet, and the mountain ranges that
hem the valley on every side rise to
the height of 10000 and 1900 feet,
and are covered with perpetual snow.
Until comparatively recent period
in the geological history of the globe,
this spot was evidently the scene Of
remarkable volcanic activity. This is
known from the hot springs and
geysers that are so numerous here.
There are said to be fifty geysers here
that throw q column of water to q
height of from 80 to 200 feet, and.from
5000 to 10000 springs. The latter are
of two kinds, those depositing lime
and those depositing silica The de-
posits of these minerals on the
borders of the spring form crys-
tails in many beautiful shapes and
of many varied colors. The tempera-
ture of the lime springs is from 160 to
ITO degrees; that of the others rises
to 200 degrees and moro. Other feat
ures of interest in the park are the
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
where the perpendicular banks of
the river, from 200 to 500 yards apart,
rise to the height of 1000 feet On
Tower creek, a branch of the Yellow
stone, there is a gloomy canyon ten
miles long which is known as the DEVILS
Den. This creek has, few yards
from its mouth, fall of 156 feet, on
each side of which stands columns of
breccia resembling towers. Above the
Grand Canyon are the Great Falls of
the Yellowstone, $50 feet high The
geographical locality of the park is
interesting, as it has within its limits
in Yellowstone lake and Madison lake,
and in the mountain springs, the
;Ources of great rivers flowing in vari-
Gus directions. On the north are the
sources of the Yellowstone; on the
west, those of the principal forks of
the Missouri; on the southwest and
south, those of Snake river, flowing
into the Columbia, and through it into
the Pacific Ocean, and those of Green
river, branch of the Great Colorado.
which empties into the Gulf of CalifOr-
1ia; while on the southeast side are
the numerous headwaters of Wind riv-
er. The forests of the park abound in
deer, elk, bears and mountain sheep.
BY the latest ordinances of Congress.
penalties are fixed for the destruction
of any natural object, the cutting down
of trees or killing game in the park.
A local magistrate lives within the
park to try all cases of violation of
the rules made for its preservation
Chicago Inter Ocean.
STORIES OF DUMAS.