The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1889-02-23
YELLoWsroNEpARK
Some of the Natural CuriOsitieS of Thai
Wonderful Tract of Land.
Chicago Inter Ocean

OnlcaSo inter ocean.
In the northwest corner of the Territory
of Wyoming there is tract more remark
able for natural curiosities than an equal
area in any other portion of the globe It
was first brought into notice by party of
surveyors from Helena, NJ. T., in 1869.
In 1870 an expedition, under the direction
of the Surveyor General of that Territory,
visited the region, and in 1871 Prof. Hay
den, at the head of scientific corps, made
an examination of its remarkable features.
This report induced Congress to pass an
act, approved March l, 1872, by which
the district now known as the Yellowstone
National Park was reserved and with
drawn from settlement, occupancy or sale
under the laws of the United States. and
dedicated and set apart as a public park or
pleasure ground, for the benefit and enjoy
ment 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. Its 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 109 degrees 80 minutes
west longitude. 1t is, therefore, now
about seventy-three miles east and west
and nearl y ninety miles north and SOUTH
and has an area of abot 6,569 miles. The
entire park is more than 5000 feet above
the sea. Yellowstone Lake has an altitude
of T,7SS feet, and the mountain ranges
that hem the valley on every side rise to
the height of 10000 and 10000 feet, and
are covered with perpetual snow Until a
comparatively recent period in the geolog-
ical history of the globe, this spot was evi-
dently the scene of remarkable volcanic ac-
tivity. This is known from the hot springs
and geysers that are so numerous here.
There are said to be fifty geyseTs here
that throw a column of water to height
of from 80 to 200 feet, and from 5000 to
10000 springs, The latter are of two
kinds, those depositing lime and those de
posting silica. The deposits of these min
erals on the borders of the spring form
crystals in many beautiful shapes and of
many varied colors The temperature of
the lime springs is from 100 10 40 de-
grees; that Of the Others rises to 200 de-
grees and more. Other features of inter
est in the park are the Grand Canyon of
the Yellowstone, where the perpendicular
banks of the river, from 200 to 500 yards
apart, rises to the height Of 1000 feet.
On Tower creek, 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,
a fall OF l56 feet, on each side of which
stands columns of breecia resembling tow
ers. 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 lim-
its in Yellowstone lake and Madison lake.
and in the mountain springs, the sources
Of great rivers flowing in various directions.
On the north are the sources of the Yellow
stone; on the west, those Of the principal
forks Of the Missouri; on the southwest
md south, those of Snake river, flowing
nto the Columbia, and through it into the
Pacific Ocean, and those of Green river,
,ranch Of the Great Colorado, which
,mpties into the Gulf Of California; while
N the southeast side are the numerous
ieadwaters Of Wind river The forests of
he park abound in deer, elk, bears and
sheep. By the latest ordinances
t Congress, penalties are Fixed for the de-
truction of any natural object, the cutting
Iown of trees or killing game in the park.
local magistrate lives within the park to
ry all cases of violation of the rules made
or its preservation.