The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-07-12
YELLOWSTONE PARK.
Section Where the Most Wonderful
Freaks ef Nature Are Massed.

In any other country than our own
the opportunities of finding such q sec
tion of land, where all the most won
derful attractions of nature are massed.
would have been impossible.
The first real information of Wonders
land, with its geysers, its volcanic for
nations, its rushing waters, its csny>
Ons, came in 1868. Before that, save
the vague stories of the trappers, there
was nothing known OF the Yellowstone
region. These adventurous hunters
had told the truth, but they were not
believed. Captain De Lacy's report,
written BY competent officer, at once
attracted attention. In 1871 DR.. Hay
den went TO the Yellowstone region,
studied it in detail, and presented a
careful summary of his explorations to
urged that the whole section should be
set apart by Congress "for the benefit
and enjoyment of the people," and this
wise measure was carried out in 1872.
The Yellowstone National Park lies
in the northwestern corner of Wyom-
ing, with small portions of it extend
ing into Idaho and Montana. rs
length is % miles, width Go. 1t con-
tains 1915 square miles, or ,, DDS, 900
acres. The lowest level, at Gardeners
river. is $3.50 feet. the highest, Electric
Peak, in the Gallatin range, being H.
15J feet above the sea- The average
elevation Of the plateu is from 1900 to
$500 feet. The summer days are hot,
the nights always cool. In the winter
the climate is arctic. Here the past
changes OF this planet, Its present dis
turbauces, are visible. The forces
within this globe of ours never are at
rest. If through the tunnels of volcan-
oes Nature finds her safety-valves, in
tue Yellowstone Park the geysers are
her lesser escape pipes.
Around what is called the Upper
Basin is the Beehive, with its cluster
of geysers. One, known as the Grand,
throws jet of water % feet in diane
ter TO height OF go feet, aud this
superb water spout has a duration of
not less than twenty minutes. There
is another famous eeyser called Old
Faithful. Geysers are more or less ca
PRECIOUS as to their erupt:ons, and are
disappointing to those who expect that
Nature carries a stop watch in her
pocket. Old Faithful is however, the
most methodical OF geysers. Out of
the cavern beneath him he draws up the
water and shoots il into the air at reg
ular intervals of every fifty seven min
utes.
Paint Pots are small basins about
three feet wide. where the escaping
steam finds an exit, and they hold in
| agitation compounds Of siliceous CLAWS,
which are pink, brown. blue. and gray.
/ The pulpit Terraces arc : series ot
slngularly beautiful stalscite basins,
containing water charged with carbonic
acid, which holds in solution carbonate
OF lime. AS the surplus water trickles
over them lime is deposited by evap0r-
alton as n solid crust. Liberty Cap
owes its peculiar shaps to tie well.
known action of one OF natures SOL
vents.
There are may extinct geyseTs, but
when ceased 10 spout no one can tell.
There is nothing normal about the
Yellowstone Park, because it is a cen.
ter of volcanic activity. 1t is Wonder
land, and in Wonderland as far as the
staid mstter-of fact contours of the
earth go, there can be nothing which is
rigid.
Mount Eysrts owes its name to Mr
Eysrts who was are OF the exploration
party that visited the geyser basins II
1869. Mr.. Evarts, when near the head
of the lake, was lost, aud only JOINED
his party after suffering gres: hard
ships. Not far from Mount Evarts are
the Mammoth Hot Springs. which covel
an area Of three square miles. Here ar,
terraces glittering in all col0rs Ger
tain portions OF the Yellowstone country
are known as "had lands Wherever
volcanic action Of recent date has de
strcyed the fertility OF the soil, thii
name is given.
With its superb lakes, rushing rivers
water falls, its canyons and geysers
this Yellowstone National Park is on,
l of tha yVOndars Of the vrorId