The sun., 1890-01-15
THE YsLLoWsroNB PARK.
Legislation Needed 80 Protect II from Tres
pass nnd Iniurv.

1eSislAuon Needed 80 Protect ~ from Tres
| pass and Iniurr.
| WASHINGTON, Jan. H.-About 10000 peo-
pie now visit the Yellowstone National Park
each season. and the number steadily in
creases. The Importance Of preserving this
Wondertul pleasure ground from spoliation is
universally admitted; but In one way or an
other the recent efforts mnde In Congress for
| this purpose have been thwarted. The Vest
Dill, which provides suitable jurisdiction for
the Park, with penalties for breaking the reg-
ulations, and which becomes OF additional con-
sequence by accurately defining its bound
aries, has passed the Senate no fewer than
three times, and last winter unanimously But
In the House the project is usually saddled
with provision for running railroad through
the Park, and this defeats 1t. The Interior
Department has for years opposed the railroad
scheme and when 1t was brought up as a dis
tinct measure 1t was Overwhelmingly defeated
even In the House. Nevertheless. by contin-
ualy obtaining the consent Of the committee
to report the provision for a railroad as part
OF the general protection measure, the latter is
postponed or defeated.
Last year however, tho Vest bill. having
been passed by tho Senate. was also carried
through the House in nearly the same form:
but the session was then closing, and 1t failed.
after all. to become a law. Now it is hoped that
earlier attention will be given to the matter
The act OF March l. 1872. put the Park under
the exclusive control OF the Secretary OF the
Interior. and required him to make and pub
lish regulations for its care and mar nagement,
and particularly for preserving all timber min
eral deposits and natural curiosities In their
original condition. lie was further directed to
remove trespassers and TO protect the fish and
game from destruction. But. while this law Is
still in force, and forms sections 2.474 and
2,475 OF the Revised Statutes, no money was
appropriated for carrying out Its provisions.
and no legislation has been enacted prescrib-
Ing jurisdiction and penalties. Five successive
have called attention to these lacks. ASupern-
1endent TEN was indeed, appointed ior the Park.
omitted. For that change, however, there was
a good reason In the fact that three years
ment Of the Park regulations. upon request Of
in 1856. the salary Of the superintendent was was
dropped call for military protection was at
SnSsr mdS Gde aPd Tdqr 60 nm 6sSEPHy
then the, reservation has been poiiced BY cav
Capt Harris on the ist Of June. 1889.
1t must be. admitted that this substitution Of
troops to SCOUT M tRS Pars Ras beSn
great Improvement SECRETARY Villas reported
that the Of Capt Harris had been
within his command, and his zeal and atten-
ton appear to have supplied in large degree
proteetfonb Secretary Noble also FepoPts that t
Capt, Harris performed his duties with great
tions Is that hunting. capturing. fniprins. or
farE is or The eus Eep III pdF sae
game killed in the Park wiz BE- Be sSSIset to selS-
nre and conascatlon." Accordingly Capt.
including their animals and their hunting. |
camping. and trapping material. But upon re- |
6g IT'S eS sdSser 70
oa not be
owners, on condition that they should take 1t
out OF the Park and keep 1t out
risk run by deliberate volators Of the rules Is |
81 PARK ana the tine 81
natural features are not alone to be- consid-
cred. In the last report OF Secretary Villas this
further suggestion was made:
i at atpresenldoubtfu whether there be judicial
Thess urisdieon extends over This ieserva
1ctiOn rom SonEres. robbery ths p9sssaSsrs q
2 ,hs aShS5sss q MonisnS Sai Tho iarsdistIon
IN that the District Attorney accepted plea OF guilty
ahor The
,iEh.r penalty for highway robbery the true
1t is evident, therefore. why prompt legisla-
ion on the part OF Congress Is needed. One
LANCER which is said to be great and increas-
nR is that from forest fires; and the present
military superintendent. Capt. Boutelle. rec
an appropriation to clean up tie un-
lerbrush and fallen timber along the lines of
ravel 80 as to decrease that danger. The s8rno
,fficer suggests that military post should be
there. provided with permanent ac-
for the officers and men and
heir horses. Even should the civil buperin-
endent be restored. a house might be provided
or him, although TO be sure. there are hotel
Capt. Harris estimates that
lnder civil superintendence there would be
iced OF forty-four employees. whose wages and
equipments would amount to $4S.S00 annually
10 that Congress Is likely to continue the ser
ices Of the troops. But In any case as has been |
een, 1t becomes necessary to legiSlate for civil |
Jurisdiction and code OF penalties. The fea- |
ure In the Vest bill for accurately marking the
OF the Park is also desirable for
wo reasons. One is that as Capt Boutelle do
lares. schemes are on foot looking to cutting |
If portion Of the mort theastern corner OF the
Park. If the preservation Of the game of the
lark Is worthy Of consideration. this should be
trongly opposed. as some Of the principal |
winter ranges OF elk ami buffalo are in the part |
proposed to be cut or" Another reason for not |
MY defining but locally marking the bounds
t the Park is that persons may not encroach |
pon 1t through ignorance. pursuing their
uniting and fishing without suspecting that
hey have reached the forbidden ground. This
I'LL be all the moro desirable when the code OF
enalties is put in force.