St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-09-01
Lambert Tree Tells of the
Outrageous Indignities q
Inflicted Upon Visitors.
A Monopoly Licensed by Uncle
Sam Which Charges Enor-
nous Prices.
The Accommodations in Many
Cases Not Fit for HUI -
81
man Beings. 81

ZION IaclllCleS WlInln the reserve HUI
sufficient, has been limited by several
tourists, but it remained for Judge Lam
bert Tree, ex-minister to Belgium, TO
tell the whole truth about the Outrag-
eous conditions now existing. From
what Judge Tree saw while in the park
it is plain that the managers ami hire
lings OF the government-fost mo-
nOpoly, which controls everything
within the Yellowstone domain, have
encrOached upon the rights of the
travelling public beyond all deceney.
The Washington kilograms in the pa
pers this morning contained report
from the army officer in charge OF the
detachment of soldiers stationed in the
park to keep hunters from shooting the
game and photographers from stealing
Stalactites, stalagmiteS, and geyser
formations. This report barely recog-
niZed the evils, saying that complaints
about the hotels had been made, but
that the Yellowstone Park association,
the monopoly mentioned, had given as
Surances that the service would soon be
bettered. 70 obtain less prejudiced
view of the matter, reporter for the
his office at noon to-day. The diStin-
turned from an extensive trip through
the Northwestern states and territories
and to Alaska only few days ago, and
his face still bears the tan brought out
by the Pacific sun.
Simple Indignity.
Eyes, visited Yellowstone Park"
he said, in reply to a question. 81
bought one of their five-day tickets and
paid the usual price. $40. That was So
a day for railroad and stage-coach fare,
board and lodging-and misery. / can
agree with the army officer in some of
the things he says about the beauty of
the park, but think when he speaks
of the accommodations for tourists the
hypnotic influence the hOtelmen have
over him is manifest. The natural
wonders of the park have not been eX-
aggerated. The scenery in places is
most pictu--zlue. The grand canyon is
magnificent. But, on the ~other hand,
the management of the hotels is afro
cious and even brutal. To my certain
knowledge indignities are sometimes
inflicted upon the tourists there which
can only lie characterized as out
rageous. For example, at the hotel sit
uated in the lower geyser basin gentle
man and his wife, with whom l am
bedroom for the night with three men,
and in another instance. at the same
hotel. it came under my observation
that eight persons, consisting of three
gentlemen with their wives and two
young ladies, were thrust into small
bedroom to pass the night" SO
why did they submit to such an in
dignity?"
"Because they could not help them
selves" responded Judge Tree, with
voice full of Indignation. "There is no
other Motel or house of any description
within twenty miles and the woods
wolves, and other ferocious ANIMALS.
There was no conveyance by which they
could get away, as all vehicles belong
ing to the transportation company are
run on scheduled time. In this case the
next stage left in the morning. and the
condition of the people to whom have
referred was hopeless. They were
obliged to accept the assignment of
quarters made them by brutal hotel
manager or stand out in the road in a
country where there is frost every
night.
ImpOsitiOns on Every Hand.
81 was constantly hearing of impo-
sitions of one sort and another while
was in the park. One gentleman in
formed me that he was charged IS for
the use of small boat for few hours
at Yellowstone lake by the hotel mana
gers. This could not have been for the
use of the boat alone, and must have in
cluded the right to fish, so that the
manager of the hotel fell into the error
of surprising that the lake and fish in it
belonged to him instead of to the pub
lie. This is the common error of ali the
hotel managers, as well as the stage
they own the rivers and grounds, the
geysers and waterfalls and the game,
, and have entirely forgotten that it is
the public domain on which they are
enjoying their exclusive privileges.
The fare furnished to guests by some of
the hotels in the park is very inferior
and for the most part nearly UNBEATABLE.
s'The transportation facilities are also
far from satisfactory. The vehicles and
horses are not sufficient in number to
insure comfortable travelling, and petty
tricks are played upon travellers in
order that the association may save its
horses as much as possible. Thus. for
example, as each wagon loaded with
tourists leaves the Mammoth Springs
hotel the passengers are told by an
official Of the transportation company
| that if they remain in the wagon in
| ascending Mary'S mountain the COM
| pany will not be responsible for acct
dents. This is not because the ascent
is dangerous OR difficult. 1t is not at all
| so. But it is because it is rather hard
pull for the horses, which the managers
wish to save at the expense of the
passengers. The effect upon number
of people of various degrees of
nervous sensibllity of the announce
ment of danger at that point
Most of them get out when they reach
| the hill, and. ankle deep in dust, climb
| it under hot sun. breathing only the
| light air of high altitude at great risk
to their lives. Two or three days before
my arrival there Guy r Pelton, for
mer member of congress from New
York, dropped dead in endeavoring to
make the ascent on foot in obedience
to the command of the transportation
company. The roads and bridges are
not what they ought to be. 1t is said
that every one must eat his peck of dirt
| in the course of his life, put feel qui tie
sure that he would consume a material
| portion OF that quantity in a five DAYS
tour in the park. His e'es. nose, throat,
ears, hair, skin, and clothes are con.
| stantly filled with dust from the start
to the finish of his trip. Much of this
Inconvenience could be remedied by a
| little money judiciously spent on roads
and bridges"
The Receipts Enormous.
sis there enough travel to warrant
the making of the improvements, the
eX-minister was asked.
Nothing can surpass the extent and
ingenuity with which the Yellowstone
| park has been advertised by those inter-
ested in attracting tourists thither. IL
| Illustrated books, pamphlets and circu-
lars have been circulated without num-
Der and with the most profuse liberal
| ity throughout the country. Every
traveller westward has his satchel half
full OF these descriptive documents.
which are thrust into his hands ell route
by agents, and which depict the Won
ders of that region. The result is that
tremendous tide of tourist travel has
been coaxed TO the park. many of them