The record-union., 1891-10-03
GRANDEURS OF YELLOWSTONE.
A Trip Through the Famous National
Park of Wonders.
a Most Interesting Lecture by Rev
DR.. DiIIe-Something About the
Great Geysers.

Rev. DR.. Ollie, formerly of Sacramento,
but now a resident of Oakland, lectured
to very large audience last evening at
the Sixth-street M. E. Church, on the
wonders of Yellowstone Park. The title
of his lecture was "a Week in Wonder
land" and very appropriate one it was,
too.
DR.. Ollie is a magnetic and eloquent
talker, and his powers of description are
admirable. lie possesses afund Of humor,
too, that is refreshing. Last evening he
had stereopticon, and large variety of
views of the wonderful National Park,
which greatly added to the effectiveness
of his lecture.
AWE-INSPIRING SCENES.
he began by giving brief description
of the experiences and surprises a trav
eler has who first visits Yellowstone,
and of the awe he is subject to when he
gazes upon the great geysers, hears the
rumbIing beneath the earth, and looks
up at the great mountains and perpen-
dicular cliffs. The lights were then
turned down, and a view given of the
road which leads into the park through
a deep and rocky canyon. Great mount
aims rose on either side as the road pro-
gressed until it opened out into the Great
Geyser basin. The lecturer then took his
audience on most interesting journey
down the line of these great, boiling,
steaming, SpOuting caldrOnS. The Gey
ser basin takes in d number of square
miles, and there are something like
seventy of these mysterious SpringS-or
fire hOleS'' as the Indians were wont to
call them. Many more are to be found
IN the upper Geyser region, too. The
nrst geyser seen was most peculiar
looking one. Ii was built up in white,
hOSty-loOSing terraces, and the crater
was on top. From this the seething,
boiling water, filled with a sort of white,
suIphurlc substance, came tumbling
down the terraces. Little basins of boil
ing water were to be found among the
terraces. Articles left in the basins could
be taken out few moments later thor
oughly incrusted with the white, glisten-
ing sediment. This same substance
coated the ground tor some distance
around the geyser and caused one to feel
as though he were walking through
field Of baking powder
sHAKY GROUND.
The ground upon which one has to
tread ali through the geyser basin is of
decidedly shaky and nerVe-Straining
character. y constant rumbling noise is
going on under ones feet, and it feels like |
one was walking on a very thin piece OF
plecruSt. Even IN the hotel near this par
ticular geyser the same sensation was felt. |
There are places there where the earth
has sunken considerably, and DR.. Ollie |
said he would not be surprised some day
to see the hotel sink out of sight.
The speaker next took his audience to a |
little knoll which prCtruded from the |
waters OF pretty lake. In the center of
this knoll was hot spring. While this |
was being looked at Dr. Ollie told a fish |
story. That knoll, according to his |
story, would be a splendid place for |
r-k,., l-g,gl
could throw fish line into the lake, |
catch big trout and then, without even |
taking him off the hook, lower him into |
the spring, where the speckled beauty |
would be cooked to a turn.
The Mammoth Spring and the Mann |
moth Spring Hotel were next visited. |
From here, a road was traversed, which
was of considerable interest itself |
Though only mile long it cost $1,000 |
1t was hewn out OF an almost solid rock. |
1t passed through a narrow and deep cut |
called the Golden Gate, on account of the |
golden color of the rock. Some of the |
Yellowstone forests were seen on this |
route. The forest growth does not |
amount to great deal, but this is made |
up for by the presence of the wonderful
PETRIFIED FORESTS,
So grand to behold. In the Yellowstone
Valley were great numbers of antelope. /
buffalo, elk, bear and other animals Ali |
HClt pIOlCCtCu ny law lTOIl the faNageS /
OF the huntSman. Next was seen the |
famous glass mountain. This mountain !
IS one of the most wonderful features |
OF the park. 1t IS composed OF black |
glass. Great difficulty was experienced /
IN building a road around it. 1t could |
not be successfully drilled nor blasted, so |
large fires had 10 be built, and then, by |
throwing on water, the glass would cruni- |
ble away 10 sufficient depth for the |
road.
There used to be some Indians in the |
park" said DR.. Ollie, but they are not /
there now. The deadly firearm, and the |
dCadller 1lre-water, of the ignoble white /
man made sad havoc with poor Lo."
The next interesting sight was the |
great 'steam vent" This was an i'm
mense hole in a still more immense rock. !
from which belched forth great bodies of !
superheated steam IN regular pulsations. |
And the odor emitted was not the pleas !
antest. The speaker said it struck him as |
being a good deal like that he used to in
hale near China Slough when he resided |
here. This vent was near the Geyser |
Basin Hotel. The
''PAINT-PoTs."
Were next seen. These were a number |
OF mounds with craters, looking for all /
the world like so many pots They !
were filled with masses of heaving. |
throbbing colored mud-or something /
like it--looking more like paint. The |
steam would gather beneath the mud. /
gradually raise it, bubble-like, and then |
the whole would burst, throwing the |
colors from the spring in the shape of |
beautiful rose.
1T is pleasant" said DR.. Ollie. "to |
stand there and watch the roses as they
bloom in the spring, tra-la.n
The next stop was at Midway Geyser, |