Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-02-18
Tho GrAndest Pleasure Grounds
in America
In AmeHca

autumn HeW NaCIOu84 pleasure ground,
larger than tho State Of Rhode Island,
has been established in this country.
This spacious park is in California, COM
pletely surrounding the Yosemite val
ley grant Of 1884 and about thirty times
rs large as that grant. 1t takes in not
only the entire watershed Of the MERGED
river region, asdefined by the encircling
mountain range which includes Tuo-
lumne Peak and Cathedral Peak on the
north and northeast, Mount Lyell with
its superb glaciers on the east and Buena
Vista Peak on the south; but it embraces
also the noble Hetch Hetchy valley, itself
a second Yosemite, and the magnificent
Grand canon of the Tuolumne, with it's
massive walls and domes, and it's cas-
cades unequalled in volume OF water by
those of any other canon in the Sierra.
1t crosses the Tuolumne meadows and
annexes the splendid range that con-
tains Mount Dana and Mount Gibbs and
the Mono pass. 1t has saved from the
lumberman and the saw-mill the Mono
pass, the MERGED and Tuolumne groves
Of big trees, and has secured Lake
Eleanor In short. it has brought with
in its protecting area all that needs to
10 reserved in that region of natures
marvelS. ..
The history Of this achievement, says
the New York Sun, is interesting. The
grant Of Yosemite valley to California
quarter of a century ago, Ito he held for
public use, resort and recreation" was a
mistake. The valley should have been
retained under the charge of the In
terror Department for the same pur-
poses, like the Yellowstone Park, since
it was intended for the whole country.
Such disposition of it would have made
it's custodians directly responsible to the
general Government, and would have
secured the aid Of Congress for its care
and improvement.
After time another mistake in the
Yosemite grant became apparent The
area conveyed had not been large
enough, and the valley was menaced by
the industries gradually approaching it.
Tho surrounding forests were falling
under the axo, saw-mills were busy
among the great trees, enormous herds
of sheep were pastured on the mount
aims and trampled and stripped the
Herbage and shrubs, while the woods,
when cleared of their more valuable
timber, We're sometimes burned SO as
to destroy the underbruSh and improve
the pasturage Even where the fires
we're not intentional, the presence OF
the industries led to enormous destruc-
ton from this source through careless
ness and accident. All this meant not
only ravages in Il region only less ma
;cstic and exquisite than the Yosemite
valley, but the diminution of the Won
tIcrful falls in this valley during the
season when they are most visited, since
the cutting Of these forests was sure to
lead to an earlier melting of the SHOWS.
It was plain, also, that these surround
ings for many miles ought to be joined
10 tho Yosemite tract rs portions of q
uniform system. the magnificent setting
Of central gom.
While this project was under discus.
sion some cutlery was raised in Cali
fornia against the present management
of tho Yosemite valley itself. A heated
controversy arose, but it at least became
clear that, should the proposed enlarge
ment Of the park be made it must not
be done with continuation of the error
of 1864, but new National park must
be founded A bill for this enlarge
ment had been drawn by Mr.. c. u.
PoSton, eX:deicgate from Arizona, but
b. did not include even the whole of the
watershed Of the Yosemite. General
YandeYer's bill, introduced last March,
nade up some lacks, yet was itself toe
limited in scope. 1t happened that Air.
John Mutt, the California naturalist
and Mr.. r. y. Johnson, of the Century
Magazine, had camped together In that
region, and at the request Of the latter
SIR. Muir had Sketched out the bound.
s,ries of a National Yosemite park as il
ought to be-, These greatly extended
boundaries were advocated by Mr.. John
son before the committee of Congress
and we're approved aa amendments t.
She Vandever bill, and the measure al
ihus revised was passed by the House
FINDER the urgent personal work of it,
supporters it was concurred in by tn,