The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-03-14
II IL Charged That Secretary No
BILE Ia Serving tho interests
OF Russell B.
Sir Charles Gibson's Troubles with tho
Secretary oftho Intsrior Con-
corning Leases.

of the members Of the Lewis and Clarke
expedition, named Coulter, having joined
ons of the wild tribes Of ths Upper Yellow
stone region for the purpose Of engaging
in the fur trade. was the hrst civilized be-
ing to behold the wonders contained within
its limits. All this was described long
afterwards in the r0HaRses Of the early
trapping era, and the reRisn became known
Al "Coultsr's He'll"
About 1855 Col. DssIaosy, for many years
afterwards surveyor Of Montana, campsd
with his party within view of tbs curling
vaporsc created BY this boiling springs and
geyssrs, and no took these as indications
OF = large Indian sanap. Not until 1870
was y trustworthy description Of the Rsyssr
basin given to the world. Al that Tins the
Iangford party explored the wilds which
have since become 80 famous. A year later
congress sst aside the district now som
prised in the park, placing ths region thus
reserved under the jurisdiction Of the de-
partment Of the interior. 4 supsrintsnd-
ent with Z corps 81 assistants was ap-
pointed. The duty Of these men was
to protect the aeysers from yandals, to
save ths park from disfgurement, and to
act q gaIns-kespers within the reserved do.
main.
Noticing afterward . New syndi-
cate, with Rufus Hatch At ita heA- !, secnted
j ON the department. Of ths interior a lease
81 lands within the park and the right to
erect 4 system Of hotels on the lins Of ths
completed or projected roads. In 1883 this
company became insolvsnt and found itself
unable totcarry out its contracts with the
~ ,itsd States. In the summer Of 1884
NcolRs B. Hume took possession Of the
the business Of the succeeding season was
conducted under his direction. During the
CO congressional session Of 1886, the present
Yellowstone Park association, represented
~ Sir Charles Gibson, Of st. Lsuis, IA
tol. Casey, of Chicago. secured from the
government these forfeited franchises, with
AIDED privileges, including tho right Of
I anspbrtation Of passengers In connection
with the Northern Pacific railroad.
Hotels wers built BY this association near
the various points OF interest within the
park, the system including q circuit which
Esyssr basins, the Grand canyon and Yel-
loWstone lake. Under tho Hatch eyndioats
George Wakefield, Of Bozemsn, had secured
tho transportation business, and this he
operated for two Or three years, with full
ownership Of all tbs lines. Thu new aaso-
citation having obtained his franchises, ar
ranged with Wakefield to continue the bus
mess in his own name. In 1890, however,
tho secretary of the interior ruled that the
association, in order to hold its leases, must
conduct the business in its own name. The
company thsreugon placed on Ill vehicles
in the park tho Mans of the association,
and required the agents and teamstors to
wear badges indicating the association itself
us principal. In 1891, Secretary Noble do
cidad that the association had forfeited the
part of his charter relating to Transports
ton, from non-uss. alleging that Wake
field was not an agent, but that, in fact. he
was the Independent owner of the line. and
shat therefore thsrs Was no responsible
head TO this branch Of tho service.
This part Of tho lease was consequently
abolished, az far a. the association was
concerned, and it was re-let to Huntlsy and
Childs. two residents of Helena. When
this matter was up, charges of insompe-
tenoy were alleged against Wakefield, and
many serious criticisms were passed on the
service he had furnished, as woll as on tie
general management Of the parks affairs.
OF course, thele may have been reason for
some of this 0riticism. yet it 10 unquestion-
nbls that much of it was without founda-
tiOn. Many Of the tourists were eYaotinR,
soma of them were more than nnreaxon-
able. In instances. the stories told about
mislnanaeemsnt in the park were grossly
unfair; some of thsss were circulated BY
men like Judge Iree. Of Philadelphia. This
gentleman had an experience in the park,
and the Standard may feel justified in say
ing that there may be I question whether,
during the time of that Rsntlemnn's s%oiourn
in the Yellowstone, he was in physical con
dition which would make him a good judge
Of affairs there. On this score plenty Of
evidence can be produced.
Sir Charles qibaon has recently made a
statement to tho senatorial committe. on
public lands, in which he SUCCESSFULLY re-
flutes many Of the charges that have been
brought against the management OF the
park, and wherein, as far as Wakefield ii
concerned, he shows that the position a.
summed by tha secretary Of tho interior il
unfoundod, not only ~ to the technical
ruling mads by the department, but also
az, to the specific charges. There have
been many drawbacks to the successful
operation Of affairs in ths park. At the
same time it oan be honestly said that tho
hotels have been managed in commendabie
style, while, as q rule, tho transportation
facilities have been entirely satisfactory,
Many residents Of Montana can give COM
pstent testimony on this point, but appar-
emily this was not wanted in Washington.
AT present neither of tho com panies ID
taking any steps in relation to next sum-
mel's business, as far rs the coach lines are
concsrnsd. Both arc waiting the action Of
the oonRressionsl committee, to which the
whole subject has been referred.
Raeently, Represen tative McRae, Of Ar.
kansas, has demanded an investigation into
the affairs of tho association and the con-
duct of its representative in tho park, and
II 10 not known what the result will be.
Gihson charges tina secretary of the interior
with industriouzly sowing tho intsrests of
MIR. Russell b. Harrison, who, he asserts,
is hchind the new Leash granted to Huntley
and ChildH. 1t was the intention of tho a.
aociation to spend some $500, 900 for build
ing roads and other improvements. in anti
III TrrN RS liz ~ - -, -
nrs expected to visit tho park during the
Worlds fair. Should tho ruling 81 the
secretary BIS confirmed, it ia probable that
little will be accomplished in this direction,
as, in any event. all the leases now hold by
tho assooiation expire in eight years, and
the disposition OF the department seems to
be against renewing them.