The morning call., 1893-02-27
How Noble Proposes to
Right Them.
HE RECOMMENDS RECESSION.
Federal Rule Necessary for the
Peoples Great Park.
THE WORK OF THE DESTROYERS.
The Secretary's Comments on the
Reports OF Special Agents
Stidger aad WeigeI.
TIE WORK OF THE DEsTRoYERs.

come for the annual reepening OF the peo-
pies great park.
Those who are so anxious to save the
valley from destructive hands, and who
have been appealing for its recess on to the
General Government. sincerely hope that
the present year viii not witness any fur
Their demolition.
at is a shame" they cry, "that the
native beauty Of Yosemite should in any way
= be n.arred, and that tourists may feel that
the great natural panorama should lose one
i0ta Of the magnifcence for which it Is
famed"
A report has just been received from
Washington that will be read with satisfae-
ton by Robert Underwood johnson, John
Muir, John CONFESS and the others who
have taken such notable interest in the
movement TO have the Government throw
slts. protecting wing over Yosemite.
/ The report is that of John w. Noble,
ESecretary OF the Interior, and it shows the
deep interest that the Federal authorities
are taking in the preservation of Yosemite.
The most interesting feature OF the re-
port is that contained in a statement made
by Captain John d. Stidger, dated Novem-
Der 10. 1892, in which occurs the following:
although not within the limits Of your
letter authorizing this investigation, can
not but deem it proper to give my impress
siOns IN reference 30 the Stale Of CailfoT-
MAS control of its trust. as conferred by
act of Congress approved June 50, 1864
Speculation. traffic and gain are the
dominating features of the management.
The floor Of the valley presents the APP
peaTance OF poorly managed cattle ranch.
About $50 acres are fenced with barbed
wire. post and rail, picket, board and brush,
and tie mountain sides being used TO CON-
pete the Enclosure. These Enclosures are
USED for hay meadows, pastures for horses
aud mules, cattle eOrTas, hogpen and dairy
purE oses. The remainder Of be floor is the
g. cGmping-gTOUnd Of visitors. and when | was
there IN August presented much the appear
ance Of a deserted cavalry camp that had
been poorly poiiced during occupancy. If
Ehis IS permitted few seasons longer the
'fioor viii be despoiled of all lis natural
beauty. and its tOra and fern growth VIII
% Oh Z live IN the memory OF the oldest in
habitants, and the scenic effect in the val
ley greatly marFed Some camplng-ground
should be designated and facilities afforded
10 those who 20 in private cOnyeyances 10
spend their vacation amid these magnificent
and inspiring surroundings.
Speculation in hay and all necessities, in
gliding guides aud livery, is the one source
OF universal complaint amoug tourists.
There is no competition allowed, and no
limit placed on parties in control. In the
language Of many that l have had cOmmu-
nicatiOn with: we were taken into the
valley for $50 and then robbed by extor-
ti0naie prices This ought to be rem
edied
The State Of California makes appropri-
: atioBs for use Ia the valley, but the money
is injudiciohsiy applied. 1t Is used in de-
stTOyng the natural by trimming up groves.
making and enlarging meadows and corrals
: cutting trees that are IN the way and using
them for cOTdWOOd These sO-ealled i'm
DTOyements' are destroying the natural
beauty Of the floor Of the valley, and the
attention Of the State should be called to
this failure 10 properly administer its trust
There should be no fencing permitted and
no cutting or trimming of groves or trees;
no attempt at the artificial. Its natural fea-
lures should remain intact
Great carelessness Is manifested by the
management in the matter Of fire. Thought
less tourists build campfres and ignite
{: srumps and old logs without thought Of
probable results. Flrebrands are often
thrown over the pTecipices for the amuse-
mens Of those below. and just prior to my
arrival large area between Yosemite Fails
and Indian Canyon was devastated by this
carelessness.
In nv opinion the State Of California
should be asked to reiInQuish this trust and
the General Government resume control Of
the valley and then place the valley and the
Yosemite National Park under the rules
and regulations now governing the Yellow
stone National Park, and not have this dual
control, or a wheel within a wheel I am
convinced from careful observation and iu-
Qniry that the people Of California would ap-
prove this course. as they do not care TO be
taxed for improvements and reap no adj
vantage they would not attain under the
control Of the General Government"
AIaj0r.E. F. Weigel reports TO the secretary
as follows regarding the vandalism done in
the valley:
a good deal Of embarrassing has been
done near the StOneman House in Yosemite
Valley and around the stables of the trans
poTtatiOn company by direction Of the State
Commissioners. under the supervision of
Galen Clark, the guardian. Mr. Clark was
formerly one Of the commissioners, and al
though 78 years Old is still active, and ap-
pears 10 be an educated. honorable man. He
took Inc around to the places where the
clearing had been done for the purpose of
lesSeniDg the danger OF tires, and which, Ii
IS true, at times partook Of the nature of a
mutilati0n Of natural beauty.
"Guardian Clark was free to confess that
he was no scientific iandscaper and that he
carried out the orders Of the board TO the
best Of his ability. He said that he had fire.
quently importuned the commissioners to
employ some expert landscape engineer to
thoroughly study the valley and make sys-
tematic plan OF Improvements that might be
carried out IN the course OF several years,
but all to no avail. IL IS certainly true that
the Young pines and underbrush are too
thick in places and need a judicious thin
ing out, and the dead and decaying trees
should all be removed. To my inquiry, Mr.
Clark replied that il was not designed to
carry the work on any further down The
Yalley,an that itcertaInly was not intended
TO clear any more ground for meadows or
planting.
More drives and pedestrian walks are
needed, and the roads in the valley should
be sprlDkled. Many OF the old, unsigbtiy
buildings should be removed, and whenever
a new building of any kind is needed ii
should in outward appearance cOnferm TO
the requirements Of park surroundings.
For the kind of accommodations fur
nisbed the charges of the hotels are rather
high, ard the charges Of stabling, teaming.
or hire OF vehicles or saddle animals 10 the
park are beyond all reason.
TO judge by the utteTaDces OF individ-
uals here, as well as in MERGED, Mariposa,
and Fresno counties, a large majority of
tie people would be in favor OF letting the
government Of the Yosemite valley revert
70 the National Government. | have been
Informed by different parties that an effort
will be made in the Assembly TO accomplish
this object. To the ordinary traveller the
L0l-roads in and outside Of the park are
very annoying. and the free road to be built
Up TO the valley from MERGED this winter,
viii be hailed with delight. besides pos
sessing tie advantage Of enabling the tour
list TO visit the valley all tha year round. Ii
will reach Yosemite Valley on easy
grades via Mariposa, and attain no high al
titudes, so that it can be kept open all
winter"
Commenting on these reports Secre-
tary Noble writes the following In his re-
port TO the President OF the Senate:
II seems to be incontestably shown that
under State control the Yosemite Val
ley has been managed with an eye single to
pront and speculation and not In the line
of preserving the scenic and botanic won
ders II the place Ter the admiration and
benefit OF the people of the nation and the
world. for the present and future genera
tions; and / earnestly advise that some
adequate legislation be enacted to preserve
what little yet remains Of the original flora
of the valley. As the Yosemite National
Park, established by act CT Congress APP
nfnyed Octn har L 1900 entiralY snrrnnnds