The morning call., 1893-01-12

speaking Of tie work that has been going
on in the Yosemite.
"Why, tell you that all that is destructi-
bic 10 the valley has in great part been
destroyed" ana Mr.. Muir brought his hand
down heavily on q desk in his library at
Martinez
Johu Muir, botanist, geOlogist, traveller
and Itterateur, is perhaps better acquainted
with the Yosemite Valley than any other
man in California. There is not spot in
the valley with which he is not familiar.
His acquaintance with the Yosemite dates
back almost thirty years.
lie lived in the valley a long time and
made ii the bass Of his operations while
exploring The SUBMITS Of the SieTTRs, and,
as one Of his admirers said. "be fingered in
the Yosemite until he discovered a divinity
iu every smile on natures lace IN the
valley"
Mr.. Mur's article In the Century on the
Yosemite made him an authority on QueS-
tons affecting the valley.
In Picturesque California" his pen also
eiCquenay portrayed the beauties OF Call
fOTni9'a choicest garden spot.
Better than man living have / loved this
delightful spot" said Mr.. Muir yesterday.
Its grandeur and its beauty nave ever
been 10 ne source OF inspiration and de-
light.
Many q night have l slept on the ground
10 the valley without any Govern but the
sky. and many 4 day has my food been
nothing but dry crumbs of bread while l
pursued my botanic and geologic studies.
Il became part Of the nature around me,
and loved il as a brother and a friend.
''NoAappier hours have had II my life than
when | held this communion. For l tell YOU
there was no mere exquisite piece Of natural
landscape gardening ID the world than the
floor Of the great Yosemite Valley.
fc oh n II
the valley Is now COW pasturage and cor
rails.
"The idealistic features and deIica;e orna-
mentatiOn Of the valley are things of the
past The fne bloom has been hipped of.
tie beautiful wild gardens have been
tramDled upon and destroyed.
sheep and hogs and COWS have eaten uD
the lilies and aZalias and briar roses. whose
bloom. fragrance and blossoms made the
valley such beautiful garden.
when one looked from the froWning
cliffs at the grand falls some years ago his
loot trod upon some flower that emitted a
fragrance New he is likely 70 step into
sheep OF COW trail that takes all The senti-
meut cut Of the view.
Never was beauty so marred as in this
valley"
10 what do you attribute this sDolia-
lion %
The fringe and polish and ornamental
finish Of the valley have been destroyed in
great part" was the answer, mot ma
Hcluusly, but through ignorance and incom-
petcuce. All that IS desTucuble has in
great part been destroyed. The indeStruct-
ibls part Of the valley is still there because
the cliffs and falls and mountains OF the
Yosemite can never be destroyed. But the
delicate tracing Of natures hand, which
gave tone and beauty to the whole, ike the
setting 10 the gem or the frame 10 the
picture, IS no more.
The marring OF this beautiful spot can
be laid TO no other cause than the mis-
management of the Commissioners who
nave mad charge Of the affairs OF the valley.
There can be no question about this mis-
management. 1t is too psp3bIe ana the
condition of the valley speaks for itself
AK aud pillow and horses have long been and
are still busy in the fosemIte's gardens and
groves.
"All that is accessible and destructible IS
being rapidly destrUyed-mOre rapidly than
in any other valley in the Sierras, though
this is the only one that is under the special
protection Of the Government.
THE greater part OF this destruction Of
the iueness Of the wilderness IN the valley
is of a kind that can claim no right relation
ship with what necessarily follows use.
IN the first place there has been no con-
sistency Of plan Ia the treatment Of the
valley.
THE Commissioners have been as vacillat-
ing and changeable as the moon. One year
il Is one thing in the way Of alleged i'm
pTOvement. and another year il is some
thing else before the first undertaking has
been ompleted. The result is the destrGc-
ton Of the IHe pictgTesQneBess Of the valley.
81 do not say that the Commissioners have
done these things with the intention 10 mar
the valley and destroy Its beauties. The
result is cue to their incompetence and lack
Of artistic faculties.
Just look how the improvements are
made, The Commissioners take a junket-
ing trip up 10 the Yosemite. After a fine
dinneT, with wine, they sit on the veranda
OF the Motel.
THAT brush over Tiers should be cleared
away, says one.
Let's chop down those trees says an
other
Forthwith both Jobs are done. 'People
should be able TO view the falls from the
hotel. | will save them trouble saws an
other. and the work of clearing away and
destroying the fringe on the floor of the val
Lev goes on.
BESIDES the COWS and horses and sheep.
the fires OF campers have also done wsnton
destruction. In the Yellowstone Park.
which is under the National Government, a
camper who does not put out his fire is
heavily fined
Mounted patrolmeD see that this law is
enforced. The Yosemite Commissioners
have been Indifferent on this subject and
considerable ruin from these campers fires
have been the result
What the Commissioners should have
done years ego would have been to have
employed systematic method of dealing
with improvements N the valley instead of
changing their plan aud policy with each
year.
"They should have obtained the services
OF skilled and expert landscape gardener,
and LET all improvements be under his su-
perry sion.
Then all this destruction could have
been aYerted. There can be n o Intelligent
and useful administration Of affairs in the
valley unless Improvements are directed by
an expert landscape gardener who will see
that systematic and Artistic plan is pur-
sued in the work.
Another instance Of the mismanagement
of the Commissioners" continued Mr.. Muir,
rs seen in the way a monopoly controls all
rights and privileges in the valley
Horses are allowed TO pasture and trees
ana bushes are cut down at liberty.
lsltors are feeeed and charged high
prices Tor everything THIS sho uld not be
allowed,
Again, the commission is generally the
creation OF political influences. While this
continues the members will always be in
some way dominated by outside interests
Politics have had more TO do with the spoil-
alton and rulDation Of the valley than any
other cause"
~ ~ ~ t"foi VI t1e Hatlnbal GOVefn-
ment resuming control Of the Yosemite ?"
Most emphatically / am" was the an
sWeT Of Mr. Muir II am, as president Of the
Sierra Society, at present working for the
recession Of the Yosemite 10 the Federal
Government.
This would stop the msmanagement.
take the valley out of politics, insure intel
ligent and artistic improvements, and give
nature chance TO Teconp herself In restor-
Ing he delicate tTaceTY OF bloom and bios
som 70 the valley.
You ask how this restoration to the
national Government can be accomplished.
Wei, there are two plans which are being
considered. The first one is the introduce