The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-08-17

ton when one remembers the tremendous
volcanic forces that are continually as
work and must find vent somewhere in a
region where exist so close ~ the surface
evidences Of subte<ranean fires.
Other volcanic disturbances are taking
place in the mountains Of Arizona and
Wyoming. and the belief OF the Indians
who formerly inhabited this neiShborhood
NAV vet be verifcd-that the future Is Gcs-
tined 10 witness an entire Upheayal OF this
portion Of the country. Not long ago your
correspondent rode 20 the base Of = noun
tain Of sulphur the heat Of which was IN
bearable 10 feet above the level No in
ducement could induce the Indian guide
10 approach within leo yards This Is true
Of numerous places IL the locality, the
simple minded rcd men believing Il - be
the abode Of evil spirits.
Every student OF geography knows that
the Yellowstone park l. situated IL the
most elevated portion of the Rocky noun
tains. From the nearby summit of Mount
WaShburn may be seen the peaks in which
are born the rills that grow into the
mightiest rivers Of the United States. the
dividing wall, as il were, TO the east Of
which flow the waters that feed the At
lantic and 10 the west those which merge
in the Pacific ocean BY act OF congress
in 1872 the land was withdrawn from the
public domain and devoted in perpetuity
10 the use and pleasure Of the people aS =
national park. 1t i 30 miles from east to
west and 90 miles from north % south. n
tract OF territory comprising about 5, 575
square miles, or an area goo miles greater
than the states Of Rhode Island and Della
ware combined.
The lowest elevation of any Of the val
leys being 5000 feet above the sea. the
nights are seldom free from frost, and yet
SO marvellous is the formation that with
in 200 yards of your campfire you may boil
an egg or blister your hands in the neigh
boring stream. Everywhere are pictures
that excite wonder, terror or delight.
There are mountains capped with snow,
precipiceS the sides of which glow with all
the cOlors OF the rainbow, mighty cata-
ractS that make one forget the grandeur OF
Niagara, woods carpeted with beautiful
moses, forests Astounding in game and
lakes with fish. When President Arthur
and General Sheridan visited the park
few years ago, they more than once caught
trout in one stream. and without moving
from their tracks cooked them in another
without taking them from the line. This
feat has been frequently repeated within "A
mile Of the Mammoth Springs hotel and
no longer forms the theme of some worn
out fish story"
Tho Norris Geyser basin, in which the
recent disturbances have occurred, is only
90 miles distant, but by reason of the
mountains 10 be climbed and the difficult
ties of travel it is a long days journey.
When reached, however, one is well repaid
for his trouble. The entire basin is a col
lection Of hot springs and pools greatly
varying in color, some being jet black,
others brown, still others white rs snow or
yellow as sulphur. The air is filed with
nOisome Odors, and the earth shakes and
rumbles. Here and there you see irregu-
larry shaped masses OF crystals, TO which,
according to their fancied resemblance,
names are given, such as the Twins
and the "Triplets" Some arc alive and
others dead or dormant. Some Of the
springs are paint pots, " which boil incos-
sanity their pasty clay of divers colors and
sputter angrily. The whole scene is strange
and picturesque. The contrasts are won
derful. For instance, Just at the le 81
the road, within rod or two Of mud
pot, " is the Emerald pool, - so called be
purest water of the blush green tint II
a beryL Immediately behind this pool, at
the foot Of a ridge, is what IS known rs
Tho Minute Man, - because from an orr
fee in the rock about 8 inches in Diane
ter spurts bold stream 10 the height Of
% or 30 feet every so seconds. Near by In
q small cove, enshrined, as it were, among
rough powders Of gorgeous colors, IL the
Monarch" which spouts once in "a
hours a stream from 100 TO 125 feet high.
The flow of hot water is immense.
Why an earthquake or volcano should
concentrate its force in one locality more
than another is beyond scientific ken, in
asmuch as wherever you turn similar
conditions are found and even stranger
phenomena are To be seen In the Mon
ument Geyser basin" for instance, one
has to exercise caution IN forcing the
streams lost the horse 5 feet be scalded ia
the boiling springs that line the banks.
Most remarkable among all the geyscrs,
however, is the Excelsior" the monster
geyscr Of the world. II is in the form II
an immense pit $50 feet in length and 200
feet wide at the widest part. When this
breaks loose, as it does at long and irrugu-
lar intervals, the roar and rumble u tho
vast volume Of water ascending 300 or 600
feet may be heard and felt for miles
The neighboring "F1Pehoie' river over
flows its banks and the entire valley ~
thrown into a state Of commotion- When
in rcpOse, however, IL "a boiling caldrDn
can be SO described, the surrounding scene
IS Of marvellous beauty, one Of it, lOvsliest
features being the countless tiny rivUIets
ripping toward the river on = field q
white in which you discern every possible
shade q color from vivid scarlet 20 bright
rose and every shade Of yellow 70 a delicate
cream. Some Of the channels are lined
with silken fibrOus n aterssl that vibrates
with ever movement u the water. They
are the one rcdceming trait % what has
been sptly described ~ Hell = Half Acre
II was here that the writer IN one -
bis early visits 70 the park found Chester
A. Arthur. The President Was WRAPPED
in meditation, gazing In silence on these
wonderful manifestations % nature. " tn
his escort he had come UP from the Indian
Territory and had seen much, bat he con
fsssed that nothing rivaiod tho mingled
grandeur and beauty 81 this spot
Not the half has been told, yet from ths
imperfect description already gwen y
may be easily imagined that y any place
IN the United Sta-es oGcrs Inducements
% the pentup forces o. Mother Bz-rh iDr
Q first class shake up. " such - appears
70 have taken pIaoe On small sole in
Norris Geyser basin. 10 s. hight bers - TIE
Yellowstone National Ts-E-
z. g. IL FoSTA-EE
Bri-r-I see you had your picture - F
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