The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-21
ANOTHER LIST OF WONDERS
Fourth Days Itinerary Ia far-rsmed
Yellowstone Park.
MARVELLOUS SIGHTS DESCRIBED
Scenes That Inpress tho Observer with
ssustioas ofProfound Aws-Innumsr'
sbis Gsyssrs. Springs and Paint
Pots-lu Worlds Wonderland.
Written for The Tribune.

Written for The Tribune.
A surprise awaits the weary traveller
at Lower Geyser Basin. After long
days ride, and with the mind crowded
with sightseeing, 1t Is q pleasure 70
find rest in large. roomy hotei' such
as is the Fountain hotel. capable OK ac-
commodating 250 guests and eQuai IN
all respects TO the Mammoth.
Upon entering it's commodious Office
or reception room we find an enormous
fireplace and q huge backlog. The
walls are ornamented with mounted
heads Of animals native to the park,
among them elk. bison, deer, mountain
sheep, buffaloes and even bears. With
in the room We found a numerous COM
pany OF enthusiastic guests. These
park hotels have large parlors and IN
ner reception rooms. but they are usu-
ally deserted by the lady guests. who
prefer the comforts OF the large office
fireplace amid these curiosities and the
numerous pictures which adorn the
walls. A noticeable feature was the
attendants In uniform. From the head
waiter down the help were in full even
ing dress.
This hotel is located on a plateau
near Fountain geyser. the entire sur.
face being covered with a white de-
posit Of lime which looks like sheet
stretched over several acres Of ground.
The general appearance Of Lower Gey-
ser Basin IL far more pleasing than 1t
1s at the Norris. From the hotel We
randa the sight of the vast eXpanse Of
plain and mountain IL one Of peace and
content and even wonderment, as the
countless pillars and clouds OF steam
from various geysers break the quiet
monotony.
FIREHOLE VALLEY.
This Is called Firehole valley, and
while like q valley we are u thousand
feet higher than the summit of Mount
Washington. or seven times higher In
vertical height above sea level than is
the city Of Scranton or Honesdale. The
real geysers. the geysers that are beau
tiful and grand. are found here and In
Upper Geyser Basin and the valley OF
the Firehole river. As matter of fact
there is nothing in the known world
In phenomena of the geyser sort 10
equal what Is found here. This Lower
Geyser Basin covers an area of thirty
30 Iorty square miles. contains twenty
i1ve Thousand acres. and In 1t are 693
not springs, exclusive of seventeen
geysers: while up and down this region
are l,O9S hot springs and forty three
geysers. The central portion of this
basin Is nearly a level plateau six IN
seven miles wide and only partially
timbered. the general elevation being
1850 feet. while the slopes. which are
heavily ttmbered. are from four hun
dred to eight hundred feet higher Two
prominent peaks westward called Twin
buttes. overlook the entire basin.
On arriving here and alighting from
Their carriages the tourists usually drop
their baggage at the hotel and start out
10 take In some OF the sights before
evening. The nearest and the principal
attractions here are the Fountain Gey-
SCI. MUD Springs and Mammoth paint
pots. located near the hotel.
The nrst interesting grouJ of springs
we noticed, lie at the foot Of the bluffs.
concealed from view by the trees. These
are of great beauty. One Is a white
cavern. from which the water bubbles
over black pebbles: another is a white
mud pot: u third Is beautiful white
basin with cliff-like sides, the hot water
clear and tinted blue. There are thir-
ty-six springs In this group but no gey-
sers. rhe so-called '"rhud Group
about q half mile beyond, covering six
teen acres. contains springs so deep that
they cannot be measured, or have not
been measured. The wealth of colors
and the forms of the deposits about
this group are remarkable.
FOUNTAIN GEYSER.
But on a small geyserlte ridge facing
the hotel. a third Of a mile distant. is
the Fountain Geyser." typical exam
pie OF a first-class geyser In fact. This Is
the first one Of real magnitude the tour
list meets. 1t IL reached by q board
walk mainly. while planks cover the
streamlets. which constantly overflow
the formation. It was our good fortune
to witness the fountain in action several
times during our two days stay in this
Secti0n--in the edge Of the evening as
the sun sank below the horizon; at mid
night, when reflected by the moons
rays; and at sun rise, when the white
steam columns rose skyward sixty feet,
In the mellow glow OF the morning, and
also from the hotel veranda, where we
secured valuable photographs.
Before the midnight eruption there
was a great noise whi Weakened the
sleepers at the hotel. This disturbance
lasted about fifteen minutes: then all
was quiet for two hours. These noises
are like the distant restlessness of a
menagerie Of wild beasts or the grumb-
ling tones Of enraged elephants.
The Fountain geyser has by its own
overflow built up q formation about
seventy-fve feet high. covering many
dCIcS Ill eXtcut. Is well HdUleu, IOT III
is more like beautiful fountain, de-
signed to ornament the hill in front of
the Fountain hotel. than like a water
volcano throwing off its surplus water
out Of a crater in a hap-hazard way
In the center Is q pool thirty-ive feet
in diameter and from Its many vents
hot steam and water continually. flow
On :he cne side is mound OF beaded
geyserite: on the other a large pool to
receive the overflow of the crater. The
cone Is rim-like formation built up to
q height of three or four feet. The
geyser can be relied upon to spout with
great force every two or three hours
from ten to fifteen minutes. Indica-
tions OF eruption are when both pool
and crater are full of water to the rim.
After the flow 1t falls eighteen inches
below. Next to the Fountain geyser
near to the edge of the terrace, is a
group of springs deposlting ferric acid
so very abundantly that the ground
appears to be deluged in blood. A pc
culiar feature nearby Is Tidal POOL
spring, where the water rises and falls
with the tide.
MAMMOTH PAINT POTS.
Some 400 feet to the right of the
Fountain. separated by frings of trees
is located the most remarkable mud