The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-28

to each other are the Sponge. the
Giantess and the Lion, Lioness and
Cubs. The three last are called the
Trinity" They are located about forty
feet above the river bank. The Lioness
and Cubs lie close together and are in
action together, while the Lion. about
fifty feet distant, Is q powerful geyser
with cone four feet high and always
in commotiOn, but plays only once In
twenty-four hours for eight minutes.
The "Giantess" Is a stupendous geyser,
about 400 feet from Bee Hive. with
crater "a by "a feet. covering mound
900 feet in diameter at the base. The
depth of its basin Is sixty-three feet.
1t his an eruption once in fourteen days
throwing a stream $50 feet high. last
ing twenty four hours, at intervals OF
thirty minutes. The Subterranean
tremors and hoarse rumblings are ter
rible to feel, and after eruption they
are heard for hours. When In action,
II belches forth such a volume of water
as to raise the Flrehole river here
twenty feet wide, to double its present
depth.
THE SPONGE GEYSER.
The Sponge" situated a short dis
tance from the Giantess. derives its
name from q crater resembling q huge
sponge in form, texture and color. To
the left, further down the basin and
across the river are the Grand ana
Turban, Giant and Castle. the GrOtto
and Splendid. with great craters, inter-
esting to visit when at rest and mag
nificent when In action. / regret that
space does not admit of detailed ac-
count of them in this letter. 1t Is well
worth while to note the enormous work
,t-kS lat1 nrfn nr.nN Il
thesimmense Outpour daily from them.
A conservative estimate based upon
observations made in 1873 by the United
States geological survey shows that
the outpour on an average from erup-
tion of old Faithful alone Is not less
than 1,500,O00 gallons. which gives 49,
225. 900 gallons per day" This would
supply city Of 100000 population with
hot water.
AS We leave Upper Basin on our
drive. Old Faithful, 1.-The Guardian OF
the Valley" again shoots its great
column of water $50 feet in the air as
a parting salute and the other geysers
follow suit; the roaring, the thunder
ing and explosions of the sunderland"
cannon seem like a Fourth of July cele-
bration. only more terrible, more glo-
rious must confess it Is with reluct-
ance we leave this enchanting scene,
where perhaps a dozen of natures
wonders are sDouting and sparkling in
the sunlight of this our own National
park. and the Wonderland of the
World, the like Of which cannot be
found elsewhere on this earth.
TO YELLOWSTONE LAKE.
A new route from here has been
opened by the government engineers
over the crest of the continent to the
Yellowstone lake, distance Of eigh-
teen miles. 1t Is one of the most de-
lightful Of the several thoroughfares
of the reservation, leading as 1t does
through primeval forests, amid noun
tain scenery unsurpassed with here
and there green carpeted meadows ana
little parks, and broad expanses OF the
blue water to relieve the monotony OF
tall pines and spruce and snow-capped
mountain peaks. 1t Is well graded.
and Is laid out in graceful curves. 1t
Is strongly remindful of our Eastern
boulevards at many points.
Leaving the basin the road crosses
the Upper Firehole or Madison river
and follows along its ascending banks
for two miles to "kepler's Cascades"
a series of eight or ten enchanting falls,
where the water leaps from one rock
shelf to another. $50 feet down through
deep rock chasm. Here the tourist
alights and walks to the brink of the
cliff and gazes upon the Cascades and
foaming river and also photographs
them as they disappear. We follow
along this creek for two miles to the
third crossing where the road twists
and crawls through the wild, narrow,
and tortuous canyon of Spring Creek,
leaving the river for the ascent of the
Divide.
LONE STAR GEYSER.
At this points, a trail takes us to the
Lone Star Geysers," the last shooting
geyser we are to see on our trip. Its
cone is ten feet In height and twelve
feet in diameter at its base, and the
crater is fully six feet across. 1t is
striped with bands of white, lavender,
brown and shaded yellow, and Is COM
pletely covered with elegant pearl-like
beads. 1t resembles the face Of a man