Evening star., 1896-09-11
YELL OWSTONE PARK
The Bufaloes Are Nearly All Gone From
There.
Poachers Have Been Caught With
... bison Heads in Their Possession
- and systematically ,Punished.- :

Yellowstone National Park has received
no improvements ibe past year. because
the Northern Pacific RAILROAD is the princi-
pal stockholder in, the park association
ana Is unable to spend money on it. Cant
Anderson, In his fifth annual report, Just
nied with Secretary Francis, says there is
great need Of new hotels and lunch houses
There should be al hotel at Upper Geyser
BASIN and at the Thanh of the Lake. This
Is TO accommodate the class of visitors who
nave abundant means, and after coming
long distances to see the beauties AMI
wonders OF the park. are disappointed if
| they do not find good hotel accommoda-
tions There is large class of visitors
who go through the park in camping par
ties IN charge of licensed conductors The
authorities in charge OF the park confess
that these parties annoyrthem not a little
they are careless about their camp fires
and continually threaten serious damage
by fires. Besides this they are not so senti-
mental as they might be in their regard for
should be pre- served from curiosity hunters.
Capt. Anderson would like to have all the
Accommodate in the park monopol:Zed
by one company, and the terms kept rea-
that ought, he thinks. to be consolidated
under one control is the Yellowstone Lake
steamboat franchise. The present steam
boat company desires to rush tourists
through the park as 1t receives the same
pay whether stop-over privileges are grant
ed or rot. The hotel people, on the other
| hand. would like to prolong the stay of
visitors. Thus there Is .clashing Of in
terests.
'-t"""t" Travel FnIlingeOR.
Travel to the park has fallen off last
year, and this because Of the hard times.
Last snow blocked some Of the
roads until June 20. Still. $500 people visit
| ed the park. One Of the important things
done this year has been the survey of the
west boundary line by Lieut. Bromwell.
Suitable monuments have been set up, so
that hereafter this line will not nuctuate a
quarter OF mile or So according as there
Is high or low water in the lakes from
which the boundary was originally descrb-
ed. stones have been set up to mark the
east point Of Yellowstone lake, its south
point, and the west point Of Shoshone lake,
as well as the initial points Of the four
boundaries Of the park. Great danger was
apprehended all last summer from fires.
Inc season was exceptionally dry, and
campers were careless, as usual. The pa
trols mad to be more than ever cautious.
| Over 100 camp fires were extinguished, any
one OF which might have caused a terrible
forest confiagra ton. Outposts have been
maintained all over the park. and roads
Dullt, SO as to reach them with supplies.
Inc wyoming approach to the park is In
ialr condition, and the road is rapidly being
improved. 1 Much road building was done
| last year also, on the east and west ap-
breaches. Although the area of the park
| Is greater than that of the state of Con-
hectlcut; but $4,000 has for several years
peen ailowed for its protection and i'm
pioVeinent Ih1S year $55,OO0 is available
capt Anderson thinks 100000 ought to be
appropriated for about two years, and then
| tne ROADS could be completed and surfaced
WIN WIN stone. This, he supposes, would an
tlc1pate and stop the demand for trolley
roads.
Poaching.
Poaching has gone on during the year.
Zen carcasses Of buffalo were found last
| summer. One man was caught with four
pu1falo heads in his possession. He and
| his relatives swore the killing was done in
ldaho and he got off. The trial was so ex-
pensive efas to him, however. that it had good
| MADE on north boundary and the parties
hned $50 each. The Wy6ming and Mon
| tana authorities seem willing to cooperate
! against the trespassers. Paaho people seem
! inclined to encourage poaching. All kinds
| OF game, except buffalo. 1are increasing in
| the park.
Zoo here in Washirig gton In November six
eik, hve antelope ut four, ,ebeaver and two
black black lear cubs, together with several
It is not known how many buffalo there
are in the park, r. herHl of eigh. visited
| the corral provided for their shelter last
winter, but wandered off again. Scattered
punches .s have beengseen, oand it is possible
derson says it is d5ubtful problem
whether he will be lable 10 save them. Ma
ture and man are both against them, he
| says.
In his recommendations, after asking
sloo,ooO for roads, Captain Anderson sug-
sests putting another company Of troops
| In the park.
1t is likely that Congress will allow extra
| pay to Captain Anderson in accordance
| with precedents in similar places. There
Is an unusual drain upon his hospitality
from private and official visitors, and he
says 1t takes all his pay to meet the re-
auirements of the place Similar GLOW
ances are made at West Point, the military
prison and Carlisle Indian school. The ad-
jutant general last year recommended such
| action, but Congress passed 1t over.
The republican campaign in Connecticut