The herald., 1897-08-19
How the State Is Caring for
Its Wonderland
COMMISSIONER KINNEY TALKS
REDUCED COST SHOULD IN
CREASE PATRONAGE
Plans for Further Improvement-To
Light the Falls by Electricity.
The Danger of Forest Fires


ite valley this year than in any one sea.
son in the past decade, and the cause has
been the opening of all three routes thi
lowering of rates and improved condi'
tions, for the existence of which Gov
Budd must be given the greater part Of
the credit" This remark was made yes
terday afternoon by Hon. Abbot Kinney
who has recently returned from an ex-
tended visit to that wonderland of the
Golden state, which he made in company
with c. s. Gibbons and c. G. Clinch, who
with himself compose the finance COM
raittee of the Yosemite valley commits
aon, which has charge OF the state res
ervation and control of all accommoda-
tions i'm the valley.
For the past six weeks" said MI.
Kinney. "the members of the finance
committee have been in the valley in
vestigating the conditions and endeav-
oripg to root out existing drawbacks
which have hitherto prevented many
from visiting this wonderful spot.
Through the efforts of Gov. Budd the
monopoly of the stage route combine
mas Deen DTOhtn anu iNS"S
opened up with a corresponding Se-
crease in the rates of fare. 'Where II
formerly cost $55 to make the round trip
from San Francisco to the valley, 1T can
now be done for S2450 by the cheapest
route, and from that to $S5 by the OLD
stage line, which, of course. has the pest
facilities for handling passengers rap
idly and comfortably. Supplementary
to the great cut in transportation rates
the commission has forced the lessee OF
the hotel to reduce his rates not to ex-
ceed SO per day.
s'Up to this year the average number
of visitors has not much exceeded l00O
in any one SCI eason but under the stlmu-
lus of the lower rates nearly half again
as many have already made the trip
One stage line alone carried 700 passer-
gers to the valley during the visit of the
Christian Endeavorers to the coast. so
great has been the crowd that it became
peces ssary to procure number OF tents
from the National Guard to accommo-
date them, but all were provided for in
a comfortable manner
1.-THE inner or state park comprises
81, 900 acres and contains over 1000 miles
of roads ard trails. Surrounding thl'
is the national reservation of 100000
acres. The state authorities have done
away with the collection of tolls on the
portions Of the roads under their super
vision, but the national government still
exacts toll from all travellers. Steps have
been taken by the commissioners to iD-
duce the authorities at Washington to
open the ROADS to free travel, and with
"a cr6x ~
ment is spending millions on the Yellow
stone and other national reservations,
but none on Yosemite, and the least it
could DO is to open the roads and thus
assist the state authorities in the en-
deavor to so cheaper the cost of visit
that all may have an opportunity to see
the valley.
among other Improvements, an elec-
trio light plant at hotel and camp is con-
templated. Incidentally the lights may
be used to illuminate the falls one or
two nights a week, and thus furnish an
other attraction without in the least de-
tracing from the natural beauties
During the past few months much has
been done toward beautifying the val
ley by removing fences, clearing up up-
d.erbrush and rubbish and in generally
assisting nature in every possible man
ner The fish commission has planted
thousands of trout in the streams, and
will keep the waters continually replen-
ished. Several Objectionable features
which had grown up among the conces-
sionaires have been obviated and the
place is now in a generally satisfactory
condition.
Another proposition which the COM
mission has under considerations is the
establishment by the Sierra club of a
headquarters in the park. The club is
composed of scientists ard possesses a
number of valuable maps of the noun
tain region, besides an extensive and
complete botanical collection. Several
of the members have expressed them
selves as favorable to the idea, and one
of the buildings may be set apart for
their use and the display of the maps
and collections.
Next year it is proposed to make a
special effort to bribg excursions to the
Yosemite from every part of the state
in fact, to make it dist inctively a Cali
forna year and enable every one to go'
this with a naive smile without
mortgaging all he's got. During the seS-
sion of the last legislature the Native
Sons were active in support of al
measures looking to the opening of the
park to all, and it is intended to organ
ize excursions from each of the 200 par
lors IN the state. Negotiat TORS have al
ready been opened with the Transports
ton companies and low rate is assured
Each parlor will notify the officials JUS
how many persons will come in its party
so that there may be no conflict of dates
and proper accommoda tions can be pro-
vided for all.
The entire park is at present in ths
best condition for years There have
been no destructive forest fires and the
sheepmen have been carefully kept off
Some persons have advanced the ids
that an annual burning is a good thing
that it keeps the underbrush down ard
the groves clear; but to my mind tina;
is fallacious. To prove it one has but
to compare the present state of the Yo-
semitic with the adjacent valley of the
Hetch-he tchy-the one beautiful and
outrageous, the other nearly denuded
of trees and with its once beautiful
groves rapidly disappearing The am
nual burning is an Indian custom and
is done for the purpose of consuming the
U1d'ergrowth and thereby preventing
serious forest fires To my mind it is
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