The evening times., 1898-10-22
THE YELLOWSTONE PARK
Annual Report of Superin-
tendent James B. Erwin.
TO PREVENT POACHING
An Account Kept of All Who Enter
and Travel Through the Great
National ReservatiOn-StageC Coach
Robbers of 1897 Convicted and
Sentenced to the Penitentfary.

The annual report of Capt. James B.
Erwin, acting superintendent of the YeI-
lowstone National Park, was transmitted
to the Secretary of the Interior today.
Capt Erwin in part says:
AT the time of departure of my prede-
cessor there remained an unexpended
balance of s660l with which to keep in
repair the road from Mammoth Hot
Springs to Gardiner City, which, on sc-
count of its location In the canyon of the
Gardiner River, must be constantly work
ed the winter season; to protect the game
of the park during the winter months
from poachers; to open up the usually
Travelled route of tourists, who begin Wis
iting the park on the 1st of June, and
keep the same In repair until the appro-
proation for this year should become
available. Owing to the very small bal
ance of the appropriation remaining un-
expended l had to rely mainly for pro-
tecting the game upon the services of
Lieut. Lindsey, Fourth Cavalry, and
Scouts Morrison and Whitaker with the
assistance of the soldiers winter sta
tion and in garrison. The work done by
this officer and these men was of the
highest Importance TO the park in the
protection of its game, to a large extent
prevented poaching. and resulted, in con-
nection with the mild weather of last
winter in large increase of the game
life of all descriptions
The stage robbery which occurred in
the park on August H. 1897. an account
OF which was given by my predecessor in
his report, was brought to an end by the
trial and conviction of George Reeb and
Gus. SmitZer. at Cheyenne, Wyo., before
United States Court. and they were SEN
fenced to two and one-half years in the
penitentiary.
ITO supply the various demands of the
public for transporta tion through the park
II has been found necessary to have and
adopt different kinds, viz: Regular stage
lines, steamboat transportation on Lake
Yellowstone, licensed and private trans
portation. whether by wagon, pack train.
horseback or bicycle.
Licensed transportation includes a
number OF individuals, who, under license
from the department, are authorized TO
personally conduct parties through the
park, furnishing the necessary camp equi-
page and food. Private transportation, as
its name implies. includes all other go
ing through the park, using transportation
of their own, of whatever nature.
For the purposes of protection and po-
lice it has been found necessary to register
at certain places in the park all persons
travelling through IL. exclusive of those
transported by the regular stage lines. and
below will be found table giving the
number of travellers in the park this year
and the kind of transportation used.
The most difficult task that the acting
superintendent has to accomplish is to
carry out the provisions of the dedicatory
act of the park, setting it aside for the
benefit and enjoyment of the people. Were
it thrown open to the people, without re-
strictions of any sort, il would be only a
short time before it would cease to be
pleasuring ground, while. on the other
hand, the restrictions should be of such
a nature only TO preserve intact, not
only for the present but for the future.
the salient and wonderful features which
have made the park the most remark
able. well the most scientifically in
teresting, place in the world. The re-
strictions as now established and sane
toned by the Interior Department and en-
forced by the acting superintendent of the
park through the military force under his
command. though sometimes misunder-
stood and not appreciated by a few of the
travellers of the park, seem TO fully and
completely accomplish the object for
which the park was set aside, and | am
glad TO say the intentional violators of
the rules and regulations of the park
have been very few.
1T has been found necessary to keep a
complete and accurate record of all who
enter and travel through the park, ex-
cept those who enter by the stage lines
a record of whom is kept at hotels, and
this is also done by the soldiers stationed
al the various points in the park.