The record-union., 1898-03-08
YOSEMITE VALLEY ROAD.
FAIR PROSPECT THAT TT WILL
SOON BE BUILT.
Congressman De Vries' Bill Favor
ably Reported to the House
of Representatives.

he3uerS OF the. RECORD O1llOll are
all familiar with the proposition TO
have the United States Government
build model road into the Yosemite
Valley Which shall be free to all. Con-
gresham Marion De Vries. the act
i've, energetic and tireless representative
of this district in the House of Repre-
sentatives, has pushed the matter SO
that there is now every proba bility that
the road will be built.
On the Sth of February Mr.. De Vries
introduced the following bill:
A bill to examine, determine and report
the facts necessary to the establish
ment of free public highways into
the Yosemite National Park, and ap-
propriaing moneys therefor
Be it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the United
States Of America, in Congress assem-
bled, That the Secretary of War be-
and he hereby is. authorized, and with
in ten days after the passage of this
Act required, to select and appoint
three Commissioners, one of whom shall
be d member of the Engineer Corps OF
the regular army Of the United States
one of whom shall be some officer OF
said army who shall have been on duty
at least two years in said Yosemite
National Park, both of whom shall Act
herein without additional compensa
ton, and one of whom shall be civil
engineer and member of the Depart
ment of Highways of the State Of Cat
ifornia, who shall be paid only his ac-
tual expenses incurred in performance
of the duties herein imposed, and the
I77ffo Nf hi go
mission shall be, as early as practica-
Bile, and prior to the first Monday ir
December, ammo Domini eighteen hum
dred and ninety-eight. to do and report
as hereinafter provided
Section . That said Commission
shall proceed to examine. determine
and report to Congress the lengths ge
ographical and actual; widths, eleva-
tions, comparative and actual; grades
average, highest and lowest; ownership,
cost of construction and the items con-
stituting such, present actual value.
rates of toll charged thereupon, annual
and aggregate tolls collected thereby,
annual and aggregate cost of mainIe-
nance thereof and the items constitut-
ing such, the courses and directions
thereof, the conditions thereof. and the
length of season each is open to travel
and actually travelled by the public, or
closed by reason of snow or otherwise,
of each of what is known as the Big
Oak Flat toll road, the Coulterville toll
road, the Wawona toll road and the
Tioga road, all being roads in and
about the Yosemite National Park Of
California
Section 3. That it shall examine, sur
vey and report to Congress the lengths.
geographical and actual; widths. eleva-
tions, comparative and actual; grades.
highest and lowest; ownership Of the
routes, probable cost of construction
and items constituting the same, prob
able annual cost of maintenance there
of and the items constituting the same,
the courses and directions thereof. the
length of seasons each may be mac
eessible to the public for travel by
reason of snow or otherwise, of pro-
posed wagon road leading from a point
in said Yosemite Valley down the Mer-
ced River TO a point in Merced County
or Stanislaus County, and of another
possible wagon road from a point IN
said valley to a point in Tuolumne
County, and of another possible wagon
road from a point in said valley to
point in Mariposa County, all in said
State, and of a possible wagon road
connecting the eastern terminus Of said
Tioga road at Tioga or thereabouts
with a point at present accessible t.
travel by wagon road in Mono County
in said State, and Of a wagon roai
from Hetch Hetchy Valley in the Yo-
semitic National Park to the most ac-
10 int hi inrI,st
into said Yosemite Valley, and of any
other possible practicable wagon road
into said Yosemite Valley
Section A. That said Commission is
hereby authorized and empowered to
employ all necessary Labor and do al!
acts and things necessary to a COM
plete, effectual and speedy accomplish
ment of the purposes of this Act.
Section 5. That for the purpose of
carrying out the provisions of this Act
the sum of three thousand dollars, or
so much thereof as may be necessary.
be, and the same is hereby. approprl-
ated, out of any money in the Treas
ury not otherwise appropriated, to be
used and expended for the purposes of
this Act
REPORT OF COMMITTEE.
On February 26th, Mr.. De vries.
from the Committee on Public Lands,
submitted the following report
The Committee on the Public Lands
have had under consideration House
Bill 1877, and report the same back
with the recommendation that the bill
do pass, and submit the following facts
in support of the same:
The area of Yosemite National Park
was defined by Act Of Congress ap-
proved October 1st, 1890 in which said
Act it is provided:
Section > That said public park
shall be under the exclusive control
of the Secretary of the Interior, whose
duty it shall be. as soon as practicable
to make and publish such rules ana
regulations as he may deem necessary
or proper for the care and manage
ment of the same. Such regulations
shall provide for the preservation from
injury Of all timber mineral deposits,
natural euriosities, or wonders within
said reservation and their retention II
their natural condition. The Secretary
may. In his discretion, grant leases tor
building purposes, for terms not ex-
ceeding ten years, of small parcels os
ground not exceeding five acres, a
such places In said reservation as shall
require the erection of buildings for
the accommodation of visitors; all of
the proceeds of said leases and othei
revenues that may be derived from any
source connected with said reservation
to be expended. under mis- direction. in
the mana cement of the same and the
construction of roads and paths there
in. He shall provide against the wan
ton destruction OF the fish and game
found within said reservation. and