Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1898-10-20
Yellowstone National Park.
A Letter from Rev. Frank Mcdaniel.

Any person who has travelled from
Portland, Ore, to st. Paul, Mimi,
can have some sympathy for Matthew
Arnold, who said upon his return from
this country that America was unin-
teresting. A ride across the continent
convinces you that the scenic interest
is not sustained throughout. The
points of interest are isolated and can
only be reached by long journeys oc-
cupying days over weary distances.
l left Tacoma, Wash, at 5 o'clock
in the afternoon of September 8, and
after ride of more than one thous-
and miles, reached Livingstone, Mont,
the rendezvous for the tourists who
come from the East and West to visit
Yellowstone Park. From this point
a branch road of the Northern Paci-
fc extends ffty-one miles south to
Cinnabar, near the northern boundary
Of the park. The ride from Living
stone to Cinnabar is picturesque. The
Yellowstone River and several canons
and the famous Devils Slide in turn
attracted attention and call forth ad-
mirahon.
By ten o'clock we reached the lit
tie town of Cinnabar, and the mem
bers Of the company from all sections
Of our land and foreign lands mingle
together in a chattering group. While
the baggage is being arranged, lasting
friendships have beginnings. AT last
the last piece Of baggage is arranged,
the tourists climb up to their places,
the drivers crack their whips, and the
large six-horse tallyhos move rapidly
up the mountain. After a delightful
ride of seven miles, Mammoth Hot
Springs Hotel is reached. Here every
person Immediately invests in guide
book and begins to study. The nota-
bic thing at this grand old hotel is
the immense lobby. Here the eminent
lawyers, dignifed judges, learned, en-
ergetic business men and cultured la
dies mingle, and by the time the guide
announces the first exploring trip the
aggregate of ideas is goodby.
The tour through the Park occupies
five and one-half days, every moment
of which is of greatest interest to the
traveller.
The afternoon of the first day is oc-
cupied in visiting the springs and
beautiful terraces in the immediate
neighborhood of the hotel. The first
object which attracts attention is Lib
erty Cap, an extinct hot spring cone,
which is over fifty feet high. The
three largest and most beautiful for
nations are the Minerva, Jupiter and
Angel terraces. The first is mass
of deposit forty feet in height and
covering three-fourths Of an acre,
with hot spring on the summit twen-
ty feet in diameter, and the water Of
which has temperature Of 100 de-
grees Fahrenheit. The Jupiter ter
race is the largest of the formation,
covering an area of five acres, and
the spring is 100 feet in diameter.
Three things nightly impress the
Inspector, namely, the wonderful trans
parency of the water, the delicate
tints, the coloring and the bewildering
variety of form. a competent critic
has compared them to the most bril-
liant aniline dyes. The entire region
is one of exquisite beauty, but withal
holds a person in great bewilderment
at the wonders.
Late in the afternoon, the guide
stopped and announced"Devil's Kitch-
en-. It is the crater of an extinct
hot spring, and can be entered with
safety. A few of the more adventure
some descended.
When I passed through the small
opening at the top and started down
the ladder, was conscious Of a de-
cided change in the temperature, and
the lower I descended the hotter it
became. At the bottom I met sever
al of the party, among them two la
dies, who had the proper grit and
daringly undertook the descent. Our
visit to the Kitchen was very brief,
since the place evidently had not
been ventilated for our call. The
heated atmosphere of that hole made
the fresh air very welcome.
The tour proper begins on the
morning of the second day. As the
members of the party appear on the
platform for an early start, you are
impressed with the change in the ap-
pearance of all. The ladies have left
their tailor-made suits in their trunks
and appeared in sensible walking suits
| j .o,,4 Loo+e o,5 tba ,,a,, --ora,ol