The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-08-13
81. o. r.,
Aug. 10. 1873"


....-...................:.
This mute record Of an unknown visitor
mas never been explained No hunter or
trapper Of early days bore those Initials.
1t would be possible, yes, easy, to I'LL
an entire page with descriptions of tho
wonders that can be seen in the six
Gays stage ride over the road than en-
circles the park, and they are SO s,Irpris-
ing and so unique as to offer an almost
Irresistible temptation to grow eloquent.
cut better descriptions than I can give
are FOUND In the multitude of books and
magazine articles that have been nlib
1shed about the park The utera tura
pertaining TO 1t Is a library of itself, and
yet the half has not been told; nor have
the learned pundfts who spend much of
thelr lives investigating these phenomena
reached satisfactory conclusions in regard
TO some of Them Perhaps the greatest
mystery Is an acoustic phen omenon that
appears near the continental divide.
early In the morning, usually soon aft
er daybreak, at Shoshone lake. a strange
sound is heard In the air. 1t begins softIv
IN the remote distance, resembling tho
singing OF telegraph wires, some have
salo, or the peculiar whir of a trolley oar
1t grows louder and louder as It approach
es the nearer, then decreases after If has
passed him, and dies away In the onnosite
olrectlon. The sound has been compared
TO various familiar things nv difperent
people who have heard, 1t. Prof Forha,
Tor example, says that It reminded him Of
an aeolian harp. . Edward Linton com
pdreo IL To the humming Of a swarm or
pees; others have likened 1t to the sound
OF the music Of distant bells. and tba
imagination Of many observers has found
various forms Of comparison, but the phe-
nomenon itself has never had a satisfao
tory solution TIE
ports with the picturesque surroundinoa
ana even the most practical and hard
headed man visitor must feel q sensa or
| awe IN the presence of this remarkable
sound in the air. The easiest EXPLANATION
Ia to attribute the sound to the electric
currents in the atmosphere.
Other electric phenomena ara frenuer+,v
observed In the park, and they some
CInes nave practical illustration Of tba
proYerb about lightning from a clear sl1v
For example John R. Renshaw. one Of
the chief tepographers of the geological
survey, relates g. most extraordinary in
cldent that occurred while he was cross
ing Yellowstone lake in a boat soma wears
ago: When about half way across. a
Iash OF lightning from a clear sky strl1ck
the mast, killed the, oarsman. who SAT
on the seat to which 1t was fastened. and
stunned the other members of the PARTY
VINO fell unconscious into the bottom Of
the boat. For several days thereafter the
survivors were partially paralyzed, but
none suffered permanent injury EXCEPT
from the shock to the nerves The man
VINO was killed was badly burned a bout
the head, and the bolt left a dark streak
as 1t passed down his body. His hat was
torn to pieces, his wooden shirt was rip
ped into fragments and shriveled as II IL
mad been exposed to a slow fire, his buck
skin gauntlet gloves were ripped apart in
all the seams and the soles of his boots
were almost completely separated from
the uppers. A heavy silver watch he
carried in his pocket was partially melt
ed
Mr.. Renshaw thinks the party must
have lain unconscious in the drifting boat
for two hours or more. When they re-
covered the sun was shining as brightly
and the sky was as clear of clouds as
when the bolt fell. Upon reaching camp
the Chinese cook reported that he had
heard the report of the thunder, which so
disturbed the mules that they left their
grazing and ran down to the tents for
protection Similar phenomena have been
noted by other people.
1t Is gratifying to notice how appro-
priately the different features of the park
have been named. The christening Of the
springs and the geysers was singularly
happy, and in nearly every case the
names are characteristic. Capt. Chitten-
den says most Of them were spontaneous
suggestions to early explorers while re-
ceivIng their first Impressions. but they
could scarcely be improved by study and
reflection
There is. however. single cause Of
complaint, more to lack of respect to
our national legislature than to any otner
reason. A geyser In Norris basin has
been christened In honor of the congress
| of the United States, because It's waters
are so muddy that no one can see the
bottom. because it sputters all the time
and makes a great noise and does moth
ing"
This seems to be worthy OF attention
Of the next senate and house of represen-
tatives.