The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-13
THE YELLOWSTONE GEYsERs.
Denial of Statement Concerning
Approaching Extinction

4
The following statement concerning the
Yellowstone geyser5 is furnished By Capt
| Fl. M. Chittenden. Corps of Engineers u
| S. A.. in charge of the improvement of
| Yellowstone Park:
| There was recently published in French
| scientific paper, 'Ciel ct Terre," of Paris,
an article on the Yellowstone National
Park in which the writer who had lately
visited the Park holds chat the geysers ara
rapidly approaching extinction. The arti-
Gle has been widely copied throughout the
United States. and has gone long way to-
ward creating an impression that the Yell
lowstone wonderland, so far as regards
the hot springs and geysers, is practically
a thing OF the past.
Both In his premises and conclusions the
author of this article is wholly astray. and
1t is good example of how even n scien-
tifc observer may draw wrong conclusions
II he fails to examine all sides of ques-
tion. few examples will illustrate.
Roaring Mountain, which the author OF
the "Ciel de Terre' article did not hear roar.
never has roared to any noticeable extent.
some enthusiastic explorer in past years
happened by this hill when there was an
excessive escape of steam. heard the loud
shrill sound which it caused, and dignified
the hill with the name of Roaring Noun
tain. But ii is doubtful if anyone has ever
heard it roar any more than it does now:
certainly it is as active as Ii has been for
fifteen or twenty years past.
The Growler is another example in which
the authors conclusions are exactly the
opposite of the facts This steam vent has
quadrupled in power in the past ten years.
A close observer would have seen this. IL
he had taken note of the great destruction
which is going on in the surrounding trees.
There are several acres Of ground around
hi <fts At-
killed during the past six years. Obvious
ly its force and volume have greatly in
creased, or its destructive influence would
not be so much extended.
A little enquiry would further have
shown this Investigator that close by the
Grower the Government has in recent
years been compelled to change its road
because of the outbreak of new springs
and geysers of great energy and power. In
fact this entire basin. called the Norris
Geyser Basin. is steadily increasing in ac-
tivity.
The old Fountain Geyser in the Lower
Firehole Basin has indeed become extinct,
but its energy has been transferred to an
other near by which appeared simuitane-
ously with the disappearance Of the old.
The Great Fountain Geyser displays the
same activity that it did when first de-
scribed by Folsom in 1869
Excelsior Geyser has been in eruption but
two or three times since the discovery OF
this region. 1t is the most powerful geyser
in the Park and during its last eruption it
burst through the rim which separates it
from the Firehole River. This let the water
in the pool escape and lowered its level
several feet The relief of pressure thus
brought about very likely accounts for its
failure to be in eruption in recent years:
but its volume of discharge is as great as it
ever was.
Old Faithful shows no perceptible change
either in regularity or height of eruption.
The Bee Hive is less frequent in eruption
than it used to be. but others in the neigh
borhood are more active
Geyser action on tine shore of the yell
lowstone Lake is more vigorous than 1t
was ten years ago. Mud Geyser in the
past few years has shows more violence
and power than ever before since it was
discovered. The springs on Sulphur Moun-
tain appear exactly as they did ten years
ago. The various features throughout the
Park known as Paint Pots show no per-
ceptible change.
The mammoth Hot Springs show more
change than any other feature, But this
is due to migration rather than extinction.
While the springs on one side are dying
out those on the other are increasing, and
it is difficult to say on which side the bal
ance lies.
To those long acquainted with the Park
the changes do not appear extensive. The
total sum OF thermal energy displayed
seems to be about the same as il was
twenty-five years ago. Springs die out and
others take their places. and there IS
constant change OF this sort going on. II
IN observer wanted to make out a case on
* parte testimony that the geysers are
extinct, he could easily do so.
With equal ease could he make out ex-
,ctly the opposite case.
1t is entirely probable that the broad
operation OF general causes is on the side
If ultimate extinction of all thermal ac-
ivity in this region. The evolution Of the
,arth is in that direction. But the process
S a very slow one. and the tourist in the
'ear 1000 will find things in this region
-ery much as we find them today.
Apart from the geysers and hot springs
he other scenic attractions remain the
arne but are more accessible than ever
,efore. while the function Of the Park as
game preserve is yearly increasing in
Importance.