, 1900-01-12


lions on the ACCESSIBILITY Of always
maintaining ample free bathing priyi
leges when the springs should becom,
the property of the government.
In 1894 the old ~pOstoffice Of TOrrey
creek, four miles above its mouth
mouth, was moved TO the mouth o.
of the creek and the name changed t.
Thermopolis, at the suggestion of DR.
S~chuslke. oils" the last half of the
word is for city, and the fact of their
being neal by hot or thermal springs
of course suggested the other half
Old Thermopolis was six miles below
the springs and on the west bank OF
the river. There was a store there in
1894. In 1895 a saloon, a boarding
house, a blacksmith shop and a drug
store were added. and a newspaper
the Big Horn River Pilot" was estab-
lished. In 1897 the ten mile square
was thrown open to settlement and a
new town was laid out at the southwest
corner of the state reserve of one mile
square. With the exception of one
family, everybody moved up from the
old town. The Big Horn River Pilot
moved also. Its editor had observed
that while tho hot springs were the
property of the Indians and bathing
and camping privileges were free to
all, that hundreds of families came ev-
cry year from all over northern Wyo-
ming, from southern Dakota and west
ern Nebraska and a few from MissOu-
ri. Colorado and other states; it kept
up a continuous argument in favor Of
maintaining the free bathing and
camping privileges. In this the Pilot
was ably seconded by nearly every
newspaper in Wyoming. The last leg
islature accepted the grant of the
springs and one mile square and passed
a Law reserving forever free to the peo-
pie %one-fourth of the water and the
main springs and also free camping
years 1899 and 1900 by which s12, 900
or $4,000 will be raised for improve
ments at the springs, principally the
building Of a bridge across the Big
Horn river. With the building of rail-
roads to the springs it is expected that
COmmodium hotels and sanitari-
ums will be established by wealthy
syndicates.
By the way, it should be mentioned
that in addition to the bathing places
already referred to Mr.. D. c. Bowman,
a proprietor of a plunge bath 2OX40
feet, and sheltered by a large tent. It
is an ideal swimming pool, as it is
emptied every night and fresh water
turned in every morning. At this
plunge bathing suits are used as at any
fashionable resort and both exc en-
joy the plunge. The plunge is seven
feet deep at one end and three at the
other.
A mile from the main springs of the
Big Horn group and in plain view Of
the formation, and the vast and ever
changing columns OF steam arising
from the springs is the pretty little
town of Thermopolis. 1t is 5000 feet
above the sea level and is surrounded
by picturesque hills. Four miles
south and in plain sight is the great
Of the Big Horn, where that riv-
er cuts through the Owl Creek noun
taipS a n,t1a nnrthnact nf fhn nnrna
where it cuts into the hot springs for
nation. All around are hills and can
ons as if old Nature had anticipated
the wants of man, the Big Horn wild
ems into a beautiful valley where the
own stands.
Since the first day of its existence,
T~hermopolis has grown steadily, and
at the present time numerous build
ings are in course of construction. The
now has an estimated population
of 300. There are four stores of gener-
saloons. two public halls, n barber
shop. w blacksmith shops, one MILL
merry store, two livery and feed stables,
n newspaper, n church, a bank and
a school with 80 pupils. Church SER
vices have been held in Thermopolis
from the time Of its birth, and very
early the Methodists secured lots. Rev.
|. c. Thompson, the pioneer preacher
of the Big Horn Basin, now resides
here, and it is through his efforts that
the First Methodist church building is
now being erected. 1t is 2S by 45 feet,
a frame building, and will cost be-
tween 81, 500 and $4,000.
While a large number of the build
ings in T~hermopolis are small and
erected on the real of the lots, many of
them would grace any city. Higgins
& McGrath, Slave & Smith, j. w. Mar
tin & Co., and George B.. Pardee have
completed stone business buildings, and
Andy Cameron a stone residence. The
Keystone hotel building. by j. L. Nc
Coy, is also of stone, and two stories
also a number of well made frame and
grout buildings. There are a good
many carpenters in town and they ap-
pear to be always busy, even during
the coolest weather. The town is for
tunate also in having among its resi-
dents one of the best stone masons in
the country, Mr.. Jerry Ryan. Or, to
be more exact, Mr.. Ryan resides on a
homestead adjoining the townsite, and,
of course. his residence is of stone.