Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1900-07-27
IN THE PARK.
GEORGE PHELPS TELLS SOME IN
TERESTING FACTS OF A TRIP

81 ~ 4AIl|1<o OOV1E I'M
TEREsTING FACTS OF A TRIP
THROUGH THE YELLOWSTONE.
George Phelps of Fargo tells an in
'teresting story of a trip through yell
lowstone Park:
Our mess wagon was piloted by Bill
Jones, the best cook on the ranges.
Bill came into North Dakota in 1872
with the Northern Pacific surveyors,
was for years with Howard Eaton at
Medora and drifted west because civil
ization was getting too near. His
"reminiscences of early days in North
Dakota, his familiarity with slope peo-
pie and his anecdotes of hunting trips
and cattle round-ups shared with
Teddy" Roosevelt %enlivened many
camp fires. In the language of the
park guides we made the tour as
Sage Brush Dudes:" l.. e., an indie
pendent camping party, which allowed
us to use our time as we c..ose and to
stop when and where we pleased. The
weather was good, cool enough to keep
flies and mosquitoes quiet. but not too
cool for comfort. One rain made damp
work of getting into camp but saved
us much dust. Eleven days were
spent in the park, with average drives
OF about twenty miles per day, except
two days spent at Upper Geyser Basin
and two spent at the Grand Canyon.
We made all the side trips to points OF
interest, saw thirteen of the large gey-
sers play, happened to be on the for
nation at Upper Geyser Basin with
Helen Gould and her party. and when
the shower came up got just as wet as
they did. Several bands of deer and
elk fed about at different camping
places with our horses and one black
e a came ear enough and stayed
long enough for the boys to throw
stones at him and hit him. Sunday,
July 8, we attended the first religious
service ever held at the Thumb Lunch
station. Rev. Alexander McGregor,
formerly Of Grand Forks, now of St.
Paul, conducted the service and seemed
glad to recall our last meeting which
was at a similar service held by him in
a sleeping car passing through the can
yon of the Frazer river on the Cana
dian Pacific railway, en- route to Van
courver about three years ago. His
loan to me of his rod, line and fish
while | posed for my picture at the
fishing cone near the Thumb Station
will prevent my sending his deacons
the snap shot picture l took of him
photographing his wife in the same
pose on Sunday. The ride on Yellow
stone Lake with Captain Waters was
made more pleasant by meeting his
daughter at their home, where she had
just arrived from a visit to Fargo.
Larry, the manager of Norris Lunch
Station, sent characteristic Hibernia
greetings to Joe Cronan, Sam Mat
thews, Colonel Ball and other friends
in Fargo. Frank Warwick, manager
of the Springs hotel, inquired as to the
progress being made moving the Sher-
idan house at Bismarck, where he ex-
poets to be behind the desk again next
winter as he has been the last two ses-
sions of the legislature. F. j. Haynes
is at Mammoth springs, beginning to
have gray hairs, but is the same. genial
fellow, with the same love for the park
as of old, and portraying with greater
fidelity and finer appreciation of its
beauties. We received uniform cour-
tesy from all with whom we came in
contact on the trip. The soldier boys
sent to our camps or July 4 and 5 in.
v%itations to their dances. The fac,
that the bearer of the invitation on
July 4 rode all over our blankets which
were airing on the grass, was over.
looked after his soberer companion had
sent him back to apologize and explain
that July i and New Years were the
only days a soldier could enjoy him.
self.