Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-11
IN THE YELLOWSTONE
Plans for the Presidents Stay
in the Park.
A PLEASANT OUTING
SOME OF THE WONDERS OF THAT
FAR-FAMED REGION.
Studying Nature With Lots of Snow on
the Ground Will Do
No Hunting.

Copyright. 1903. by John Elfreth Watkins, jr}
Written for The Evening Star.
Mr.. Roosevelt has planned to reach the
ne plus ultra of presidential isolate dur
Ing his present trip. Another parallel be-
tween him and President Arthur is his plan
to lose himself from the mob by shutting
himself up for two weeks in the great yell
lowstone National Park. During his adj
ministration Gen. Arthur managed to
elude all pursuers for several days during
his hunting tour in that mountain para
disc with Gen. Schofeld. But he was soon
thwarted by crafty newspaper man, who,
by dint of skllfull stratagem, succeeded in
penetrating the sacred boundaries of his
camp
President Cleveland managed to slip out
of the executive harness for a day at
time by anchoring his fishing boat out in
Buzzard's Bay. But he had to run the
gauntlet of the curious when he crossed
the wharf each morning and night. PreSi-
dent Mckinley never broke entirely away
from the gaping crowd; nor did any other
chief magistrate except the popular Arthur
VIII President Roosevelt solve the prob
lem? Will he be crafty enough to evade
the pursuing brigade of journalists with
their Photographic artillery?
The campaign will be waged over an area
of 1914 square miles. Such is the extent
of the great Yellowstone reservation. which
Congress, thirty-one years ago, dedicated
and set apart as public park and pleasure
ground for the people," An ample play
ground for quiet little game of executive
hide and seek it Is, to be sure.
May Have Bad Weather.
Napoleons crossing the Alps is a chapter
Of military history which this pursuing
army will profit well to read before pene-
trating into the Yellowstone. When the
President enters the region the great park
will still be closed to the winter season.
Only between June 1 and October do the
hotels receive guests. Until the last of
May camping is ordinarily precarious, and
this month has been blizzardish one for
the Yellowstone. In normal seasons there
are light snowfalls even in May, and during
that month the Accommodations of winter
generally render travelling out of the ques-
ton. 1t is only with great difficulty that
the hotel companies reach their hostelries
as early as May 10. For two hundred days
in the year Waterman at each hotel re-
mains isolate from his fellow mortalS, and
often the Canon Hotel is buried to the
second story during the snowy months.
Fort Yellowstone, where the President
will pause first after entering the park, is
one Of the snowiest regions of the temperate
zone. There, in sight of the Mammoth Hot
Springs, Major Pitcher Of the regular army,
who is both comma ndant of the military
post and superintendent of the park, has
his garrison, built upon white formation
which gives it a wintry appearance, even
in midsummer. In this garrison surround
ed on all sides by deep snowdriftS, the
President will make his headquarters. How
far down the park he will venture men
familiar with the Yellowstone region and
its late winters are curious to learn. Ac-
cording to recent reports, the ski runners
were still plying in the vicinity of the fort.
In snowy weather this mode of navigation
is the only safe one for those who venture
in the open. The ski pronounced skee) is
q Enn n q
with polished bottom and the ski runner
nayigates by sliding one foot before the
other until he reaches the crest of a slope.
Then, lifting his long pole, he coasts, and
can exceed his speed. He bly, makes
a streak through the air. No one will doubt
that this kind of sport will take the fancy
of President who maintains a gymna-
stun within the sacred precincts of the
White House. But ski running is preca-
rious sport, and Major Pitcher will doubt
less have the ereeps every time his com
mander- in-chief slips his feet into the
clasps Of the long, narrow toboggans.
To Study These Beasts.
Major Pitcher and John Burroughs, the
naturalist, will be the Presidents compan-
ions within the great park. While there are
plenty of cavalry troopers within the reser-
walton, the chief magistrate will not permit
a guard to accompany him. The trio will
study natural history, unless they have TO
dig too deep into the snowdrifts to find It,
Within the park is all the larger game
Of the rockies-except the Rocky Noun
tain goat. Naturalist Burroughs will in
itiate the President into the secrets of the
deniZenS of this greatest of the new worlds
geological gardens. The party will be sur
rounded by elk, antelope. deer, bear, bea-
yer, mountain sheep, moose mountain lion
wolverine, lynx, wildcat, marten, otter
porcupine. fox, gopher, squirrel and wood
chuck, not to forget the herd of bison for
whose Enclosure within the park the Smith
sonian lately allotted money. Among the
birds Of the picturesque region are peli-
cans, gulls, fish hawks, cranes, eagles and
wild swan. Thus the members of the party
will find themselves well surrounded by
their lower animal cousins, and 1t will be
up to them" to trail some of them
through the snow.
The President will derive benefit from the
pure water of the Snow-fed streams, the eX-
hilarating pine air and the long hours of
peaceful sleep which will come uncourted
after his daily rambles over the rough,
snowy country, with it's beautiful, varied
scenery.
Within view of his headquarters at Fort
Yellowstone will risafehe terraces of the
Mammoth Hot Springs, with their wealth
of scenic splendor, almost unsurpassed.
tains built one upon the other upon the high
slope above the Mammoth Hot Springs Ho-
tel. Above them. on the slope, the feeding
waters are emitted from the earth through |
limestone deposits, and are strongly charged
with calcium carbonate. which for GEN.
turtles has been slowly depositing itself as |
travertine, the brilliant white rock of which |
the Coliseum of Rome was built. This ter
race. with its succession Of natural basins,