The Van Buren press., 1903-08-22
WITH THE EDITORS.
Some "reminiscences OF 0ur Visit TO
Omaha, Salt Lake City, Yellowstone
National Park and other
Points Of Interest.

America S Wonderland, as it has been
styled by writers of note; for chile
Colorado has mountain scenery on as
grand If not grander scale than has the
Yellowstone National Park and Arizona
canons that eclipse in depth that of the
Yellowstone, there are only very few
other sections in the world that contain
geysers. Iceland is the principal field
outside of this. 1t has always been
noted for its hot springs and was for a
long time the only remarkable geyser
/ locality known, in fact the name geyser
is derived from the Icelandic-" geysa
to gush-but Iceland is fully equalled if
not surpassed by the Yellowstone Park
as n land of geysers.
The Upper Geyser basin is triangular
in shape and embraces an area Of about
four square miles; it contains 26 geysers
and upward of 400 hot springs. Iron
Spring Creek bounds it on the west.
The main Firehole River drains it CEN
trally; its shelving banks are thickly
pitted with steaming hot springs and
studded with mounds and cones Of
geyserite (the deposit left by the hot
waters } Here grouped within the mar
row space of perhaps square mile are
the grandest and mightiest geysers
known to man and silent pools of scald-
ing water that for delicacy of coloring
are simply marvels. Clouds of vapor
hang shroud-ike above it; the earth is
filled with strange rumblings, the air is
heavy with sulphurous fumes and nearly
all vegetable life is extince. Quoting
the words of Mr. Chas. T. Whitmell in
paper read before the Cardiff (Wales)
Naturalist Society; Nowhere else,
believe, can be seen on so grand a scale
such clear evidence of dying volcanic
action. We seem to see the death throes
of some great Enceladus. Could Dante
have seen this region he might have
added another terror to his Inferno. -
We enter the basin from the north
and on our way to the lunch station
situated in the very heart Of the basin,
we take IA brief inventory ofits contents,
intending to more thoroughly examine
it later in the day, which we did, but
under rather disagreeable conditions,
for a rain came up and caught Va with
ont an umbrella, but not to be- blutfed
off, with time rs precious as it WIS, we
managed to rig up a shelter by using
our tripod and the focusing cloth Of the
camera. But we digress. Our road as
we enter the basin takes us past the
Morning Glory Spring-and the name is
well applied--the Fan and Mortar
Geysers and we cross the Firehole
River. Here we pass the most beautiful.
of the geyser cones in the Park-th
Grotto-then we drive past the Giant,
! the force Of whose eruptions, we are
told is tremendous, at times reaching
the height Of 2j0 eet-but it is not our
lnck to see the gentleman perform, He
usually plays about twice week and is
said to perfer the mantle Of night AT
that. Then we diverge from the main
road and passing the Black Sand Spring
the overflow from which forms Specimen
Lake, which deserves more than passing
notice. Absorption Of the surrounding
silica has destroyed many Of the trees
in the vicinity, the dry lifeless trunks
adding to the attractiveness Of the
place, geologically speaking by afford
ing the appearance Of petrifactlon,
The road terminates at Sunlight Basin
and we cross foot bridge over Iror
Spring Creek Sunlight Basin, is helt
by many visitors as being the most
beautiful object In the Park, The color
ing is superb and it is hard to tear our.
self away,
Clif Spring, boiling at the very edg,
Of Iron Spring Creek, n soldier inform'
u.s. Is often used TO cook fish taken from
the creek without removing them from
the hook. The thing could easily bt
done, but whether Uncle Sam \ minior
told the truth we wot not, but we dc
know there are fish in Iron SprinI
Creek for we tried It and hung severa
nice trout, But we must now make fOl
the lunch statiaD, for the dinner hour
Ia near at hand,
Arrived at the log house arranged foi
dining hall we are greeted by BonifacC
Larry Mathews, typical lrishman
with just enough Of the brogue, "be'
gorra, to sound we'll Larry = fame
as the most genial hotel manager In The
Park extends beyond its boundaries and
he makes friends with all no, not all
for there are species Of cranks that
travel here, as well ~ elsewhere, whose
snob aristocracy prevents them from
making any friends, Larry sees that
everyone IA well fed and afterward, ~
the hotel Is not finished, we are assigned
TO roomy tents, Aoored and divided on
into rooms, with stove aud all other
necessary appliances to make us comfort
able, But we haven't any time now for
rest "Old Faithful, - the standby
Of the kodak hend and others Ia due
to show of In few minutes and It wont
do to miss II for the clouds are hanging
low no II may rain any time and prevent
M from taking ~ shot - nOld Faith