Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-18


road from Raymond and put on their stages
they carried ,122 people. and this number
increased rapidly until 1874, when the visit
ors numbered 2.111. For some reason there
was falling OFF during the seventies. but
the total began to grow again until 1895.
when Il reached $3.50. There the record
stops and no count was taken until 1902,
for some unexplained reason; probably be-
cause of the Indifference of the state COM
missioners and the incompetency of their
employees. In 1902. however. the number
of visitors had increased to Sob In 1903 to
1915. and in 1894 to S912 Last year over
1000 were ..campers''-that u.s. people who
drove their own teams and brought there
own tents and supplies; $500 came in by
the Raymond route, and about LOO by the
MERGED route There has been considerable
Increase this year, whichs Is made up, no
doubt. of eastern visitors to the exposition
at Portland. The total will probably ex-
The number of visitors to .-llowstone Park
Is much larger, being from $4,000 to 1900
annually, and this year the total will I'M
doubtedly run up to $1,000 to 1900 persons.
A Possible Bonanza.
The state of California has had control OF
the Yosemite valley since 1884. and 1t might
have had a bonanza. II a reasonable amount
of money had been expended In making It
accessible. But the opportunity has been
neglected Compared with Switzerland,
Norway, the Black Forest Of Germany, the
1yTOl OF Austria ana OtneT lnouHldm re-
gions of Europe. the Yosemite has many
advantages; yet three million people visit
Switzerland every year, while 5000 come
here. There are perhaps 100000 or 2JO.O0
Black Forest and Tyrol are filled with for
eigners every season, who bring In millions
of dollars and are the chief source OF rev.
enue to the people
to Switzerland. and not one Of them spends
less than 500. Quite as many go to the
other places have mentioned They make
walking tours; hire coaches and carriages,
and make long driving tours; they go In
automobiles and on horseback. Hotels are
frequent, comfortable and attractive, and
are always filled from the moment the
snow melts in the spring until 1t begins to
fall again in the winter The roads are
perfect-smooth hard and without dust
and every facility is furnished Tor seeing
and enjoying the journey and scenery.
Who ever took a pedestrian tour through
Yosemite Park? Such a thing Is almost
impossible. .,
If any one should attempt II the conoi ai
of the roads would make 1t an ordeal.
whereas a carriage drive would be hard.
ship when it should be the greatest OF
pleasures. Such things are Impossible ana
consequently the people stay away;
1t would be easy enough to make the
Yosemite as attractive as any part OF
Switzerland or the Tyrol 1t could nave
been done by the expenditure OF a m mnr1d
.,
have brought large dividends to the state
of California. =.
The federal government has spent 81
492 1856 in the Improvement OF Yeiiowstone
National Park since 1878. and the roads are
almost perfect. The state Of California has
expended $495.472 in the Yosemite since
1906. but, in looking over the items. NM NJ
that $s1 ,s53 has been paid as expenses OF
the commission in charge; $4,000 as sal
aries to the various guardians, who receive
$4,000 q year for their services; $9'ooo LOT
=.
yate improvements; $4,000 for the erection
of a hotel; $4,000 for water supply; ~ 90
coo for an electric light plant, ana sa,Uoo
for attorney fees, making total OF POL,
S53 which subtracted from the total APP
propriatfon leaves balance OF 4S6le, OF
an average Of about $4,000 year expenoeo
in the improvement of the park A con-
siderable portion of that-not less than
one-third Of it-has been paid out as wages
to rangers and other employees unoer the
guardian. Very little of it has gone into
permanent improvement: 1act tnat ~
evident to any one who visits the place.
Expenses of the Commission.
There are nine commissioners to look after
this little park. They are appointed by the
governor, and the positions are sought DS
politicians and also by the men or prom
nence who like to wear a blue RIBBON anu
enjoy a junket Their duties consist main
ly in attending an annual spree in the valley
at the expense of the appropriation, IN Sc
curing deadhead entertainment lot thef
friends at the Sentinel Hotel, which is own
ed by the state, and vacation employment
with light duties for sons and other reld-
tiyes who are fond of spending their sum
mers in the park at the public expense Inc
guardian Is politician who KNOWS nothihs
about forestry, landscape gardening or roau
building He receives a salary of $3Voo
year Some of his predecessors have re-
ceiyed as high as $500 or 5000 year.
He is furnished with house to nVe In anu
his duties are confined 10 the summer sea-
son. There Is very little for him to 90 IN
the winter, for the valley is choked with
snow and Is entirely deserted except by a
few watchmen and Indian squatters. Ihere
has been some graft, but 1t has been linn
tied because of the small amount or the
appropriation. The commissioners have
wasted from 81 500 to 5000 year on their
punkets and after fixed charges have been
paid there has been little left to steal.
but OCCASIONALLY somebody gets a profitable
job.
Several curious stories are told of the
business transactions of the commission.
For example, when they built the telephone
line they brought the poles from oregon at
q cost of SIS each when they could have
cut better ones on the ground for nothing.
When they were putting in the water sup
ply, the piping. purchased In San FRANCISCO,
was so poor that the contractor refused to
use it, He convinced the commissioners
that it would not stand the pressure OF
the water for ten minutes. reservoir OF
concrete was built at large expense ana
when finished IT was found to be several
feet higher than the source of the water
supply and had to be torn away and rebuilt
at a lower location. This mistake in en-
gineering is attributed to relative of one
of the commissioners. Several similar sto-
RES are floating around the park. The
stage drivers point out to their passengers
the places where such things have occur
red and while the yarns may be eXagger-
ated there is abundant evidence to show
neglect Indifference and incompetency on
the part Of the missions and the guar
dams whom they have placed in charge.