Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-08-22
Yellowstone Park, Aug. 9, 1905.

go
Yellowstone Park, Aug. 9, 1905.
Just as the Old Faithful geyser is
king of this wonderland for his stanch
unfailing regularity of play. (every
hour, summer and winter, night and
day, for possibly cons past), and thus
the pride of the geyser world, so
within a stones throw is the Old
Faithful Inn, mans wonder of art and
craft in this land of enchantment.
Old Faithful Inn is truly rustic
poem, perfect in it's harmony.
Catch your first glimpse of it with
me as we drive up to the picturesque
Swiss veranda; it's quaint gabled win
dows mellowing the sunlight in their
many diamond shaped panes; the
massive porches upheld by heavy pill
lars of piled logs, yet every line ex-
quisite in harmony and symmetry de-
spite its bold and rugged outline. En-
ter with me the heavy doors with
their great iron bolts and mammoth
key and stand in the spacious Office or
reception hall and I am sure you will,
as did, receive another and very
strong jostle of wonder. 1t is all so
unexpected.
To give you some idea of it's airy
proportions, must give you few
figures: This room is IS feet square,
and the eye sweeps upward IS feet to
the peak of the roof. An enormous
chimney, that would be positive JOY
for Santa Claus visit, is the central
figure here. 1t is constructed of huge
lava blocks and there are eight fire
places, in one of which picturesque
fire roared and danced us welcome.
This chimney is IA feet square and at
each side is huge fireplace with a
small one at every corner A unique
clock, high up on the chimney, faces
the entrance, its mammoth weights
hanging from heavy chains. A mas
sive corn pepper hung close by and in
the evening corn was popped in this
and passed among the guests. Wide
balconies of logs with ratings in rus
tic design, overhang this apartment,
and the stair steps are each a perfect
half log. At the light of reception
room is rustic water spigot, the wa
ter running into a great stone basin.
But for all this the hotel is modern in
it's appointments; steam heat, electric
lights and all conveniences. My room
was perfect delight; of plain I'M
painted pine, the rough boards extend
ed to and included the ceiling The
bed was four poster of gilded iron
with comforter of old fashioned quaint
pattern. There was wash stand of
solid brass top, mission oak and an
odd dressing table of the same wood,
whose drawers opened downward in
stead of pulling out, as found by
pinching my fingers. The bowl and
pitcher were of the old fashioned yell
low ware of an early Massachusetts,
design. The lights were of a.
quaint Swedish pattern representing
the tall waxen candles in a conven-
tional iron holder and requiring Sec
ond look to convince one that there
was really an incandescent globe on
top. Pretty chintz curtains were tied
gracefully back from the many paned
gabled French windows that looked
out on the plaza and mountains be-
yond. The furnishings throughout
are in the Arts and Craft style and
add to the perfect harmony of the
structure.
The dining room was another sur
prise Here was the same sense Of
space. The walls are rough logs and
the chandeliers that uphold the odd
Swedish candles are simply four
crossed logs suspended from the cell
ing by heavy iron chains. There was
another huge lava chimney and fire.
place here. The dishes are all this old
fashioned blue china of the willow
ware pattern that caused an old gen.
tleman of 60 sitting opposite to me at
dinner to say: Nov that was the
kind ate mush off of when l was al
boy"
Anxious to know something about
the man whose genius could design
such a unique place as this, in
learned that the hotel was designed
by man named Reamer, who built
the most of it while drunk, so they
tell He is 81 years of age and at
present in San Diego, Cal. If this was
drunken dream, could not but
wonder what he might accomplish if;
he were sober.
Old Faithful Geyser.
A short distance from the hotel is
the Old Faithful Geyser whose play
is every seventy minutes and of great
height. 1t throws a steady, stately
stream high in the air, for about four
minutes and always has a large audi
ence. In the evening searchlight
was turned upon the geyser from a
platform at the very peak of the roof
and the sight was one to remember.
A novel sensation too was, that | ex-
perienced when l climbed the tiers of
log steps to this platform after dark
and stood looking out and beyond into
the stiffness Of the night. But I
must tell you about the afternoon
first.
Following the Guide.
1t was in the afternoon we had our
first experience as members of a
large party. With some seventy-fve
other tourists we were conducted by
guide over some two miles of terri
tory in this vicinity which is snrinkled