Semi-weekly herald., 1909-09-20
OLD FAITHFUL INN. Aug. 20. 1909

lUueT tHe fuuHdEtuGnt VI tn1 4cipW |
stone Park association. OF which II.
w. Child OF Helena Is the president
and general manager. They have
Total capacity OF about l.200 guests
and during the last Sunday night of
July they had 1924 travellers sleeping
under the FIVE roofs-the largest Nun
ber on record. This does not include
the guests at the Wyiie Permanent
camps-six little villages OF tents
and the various other temporary
camps which probably gave shelter to
as many more.
The season opened June 5 and
closes Sept. 20. lib days. AT the
middle period. July 81. the total mum
ber OF arrivals at all the Ave hotels |
had been 1916. the average daily ar
rivals being 1873 at each. 1t Is ex-
pected that the total Will run beyond
$1,000 for the season. The average
number OF people entertained at all
the hotels daily for the first half of
the season has been 678.
Old Faithful Inn. in the center of
the Upper Geyser Basin, is almost AS
Interesting as the wonderful geyser
from which 1t takes It's name. and is
probably the most curious hotel In
the world and absolutely unique. II
resembles a Norwegian hog house. only
4. Is larger than dozen of the larg
est log houses In that country com
4 with "a
wing in the rear for dining room
which Is rs by 60 feet in size. The
foundation Is OF concrete and bowl
ders. The walls are of logs from II
to 18 inches In diameter, sawed on
two sides and with the bark exposed
or the exterior and interior. The pitch
roof. which is so feet high, Is covered
with large red wood shingles, called
Shakes" The outside of the founda
tion is partially covered with moss,
and the uncut rocks show the natural
weather stains. The roof projects four
feet over the walls and Is broken by
gables, which are supported by natural
crooked limbs OF trees. All the brack
cts and braces throughout the house
are of similar material, which has
been fitted with remarkable ingenuity
the bark In many cases being left un
touched. These crooks of the bough'
were found In the forests surrounding
the hotel by five woodsmen who were
brought here from Wisconsin to lool
up freaks of timber for this purpose
There are about five hundred of then
and they present all sorts of fantastic
/ shapes.
u The rustic idea prevails throughou
the entire building The main feature
Is an Office rotunda 20 by rs fet II
size. open eight-six feet to the roof
which is supported by trusses of PIN
legs and braced with poles. The frs
and second floors have wide balconie
q overhanging the rotunda, which ar
!, crooked Innbs The stairs are or log
3 roughly hewn and fastened with rud
iron bolts and wooden puncheons. Al
the balustrades, braces and railing
are made of poles and crooks.
= In the center of the rotunda Is Al
!. enormous chimney of uncut stone, l
= by 16 feet projecting through the roo
l. to the height Of ninety-five feet Som
= of the blocks of rough stone used l
l. the chimney weigh fully ton and
s half. There Is crows nest In tn
angles of the roof seventy feet aboy
the office which leads to platforr
upon the peak outside, where q scare
!, light is operated upon the active ge,
|. sers FOR the entertainment of tn
s guests every evening, The effect
extraordinary.
r There are eight hreplaces in th
h chimney, two of them being very larg.
n and they are equipped with ttanic an,
y irons. tongs, shovels. pokers. crane
r pot hooks and other furniture whic
: corresponds. The pokers are six fee
: long; the andirons are six feet hig
I and their feet are four feet long. l
3 one OF the fireplaees is corn poppe
I that will hold half .bushel. with
h handle seven feet long. It Ia used e,
from watching the play of the searc
d light upon the geysers they are we
g ccmed with the cheerful sound of Dol
. ping corn and shortly after one OF tn
bell boys passes 1t around In grea
old-fashioned dishpan.
a On the front Of the chimney, facin
the entrance. is rude c.ock with
, face five feet In diameter placed forty
, five feet above the floor. The pendu
ium Is twenty-five feet long and tn
weights which hang from chains mad
OF inch wrought iron. resemble am
munition canisters. The pointers an,
the number figures and the dial are /,
proper proportion.
There is "A similar chimney and fire
place In the dining room, over wlscl
hangs one of the most curious man,le,
you can imagine-san immense log siy
teen feet long and eighteen inones in
diameter hewn down and swung b,
Two anchor chains from The roof. 4
sideboard and cupboard on either side
OF the fireplace are made of similar
materials. The furniture of the hin.