Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-25
Lined Up at the Chutes.

One of the favorite tricks of the stage
drivers in former days was to increase
their incomes by "soaping" the geysers.
Most of the tourists have read up more
or less upon the wonders and customs
of the place, and the eruptions of all the
big geysers are announced in printed
schedules in the guide books, the rail-
way advertisements and other literature
that is placed in the laps OF visitors.
They know, for example. that the Bee
hive which is one of the most curious
of the phenomena here, plays only two or
three times during the season and nat
urally everybody covets the privilege OF
witnessing its spectacular performance
This is favorite topic of conversation
upon the coaches during the drive; and,
therefore, when stage driver declares
that he can make the Beehive play when
ever he pleases it is natural for tour
list who knows a thing or two to dispute
the assertion. The next step is bet on
the subject, the driver and the passenger
putting up their money in the hands OF
a third party and fixing the hour when
the Beehive is to obey the command.
When the driver reaches the stable and
puts out his horses, he shaves a cake of
ordinary laundry soap into a tin can,
and just before the hour fixed, quietly
drops it into the crater Within fifteen
or twenty minutes things will begin to
happen. AS the soap dissolves and the
I've comes in contact with the chemicals
of the water the geyser feels insulted and
attempts to eject the offensive substance
with all the force it can muster. THESE
artificial eruptions are often more furi-
Gus than the regular ones, and 1t Is mo-
toriOus fact that the geysers of Iceland
and elsewhere show the same antipathy
to soap that some human beings are
said to do. The performance promised by
the stage driver having occurred as pre-
dicted, the stake holder hands over the
| money and the spectators go away won
dering how 1T happened.
But this sort of thing is now forbidden
by the regulations. There is a heavy
penalty for soaping geyser.
Theoryof the Geyser.
The most generally accepted theory of
the geyser is based upon the principle
that If water be heated to q tempera-
ture considerably above that of its nor
NAL boiling point 1t will be converted
into steam, and anything that impedes its
circulation will be removed often with
great violence Each geyser has an ir-
regular tube descending from the earth s
surface to some interior source of heat
and water, and when that tube becomes
choked with water the steam Will force
it's way through to the atmosphere. The
result is an eruption and the expulsion
of the water from the tube with more
or less violence and the steam follows
when the way is clear. This manifesto
ton is repeated whenever the tube be-
comes again choked with water, and
the difference in the intervals Of time be-
tween the eruptions depends upon entirely
the conditions. The explanation, 1t seems.
is simple enough. and is generally &C
cepted, but the rest of the transaction
is the subject Of interminable controversy
among the scientific authorities.
The great variety of geysers and the
marked individuality shown by some of
them furnish plenty of room for theor1z-
ing and dispute.
Few Accidents.
With the thousands Of men, women and
children that come here every season, and
are allowed to wander around among the
hot springs and geysers in most reck-
less way, one would suppose there would
be frequent accidents, and. indeed, the
fact that the Indians never came into the
park is attributed to the perils that their
forefathers are supposed to have en-
countered here. There are legends and
traditions among the surrounding tribes
of strange happenings: of mysterious dis
appearances and other calamities which
could not be explained. but convinced
the Indian that the safest way was to
keep out of the park.
Since the white man came here there
have been very few accidents. although
when they do occur they are generally
fatal Any living creature who falls into
one of these springs or, geysers, meets
contact is attended with the greatest
peril.
In 1901 surgeon attached to a German
man-of-war that happened to be cruising
along our coast got leave of absence to
visit the park. and spent four or five
days at this place. Somehow or another
his suspicious nature became convinced
that the regular eruptions of the Old
Faithful geyser were caused by machin-
cry He hung around the crater with the
greatest persistence determined to in
spect the interior while an eruption was
on He paid dearly for his inquisitive-
ness. for he was caught In shower of
scalding water and was laid up for more
than three months. When the accident
was reported at Berlin a naval surgeon
and sailor nurse were sent over to take
care of him. and they succeeded in graft
ing on a new skin.
A German entomologist. while chasing
a butterfly, tripped and fell into the
Peanut geyser. The crater is so small
that only his arm and one of his legs
We're Scalded, but he was laid up Tor
several weeks.
Near Norris lunch station is a pool call
ed 1.-The Minute Men," which used to
bubble up every minute with great regu-
larity but somehow or other it's plumbing
[ has been disarranged and although the
water is still very hot-something like
2oO Farenheit, it does not boil any more.
The surface is perfectly placid and the
water has a beautiful deep blue color,
and if you will look into it on cloudy
day you will see an exquisite picture of
the heavens. And no one would ever sus
pect that this serene and lovely pool
would ever harm anybody. But six years
ago a little boy seven or eight years
old wandering about the formation with
his father and mother, amused himself
by throwing sticks into the Minute Men,
and while reaching for one slipped and
fell And he died that night.
Eight years ago two ladies from Brook
Ign. mother and daughter. fell into the
Paint Pot. The mother slipped and stag
gered, the daughter endeavored to catch
and support her. when both fell together
and lay for few seconds in shallow
water at the edge of the pool. The old
lady. who was most exposed. is helpless
cripple for life. The daughter lost the
i use of one arm, which was scalded be-
yond recovery.
The most recent accident occurred at
the Grand Geyser in 1904, when young
woman stenographer from one of the
government departments In Washington
made misstep because her glasses were
covered with steam. and fell lengthwise
into about eight inches of water that
registered temperature of 100 degrees.