The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1911-04-21
SNOW SHOE pARTy
AT
OBSlDlAN CLIFr

and spikes. tenpennies and SHINGLES, had
to be heated on the cook stoves before
the carpenters could handle them. The
reason for this haste was that the new
hotel had to be finished In time for the
summer season. when the park Is in
its brief period of verdant glory.
More people will go to the Yellow
stone National Park this year than ever
before. In 1872. when the Federal Gov
eminent dedicated 1t 'as a public park
or pleasure ground for the benefit and
enjoyment of the people," probably not
more than a thousand persons a year
were visiting 1t. In the next twenty
three years the number of visitors
climbed slowly to about 5000 annual
ly. In 1895, the authorities began
counting the persons who entered the
Park, and complete records have been
kept ever since. There were b,43a Wis
ftors In 1895. Ten years later the num-
Der had risen to 26,18s. In 1906, 1t
dropped to 17.172. The next year 1t
fell or nearly a thousand. In 1903, the
total was 1918. Then came the most
remarkable increase in visitors that
the park ever has known. In 1909. there
were nearly twice as many (32,545) as
the year before. This was principally
due to the opening of a new railroad
gateway to the park-at Yellowstone
Montana-which made 1t much easier
Of access.
A Bit Of e. n. Harriman's Wixardrv.
This came about through a visit that
the late E, H. Hartman made to the
Park in the summer OF 1904. He was
so impressed by the wonders Of the
Park that he Immediately ordered the
location and construction of a branch
from the Oregon Short Line. a part Of
the Union Pacific system. to the west
ern border of the Park. This road,
from Idaho Falls to Yellowstone, Mon
tana, twenty miles from the lower
Geyser Basin, was finished Nov. L.,
1907. and was opened for traff1c the
following June. 1t is LOT miles long and
cost nearly $1,000 00 It's construction
called into play the greatest energy and
skill in the science OF railroad build
Ing.
Owing to the deep SHOWS and severe
winters work could be carried on DUR
ing only about four months of the year.
But. in that brief season. a vast army of
men and machines toiled night and
day. The giant mountain barriers with
their deep valleys in between had to be
conquered. That part OF the earth
where the rails ran had to be remod-
e1ed SO as to secure the safest and
easiest grades. Probably no railway,
where so many obstacles had to be
overcome, ever was built In SO short a
time. But the largely increased num-
Der of visitors to the Park has proved
that the new line is fully appreciated.
n
the Park last year nearly half went by
this new Western Gateway that Mr..
Hartman created.
The government scouts who are guard
ians of the wild creatures are about
the only ones who ever see much OF
the winter beauties OF the Park. Those
who have been there any length OF
| time have learned much that is new
about the habits of the animals that
| abound there. although they are chiefly
! concerned In keeping poachers out OF
| the park, There are fewer Of these
now than there used to be, because
heavier penalties have been laid by the
Government on those who are caught
The few that do venture into the Park
| mostly come in winter. Then there Is
| less chance of their being detected, but
| more risk of losing their lives In the
| cold and snow. One thing more thar
oil others tempts them-the buffalo
INSCRIPTIONS taxidermists will pay the
weight in silver for buffalo head
i nowadays, for these heads are practi-
cally unattainable by legitimate means
| The rest of the wild creatures thai
make their homes in the Park are sell
| dom molested.
Poaehing In the Deep Shows.
1t has been seventeen years since ont
of these poachers after buffalo ha.
been caught, but he did so much dam.
age before he was arrested that it hal
taken a long time to make UP for it.
Early in March, 1894. party was or
ganized at Fort Yellowstone for tn
purpose OF visiting the winter ranges
Of the game to ascertain the exac
number Of buffalo that still existed ant
to photograph them. The party trav
eled on Norwegian snowshoes. witt
packs of sleeping bags. provisions AM
camera, directly to Hayden Valley vi:
Norris ard the Grand Canyon. The.
: found eighty-one buffalo in the valley
together with numerous ANAL group
81 of elk aggregatinE more than 900.