The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-02
THE YELLOWSTONE rank.
Not Fine Exhibit OF the Workings Of
Government Ownership.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: I
have been travelling In the far West the
past month. Now l know why 80 COM
paratively few people como West and 10
to Europe. one has TO travel 1000 miles
| (Boston to Denver) before there Ia any
/ thing worth seeing. That distance COW
cred In steamship would 10 enjoyed,
but on a sleeper-never They do not
make railroads any more comfortable as
time goes on, but they do improve steam
ships. The Panama Canal should, there
fore greatly advance travel toward Caii-
fornia's delightful climate. More Eastern
people would come here did they realize
California, around Frisco. had an average
daily temperature around 6S.
But ! did not want to discuss climatic
conditions. After visiting Yellowstone
Park, which houses the grandest sight
ever saw. the Grand Canyon. wish to
| state that the United States Government
should be heartily ashamed of it's conduct
! OF the park
IT this Is n sample OF Government
ownership let this be the finish
"Old Faithful" Yellowstone Lake the
Grand Canyon and the wonderfully colored
pools, basins and paint pots are worth
going hundreds OF miles to sec. but what
the Government has done there is not
worthy In many ways.
The hotels sleep YOU comfortably sew
eral OF them are most unique, notably
, old Faithful Inn and the new Canyon
Hotel. but the food 1t Is abomlnable
Fancy not being able to get decent cup
of coffee anywhere And no meat worthy
OF the name. That WAS my experience
one does not expect fancy cooking, but
he should have good plain food at the
prices charged There Is variety of
food but 1t Ii toyed with tho good Is
extracted from beef before you get II
under some fancy French title. The milk
! secured had been doctored. This Is an
insult to the $4,000 or more travellers
who go through the park each year.
And again: ] went through the day
after the park opened and the dust was
insufferable. Watered roads are adver-
tised. Not one inch had been sprinkled.
Inefficient and stupid management there
brought much discomfort to hundreds OF
people.
There is a fearful amount OF red tape
In enrolling people at the hotel. Have
you registered" being the universal query
at each stopping place. II would seem as
II there could be some system devised to
better facilitate matters In this direction.
The present plan is no more nor less than
a nuisance.
I do not. however. allow the Govern
ment mismanagement to influence me
Az inst the wonders OF the park. Every
American citizen should see them. They
are not equalled anywhere In the world.
But the Government should see TO It that
people who travel thousands OF miles to
see the park should he protected against
the fearful dust and be decenty fed.
emphatically protest against existing con-
ditions. People told us many of the roads
were watered in the season" 1--WE saw
the standpipos), but they also said the
most dusty road. between the Thumb
luncheon station and the Lake Hotel. was
never sprinkled during the season.
The soldiers there look languid and
lazy. They should have the Job OF clean
Ing up the thousands OF dead trees wing
| about the park. They detract from its
| appearance and add greatly to the much
dreaded fire peril.
EDwiN w. INGALLS,
SAN Francisco. June 20.