The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-08-07

800 feet, and are from 25 to 35 feet in
diameter. The bark is sometimes 80
inches thick and~is reddish brown or
cinnamon in color. They are as old
as the Pyramids and more indestruct-
ible>
There are many evidences of fire
in the grove-one tree being tele-
scoped by fire-so that standing inside
the tree we could look up to the sky.
yet it is living and growing, green
branches crowning it's top. AS our car
passed through the big tree 'Wawong.'
there were 3 or, feet on each side
of the car, and the opening through
the tree is less than half the diameter
of the tree. The Grizzly Giant, dame
ter "a feet, has one branch 80 feet
from the ground that is 6 feet in dia-
meter. The names of all the states,
many colleges, noted men, mountains,
ETC., appear on plates attached to the
trees. OF course we looked for kan
sas' and found her name on one of
the finest specimens. We saw Wash
burn on one tree, but think it stood
for Mt. Washburn, or it's discoverer,
General Washburn, head of the WASH
burn-Doane exploring expedition.
These trees are the oldest and
largest living things in the world to-
day and form an accurate chart of the
climatic conditions of the ages. A
year of bountiful rainfall is marked on
these trees by a large ring, and year
of drouth by a very small ring. Bar
ring accident, these trees are thought
to be immortal, and California and the
L. S. government have awakened to
the duty and privilege of guarding
them.
From Wawona, 27 miles down to
Camp Curry on the MERGED river are
many, many thousands of pine trees
$50 to 200 feet high and some so big
that the five in our party could not
encircle them. Flowers are every
where-wild laurel, mountain lilac,
Mariposa lilies, Mariposa ferns and
many others.
ION the way we pass the beautiful
Inspiration point, Artists point, Ell
Captain, Cathedral Spires and other
points. The Yosemite is noted for its
falls. The Yosemite, highest in the
world, is in three fiights-the first
vertical fall of 1,460 feet, the second
600 and the third, 4O0-2,460 feet.
Compared with Niagara, 10 feet, its
great leap can be better appreciated.
Within walking distance from Camp
Curry are Nevada falls, or Maid of
the Mist and Vernal falls, where you
can see a perfect circle rainbow. 1t
is said the only other falls in the
world where this is possible is one in
Switzerland.
Mirror lake at sunrise is beautiful.
Bridal Veil falls. $40 feet high, is
like a real lace veil.
From Sierra point, four falls may
be seen-Nevada, Vernal, Yosemite
and Illilouette. From any high point
are vistas of the snow-clad SierraS ex-
tending for miles and miles in eX-
tent, and also across the ranges as far
as the eye can reach. Most tourists
climb or ride to the top of Glacier
point and also Yosemite point.
Down the MERGED river (River of
Mercy to Ell Portal, or last stopping
place in the valley is a succession OF
beautiful views.
THE Yellowstone park was estab-
lished by the government March L,
1872. Later a forest reserve was
added on the east and south. The park
proper is about 81 miles from north
to south, 81 miles wide and has an
area of 3,312 square miles 1t is
mostly in wyoming, with small por-
ton each in Montana and Idaho. The
park is plateau surrounded by
mountains, and has an average eleva-
ton of about $500 feet.
THE government has entire control
of the park. Fit. Yellowstone, the
military post in the park, is at Nam
moth Hot Springs. Here also are the
headquarters of the United States en-
gineer in charge of park improve
ments. There are four troops of
United States cavalry there, who pa
troll the park summer and winter.
Within recent years the government
has spent 100000 in improvements
in the Yellowstone. Steel and con-
ways have been widened and rebuilt.
A new $4,000 bridge spans the yell
lowstone at the canyon and a $4,000
arch or viaduct at Golden Gate pass.
An oil road over concrete base has
just been completed. extending %
miles from Yellowstone station.
we wondered why Yellowstone
park was favored so very much more
than the Yosemite, where possibly in
20 places the automobiles drove
Z hrn h 64 zfr nj n
bridges at ALL or very poor ones.
There are "a geysers in the Yellow
stone, all differing in their character
istics. I do not know how many hot
springs and pools there are, but, large
and small, 1 believe we saw 500. On
our way from Yellowstone (station) to
the upper geyser basin, we passed
many steaming and boiling hot springs.
Great Fountain geyser, Excelsior gey-
ser and others are on this drive; also
the Mammoth paint pots-large bodies
of boiling mud. One was a silvery
white, another a beautiful rose pink.
They are constantly boiling and
splashing, sometimes high in the air.
The lakes of hot water that are
not boiling are wonderfully clear;
There is an Emerald pool Prismatic
lake, Turquois lake, Morning Glory
pool and scores of others of wonder
full depth and coloring. Around the
edge of some of these hot springs and
pools are formations that are orange,
yellow, red, lavender, brown and other
colors.
Zone geyser, the Grotto, at intervals
shoots a stream of hot water across
the river.
I'm the Upper Geyser Basin are
many notable geysers. old Faithful
is perhaps best known. 1t plays at
intervals of 65 to 6S minutes, to
height of from 125 to $50 feet. The
eruption continues about to s min
utes and the quantity of water expelled
is said to be 100000 gallons at every
eruption. At night under the search
light, old Faithful is a wonderful