Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-09-03

ground set aside for the peoples use forever. The
idea took Congress established the Yellowstone
National park, March l, 1872.
The establishment Of the Yellowstone as a MI
tOnal park after 60 years of discoveries" was
the first time such thing had been done in all
history. II was the first national park in all the
world The United States set the example which
practically all the civilized world has followed.
Uncle Sans 1920 Yellowstone Bulletin is
fascinating booklet of 103 pages Of text, maps
and Illustrations. 1t contains everything that the
tourist needs to know, from how to get there to
time table of the geysers and from the different
kinds of trout to the automobile regulations. The
following items are taken from the Introductory
pages:
The Yellowstone National pack was created by
the act of March l, 1872. 1t is approximately 81
miles long and "a miles vide giving an area of
334S square miles, or 2,142,72 acres. 1t is under
the control and supervision Of the national park
service Of the interior department.
The Yellowstone is probably the best known of
our national parks. Its geysers are celebrated the
world over because, for size power, and variety
of action, lis well as number, the region has no
competitor.
The Yellowstone National park Is located In
northwestern Wyoming, encroaching slightly upon
Montana and Idaho 1t is our largest national
park. The central portion is essentially Il broad,
elevated volcanic plateau, between 1000 and $500
feet above sea level and with average elevation
of about 5000 feet. Surrounding II on the south,
east. north and northwest are mountain ranges
with eliminating peaks and ridges rising from
1000 TO 1000 feet above the general level of the
inclosed tableland.
The entire region is volcanic Not only the sur.
rounding mountains but the great interior plain
Is made of material once elected as ash and lava.
from depths far below the surface. Geological
speculation points to crater which doubtless once
opened just west of Mount Washbum.
There are five active geyser basins the Norris.
the Lower the Upper, the Heart lake, and sho-
shone basins all lying in the west md south CEN
trail parts of the park, The geysers exhibit large
variety Of character and action Some like Old
Faithful, spout at quite regular intervals, longer
or shorter. Others are irregular. Some burst up
ward with immense power. Others shoot streams
at angles or bubble and foam in action.
Geysers are, roughly speaking, water vOlca-
noes. They occur only at places where the inter-
nal heat of the earth approaches close to the sur
face. Their action, for so many years unex-
planned, and even now regarded with wonder by
so many, Is simple. Water from the surface tricR-
ling through cracks In the rocks or water from
subterranean springs collecting in the bottom of
the geyser's crater, down among the strata of in
tense heat, becomes itself intensely heated and :
gives off steam, which expands and forces upward
the cooler water that lies above it,
AT last the water In the bottom reaches so
great an expansion under continued heat that the
less heated water above can no longer weigh It
down, SO 1t bursts upward with great violence
rising many feet in the air and continuing TO play
until practically all the water in the crater has
been expelled.
Nearly the entire Yellowstone region is remark
able for its hot water phenomena, The more
prominent geysers are confined to three basins
lying near each other In the middle west side Of
the park, but other hot water manifestations oc
eur ut more widely separated points. Marvellous
ly coored hot springs, mud volcanoes and other
strange phenomena are frequent. At Mammoth