Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-14
EDITORS TOATTEND
BIRTHDAY PARTY Of
YELLOWSTONE PARK
History of Wonder Place Is
Wonder Place Is
RecOunted.

Yellowstone Park. July 13.-The
formal celebration of the fittIeth ami
! versary of the creation of Yellowstone
| National park will be held N the park
at the junction Of the Gihbon and Fire
hole rivers Friday.
1t was while the famous Washburn
expedition was camped at tins Junction
in 1870. that the idea was first con-
ceived of preserving to the people for
all time the natural wonders and beau
ties of the territory now comprising
the park.
Two years later, congress, inspired
by the public spirit of the explorers,
Ipassed this act establishing in the
| Rocky Mountain wonderland the first
and greatest Of the national parks.
The anniversary of the parks found
alton is being observed with a variety
of events. commencing with the Yellow
. stone dog sled races last February and
extending throughout the present year.
The ceremonial portion of the cele-
hrotjon Friday will be held under the
auspices of the National Editorial as
| ISOLATION. whose members, 200 strong,
will enter the park Thursday enroute
TO AIissoula. where the associations
| annual convention will be held.
The exercises will consist chiefly in
the delivery of commemorative ad-
dresses and the dedication of a bronze
plaque TO be later set up at the river
junction in commemoratlon of the
parks birth.
Among those participating will be
Cornelius Hedges, Jr., son Of Judge
| Cornelius Hedges, who first suggested
! the preservation of the park territory
as the property of the people; c. w.
| Cook, last survivor of the pioneer ex-
ploV.rs of the park; Congressman j. II.
Sinclair of North Dakota, represent
ing the federal government; II. {.
Hotaling, secretary, and other members
of the National Editorial association;
and Horace NJ. Albright. superintend-
EFT of Yellowstone National park.
The bronze plaque to be erected will
bear the following inscription repro
duced from the original tablet erected
al the spot by General Hiram VI.
Chittenden, and now standing there:
Junction
of the
Gibbon and Firehole Rivers,
Forming the Madison Fork OF the
Missouri.
"On the point of land between the
tributary streams. September ~, 1870,
the celebrated Waslburn expedition,
which first made known to the world
the wonders of the Yellowstone, was
encamped, and here was first suggested
the idea of setting apart this reglon
as a national park"
The birth of the national park idea
at the tablet site is described by \. +.
Langford in his diary of the Washburn
expedition. While the party was en-
camped at the river junction several
of the members suggested that each
take up a section of land including
some of the natural wonders of the
region. which should then be exploited
for profit. The diary continues:
"Nlr. Hedges then said that he did
not approve of any of these plans
that there ought to be no private own
ership of any portion of that region.
but that the whole Of it ought to be set
apart as a great national park and that
each one of us ought TO make an effort
to have this accomplished
The proposal was accepted by the
other members Of the party and was
shortly afterward laid before congress
The occasion of the park tour of the
National Editorial association was
selected for the formal celebration OF
the Yellowstone anniversary since the
editors. more than any other group
were recognized as representing the
general public. for whose enjoyment
and edification the park was set aside
and is maintained.
Following the tablet dedication each
of the members of the National Edi'
torial association participating will be
presented by the Yellowstone park
public utilities with a medal struck II
COMMUNICATION of the anniversary.
At the conclusion of the ceremonies
the editors will be entertained al
luncheon at Old Faithful inn, and vii
then continue their tour through tht