Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-15
PARK BIRTHDAY
IS CELEBRATED
BY PAPER MEN
Ceremonies Take Place
on Spot Where Hedges
Suggested Playground.
Anniversary Speech Is
Made by Chief of Edit
ors Viewing Wonders.
(By Staff Correspondent)

(By Staff Correspondent
Old Faithful Inn. Yellowstone Ma
tional Park, July 14.-Upon the spot
where, % years ago, the late Corne-
lius Hedges, early Montana pioneer,
suggested to other members of the
Washburn-Langford expedition that
this wonderland should be set apart by
the government as public playground.
the golden anniversary Of the creation
of the Yellowstone National park was
observed Friday forenoon with fitting
ceremonies Directly upon the spot
where, it is believed. Hedges stood
when he spoke the words that resulted
in the setting apart of the first of
the national parks. his sons. W. A.
Hedges of Lewistown and Cornelius
Hedges, Jr,, of Helena, raised the Stars
and Stripes and the flag of the secre-
tary of the interior as part Of the
ceremony. and a few moments later
planted tree as a memorial to their
father.
1869 Explorer Present
Charles W. Cook of White Sulphur
Springs. who with David E. Folsom
of Montana, had explored the region in
1869. was present and was introduced
to the assemblage by the chairman,
Fl. NJ. Albright, superintendent Of the
park.
The ceremony, which was witnessed
by a large audience of tourists. rep
resenting practically every state Of the
union. took place at the junction of
the Gibbon and Firehole rivers on the
point of land where the Washburn
party camped September 10, 1870. This
is the source of the Madison river,
which later joins the jefferson and
the Gallatin in forming the Missouri.
The act creating the park was signed
by President Grant on March 1. 1872.
and it was expected that President
Harding would be present with the Ma
tional Editorial association party in
observing the fiftieth anniversary. In
stead. telegram from the president
was read and the anniversary address
was delivered by j. c. Brimblecomb
of Massachusetts. acting president of
the National Editorial association.
Messages FROM Notables
Addresses were also delivered by
John A. Sinclair. congressman from
North Dakota; Lieutenant Governor
Moore OF Idaho. and Superintendent
Albright. who likewise read kilograms
from Governor Joseph NJ. Dixon. Sen
ators T. !. Walsh and II. L. Myers,
A. B. Fall, secretary of the interior; !;
Stephen T. Mather. director of the ma
tional parks service; United States
Senators Spencer of Missouri, F. E..
Warren. John D. Kendrick of Wyo-
ming and other public men. The Star
Spangled Banner" was played by the
Gardiner band and wreath of flowers
was placed upon the plaque marking
the spot of the Washburn party's
camp. which later will be replaced by
a bronze wreath
Old Stage Coach Seen
An old Concord stage coach of the
placer mining days showed up in strik-
ing contrast with the scores of high
powered motor vehicles which encircled
the ground. Demonstration OF gold
panning, by A. f. Sutton. prospector
for the past 40 years in California,
Wyoming and Montana. closed the ar
fair. The national editorial party,
which entered the park at the Cody
entrance Thursday morning ana TOOK
lunch that day at Buffalo Bills old
hunting lodge and spent the night at
the falls of the Yellowstone. arrived
AZ Old Faithful Friday noon, to remain
there over night. The party will spend
Saturday night at the Grand Canyon.
PRESIDENT HARDiNG'S MESSAGE
Yellowstone Park, July 14.-tBy The
Associated Press. .)-The message from
President Harding, read at the Yellow
stone park golden anniversary cere-
monies Friday, reads:
with over seven million acres of
the choicest scenic areas of the United
States. Hawaii and Alaska reserved as
national parks, dedicated and set apart
for all time as pleasure grounds for
the people. it is singularly appropriate
that persons from all sections OF our
should today assemble in Yel-
owstone park, at the site where the
national park idea was born, to ceie-
brate the fiftieth anniversary OF ITS
creation. We now realize that with
its establishment as the first national
park came also the recommendation OF
the principle that scenery of supreme
majesty is national asset, worth
preservation for the use and enjoy
ment of future generations as well as
those of our time. l congratulate the
American people on the possession OF
their national parks.
(Signed) WARREN G. HARDING