The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1922-06-29
GOLDEN ami r"
VERSARY OF VEL
LOWSTONE PARK
Jim Bridger's Biggest
Lie Was the
Truth

Years ago old Jim Bridger was
one of the earliest travellers of the
Yellowstone.
But when he tried to tell of the
gigantic geysers, rivers that ran
cold on top and hot on the bottom
and monstrous waterfalls, the
country laughed at him, and he be-
came known as the grtatest liar Of
his time. A
Imagine the hard luck. With a
reputation already made as the In
ventor Of many fanciful tale of the
old west, to really discover thing
beyond even his own widest imagin-
ings, and then to be branded liar!
A rough deal, indeed.
But 1922 marks the golden ami
versary of the Yellowstone National
Park. And this year every traveller
who goes to the wonderland to help
celebrate the gala year, every deluxe
train that runs from Salt Lakt City
to the park entrance at West yell
lowstone, will be a vinHcation for
poor old Bridger.
His biggest 'lie" was the truth.
There have been many changes to
the Yellowstone since Bridger's day
as travellers who come this year will
find. Where he went in overland
with pack horses, they roll in over
a steel highway in de luxe trains,
whose service this year will be
doubled. In addition to the famous
yellowstone Special" which nightly
flashes over the rails from Salt Lake
to the park entrance, there will be
daylight train, which will enable
the visitor to see the scenic noun
tain wonders of the Targhee forest,
en- route to the park itself.
Arriving at West Yellowstone,
more changes are evident. Where
Bridger went thru the brush, and
used river beds as trails, this sum-
mers traveller will find matchless
system of highways, with automo-
bile transportation awaiting him.
He can select any one of half a
dozen trips thru the wonderland.
Instead of mountain trails there is
system of matchless highways.
Hotels with every modern comfort
and convenience await him in the
heart Of the wilderness. Permanent
camps offer equal comfort and at
traction. But both hotels and
camps have been so skillfully con-
structed that their rustic log archi-
lecture adds to the natural wild
beauty of the whole.
Thru all this is a wonderful sys-
tenn of cooperation between gov
eminent, railroads, hotels, camps,
and transportation that enables
100000 people to Sc the whole park
annually. And yet with all these
changes, so have they been kept to
the spirit of the place, the park is
the same old Yellowstone.
Only one change is the reverse of
what it seems it should be. The
animals, wild in Bridger's day, are
tame now. Bears eat from your
hand. Grazing elk herds raise
lordly heads to watch the bus cara
vans roll by. Deer pause by the
roadside and eye them speculatively.
Mighty rainbow trout leap from the
river to tempt the anglers.
Clear and deep, the Yellowstone
river flows on, unchanged. The
voice of the falls booms forth in the
key it used when the moon was
young, the geysers spout at the
regular intervals as they did before
Columbus made his historic first i'm
migration to American shores. Deep
carpets of pine needles, the accumu-
lation of centuries invite rest in the
shadows of pines that started grow
ing when the ground first grew cool.
Unusual activity is promised for
the geysers this year. The snow
fall was adbnormally heavy last
winter, and the moisture which will
make the falls and cascades of un-
usual beauty will add to the sensa-
tional performances of boiling
springs, geysers and mud pots.
Even nature has assisted, this
year, in the vindication Of Jim
Bridger's suspected tongue, and the
stage is set for a wonderful opening
~ Tho porL,c fffioth ounfvorcorv