street.

A few days ago when it was learned at Mammoth Hot Springs that the meeting of the Park Improvement company directors had resulted in no definite action toward liquidating their indebtedness, the carpenters who have been waiting so long for their pay for work done on the hotel, took possession of that building or rather asserted their right of possession on the ground that the work was incomplete and had never been turned over to the company. C. F. Hobart, who was then at Cinnabar, went to the Springs, and it is to be presumed that he is now holding possession adversely to the carpenters.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,

WASHINGTON,

February 29th, 1884.

Hon. G. O. Vest,

U. S. Senate,

Sir:

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 26th instant enclosing a copy of Senate Bill No. 1373, granting the right of way to the Cinnabar and Clark's Fork Railroad Company across such portions of the northern border of the Yellowstone National Park as may be necessary to reach by the nearest practicable route from Cinnabar to the Clark's Fork mining district in the Territory of Montana, and requesting my views as to the propriety of its passage.

In reply I have to state that in my opinion it would not be advisable to permit the construction of a railroad or the establishment of private commercial enterprises of any character, not requisite to the comfort and pleasure of the public, in the portions of the park containing the objects of interest to visitors, to detract from their natural purity and quiet. I am informed that the present travelled wagon road between the termini named in the bill follows the Yellowstone River, the East Fork of that river and the Soda Butte Creek, and a railroad, if constructed

2

upon the nearest practicable route would necessarily follow substantially the same course. It would therefore extend into the Park but a comparatively short distance along its northern border. The principal objects of interest to tourists are in portions of the Park remote from the route above mentioned and the operation of a railroad over this route would not therefore detract from their beauty or grandeur nor would it interfere with the game of the Park to a greater extent than the wagon teams by means of which communication between the points named is now carried on.

It is known that a flourishing mining camp has been established at Clark's Fork and valuable and productive mines have been opened at that point. The supplies for this community and the product of their mines, seeking a market, must be transported over this route and if the construction of the railroad be not authorized the present traversing of the route by wagons will under any circumstances, be invaded by traffic between the present railroad terminus and the Clark Fork mines. To refuse to afford those interested in the development of this mining region the benefits of the cheaper means of transportation a railroad would supply, merely because the road must enter the Park and when its construction would not tend to subvert the purpose for which the Park was set apart, or interfere with the public enjoy-

3

ment of its wonders, would be unreasonable. There could certain-
ly be no objection raised against the commerce over this route
being carried on by means of a railroad which would not apply with
equal force to the present means of intercourse.

While I am strongly of the opinion that authority should
not be given by Congress for the construction of a railroad over
portions of the Park in proximity to the objects of interest to
visitors, I do not regard the proposed location of the railroad
contemplated in the bill you submit as open to that objection, and
in view of the apparent commercial necessity for its construction
I do not know of any sufficient reason why the desired right of
way should not be granted.

Secretary.

Washington, D. C., June 25, 1984.

Hon. Henry M. Teller,

Secretary of the Interior.

Sir:

In answer to your communication of May 27, relative to
opening the Yellowstone National Park hotels for the accommodation
of guests the coming season, I would respectfully state that we
have arranged for having everything in order for the reception of
guests between the 1st and 10th of July; until that time we will
have three sleeping cars at the end of the Livingston Branch,
adjacent to the Park, with a hotel car attached, in which all
tourists can be accommodated with food, at 75 cents per meal and
nothing for lodging. We have made temporary arrangements at
Norris and Upper Geyser Basin which will furnish accommodations
to such as desire to visit these points.

I am fully aware that the conditions of our leases
oblige us to furnish these accommodations at the beginning of
the season, and failing to do so, you would have the right,

(after

after the expiration of due notice, to declare the said leases
forfeited, as provided in our agreement. I regret very much
the discredit that has come to the National Park Improvement
Company through a multiplicity of circumstances that has prevented
the raising of funds for carrying out our contract with the
government. From the time it was learned that we had not
the ability to raise the money through the financial men of
New York, Mr. Douglas and myself have made every effort to extricate
the Company from the embarrassment which overtook us. I have
confidence that the arrangements we have now made will enable us
to comply with all the requirements of our leases, without
further annoyance to your Department, and it is hoped in this
connection, that your Department will afford us all proper
facilities and protection under the leases as granted.

We hope that on any complaint being brought to your
notice, of violation on our part of any of the conditions of
stipulations of the leases granted, that you will have the
facts ascertained and prevent, so far as is in your power,
the transmission of vague rumors that have no foundation in
fact, as it is impossible, in a country so far removed from law

(and

and order, to organize and have everything work as perfectly as it would in less remote portions of the country.

Many of the men employed are unscrupulous, and those desiring to be employed who are refused, are very ready to enter into any plan of slander and misrepresentation.

Trusting that you will be as patient as possible with us under these trying circumstances, I am

Very respectfully,

C. T. Hobart

Vice Pres. & Gen. Manager.

Northern Pacific Railroad Company.
Land Department.

CHAS. B. LAMBORN,
Land Commissioner.

ST. PAUL, MINN., AUG. 29, 1934, 188

C. T. HOBART, ESQ.

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WYO.

DEAR SIR:

I HAVE RECEIVED YOUR LETTER OF AUGUST 19TH, CONCERN-
THE TOWN PLAT OF CINNABAR. AS SOON AS EVERYTHING IS IN SHAPE, I
SHALL BE GLAD TO CO-OPERATE WITH YOU IN ALL PROPER WAYS TO INDUCE
THE SALE OF LOTS AT CINNABAR. HOWEVER, THIS CANNOT BE DONE UNTIL
THE PLAT HAS BEEN FILED, AND YOU MAKE A MISTAKE IN STATING THAT IT
IS THE PURPOSE TO CONVEY TO THIS COMPANY AN UNDIVIDED HALF INTEREST.

WE DO NOT DESIRE AN UNDIVIDED INTEREST, BUT THE INTEREST OF THE
RAILROAD COMPANY MUST BE SEPARATE, AND DULY CONVEYED, TO SUCH PARTY
AS MAY BE DESIGNATED BY THE LAND COMMISSIONER. THIS, HOWEVER, NEED
NOT BE DONE UNTIL THE PLAT IS FILED, AND IF ALL REQUIREMENTS OF THE
LAW HAVE BEEN OBSERVED, AND THE TITLE FOR THE HALF INTEREST WHICH IS
TO BE CONVEYED FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE R.R.CO. IS COMPLETE, WE WILL DO
EVERYTHING WE CAN TO ASSIST IN DEVELOPING THAT POINT.

I THINK IT WOULD BE UNWISE TO FILE A PLAT OF MORE THAN 80 ACRES
AT THIS TIME, EVEN IF YOU HAVE EVERYTHING COMPLETE, BECAUSE IT IS NOT
PROBABLE THAT MORE LOTS THAN THOSE EMBRACED WITHIN THE FIRST 80 ACRES
COULD BE SOLD WITHIN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS OR YEAR, AND IT WOULD BE VERY

December 11, 1884.

C. T. Hobart, Esq.,

Vice President and General Manager,

Yellowstone National Park Improvement Company,

Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming:

Sir:

Your letter of the 6th ultimo has been received in which
you enclose a plat of survey of a piece of land in the Upper
Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, with the request that
the lease now held by your company be modified as to location
numbered three (3) therein, so as to conform to the descrip-
tion of the location now desired in lieu thereof, as follows:

"Beginning at a Hub twenty-five (25) feet west of Crystal Creek at the intersection of the bluff thirteen hundred and twenty (1320) feet from "Old Faithful Geyser;" thence running east two hundred and fifty-five and six tenths (255.6) feet; thence south, two hundred and fifty and fifty-five and six tenths (255.6) feet; thence west two hundred and fifty-five and six tenths (255.6) feet; thence north