via the Madison Canyon by the shortest practicable route to the road from Norris to the Fountain Geyser Basin." To which should now be added (12) "A road from Upper Geyser Basin to the south boundary of the Park." In suggesting the above change in nomenclature, viz: "Fountain Geyser Basin" for "Lower Firehole Basin” and “Grand Canyon" for "Yellowstone Falls" I have followed what has already become an established usage in the Park. The time has now arrived when the question of opening up important points of interest off the main line of travel should receive attention. Captain Sears in 1887 recommended that, "In addition to the main thoroughfares, good branch roads and trails should be made to the many minor objects of interest off the main line of travel." For example, the Great Fountain Geyser, incomparably the finest formation in the Park and excelled only by the Excelsior Geyser in the magnificence of its eruptions, is at present inaccessible except on foot or horseback. In that vicinity are also many of the finest quiescent springs in the Park. A road should soon be built making a drive of three or four miles so as to include all these points of interest. Near Mammoth Hot Springs are the Canyon and Falls of the Middle Gardiner River, which come next to the Grand Canyon and Falls of the Yellowstone in grandeur and beauty. A road could be constructed from the Springs passing through this Canyon, around Bunsens Peak, back through Golden Gate Canyon, through the "Hoodoo" formation under the picturesque palisades of Terrace Mountains, returning in rear of the Hot Springs formation to the hotel at Mammoth Hot Springs. This could not fail to be a very popular drive. A letter was addressed to me early this season by the manager of the Yellowstone Park Association suggesting the construction of a foot and bridle bridge across the Yellowstone River above the falls. At present there is no bridge across that river within the boundaries of the Park except that in the vicinity of Yanceys. It is said by those who have seen the canyon and falls of the Yellowstone from the right bank of the river that the view even excels that from Lookout and Inspiration points. I think the project should include a bridge across the river at this point and a road down the river sufficiently far to take in the most interesting portions of the canyon. To temporarily meet the needs of tourists I would suggest the construction of a bridle bridge across the river just above the Upper Falls. The river here has a clear width of only 70 feet, and a span of 80 feet will give ample room for a safe support. This point is a very interesting one, being in the midst of the heavy rapids of the river and immediately above the brink of the Upper Falls. When a permanent bridge is built there it should be of a style and character in keeping with the magnificence of the surroundings. It has been suggested that a single arch of stone be thrown across the river at this point; and if not too expensive it would certainly be more appropriate than any other form of structure could be. It is highly probable that tourist traffic between the lake outlet and the West Thumb will in the future be by boat. So much interest is taken in the lake on the part of tourists that to gratify it the transportation people will doubtless find it necessary to place a boat upon the lake. It is probable, in fact, that it will be found to their advantage to carry tourists by water rather than by coach over the long distance of 18.6 miles. The trip by boat consumes about 14 hours. An arrangement of this kind may be regarded as a certainty in the near future. In connection with the navigation of the lake the subject has been much discussed of continuing the boat route down the river nearly to the falls. This would certainly be very desirable, if practicable. But it is doubtful if the Yellowstone River can be made easily navigable at any ordinary outlay of money. Captain Kingman says in his report for 1883, "I am of the opinion that they (the rapids) could only be surmounted by the aid of canals and locks or else by locks and dams, either of which, owing to the character of the river and the nature of the bottom and banks, would be very expensive." To enable a boat of sufficient draft for safety on the lake in heavy weather to pass down the river would require a channel from 4 to 6 feet deep. To improve the river so as to secure such a channel would certainly be a heavy and expensive undertaking. But it might be practicable to have a line of boats made especially for the river, flat-bottomed and of only 2 or 3 feet draft, which would materially simplify the problem. The lake boats could then be built on the model of deep-water boats and a transfer be made near the lake outlet to the river boats. There are two serious rapids on the Yellowstone River between the falls and the lake. One of these occurs at Mud Geyser and the other about 3 miles above. The stream is shallow and swift over the entire distance between these points. A project for improvement would require the thorough canalization of the river for a distance of 4 or 5 mlies, including the rapids. Above and below this stretch a moderate amount of dredging and removing of bowlders would, I think, be sufficient. The river falls from the middle of June (its highest stage) to the end of September between 3 and 4 feet, but owing to the vast reservoir formed by the lake the rise and fall are very gradual, while floods are made impossible. A measurement of the river current at the lowest stage during the past season indicates a discharge of 1,600 cubic feet per second. I have not given the matter sufficient consideration to be able to submit an estimate of the probable cost of such an improvement. The subject of the "completion of existing roads" may be considered in connection with the proposed modification in the present project. Along with the execution of annual repairs should be carried on a systematic completion of the present roads, with such alterations of location as may be necessary to rectify their grades and otherwise improve them. The importance of this will be manifest from an examination of the accompanying plots showing the gain in distance and grade by going around Norris Hill, and the gain in grade around Virginia Cascade. There are many other places where changes may be made nearly as beneficial as the above. Along the entire line of road there is need of rectifying grades, constructing ditches, graveling miry places, and rounding up the road surface to facilitate drainage. NEXT SEASON'S WORK. In the event of a new appropriation in time for use next season the following works should first receive attention: (1) The completion of the system of roads near the Fountain Hotel. (2) Completion of old road from Upper Basin to beginning of new road at mouth of Spring Creek. (3) Completion of new road on Mountain division on west slope of Heron Creek Valley. (4) Completion of new road on Lake Shore division from West Thumb to east end of sandy beach, mentioned in previous portion of report. (5) Completion of new road at various points on River division. (6) Construction of new road from lower end of section 4, River division, to the bridge at the head of Grand Canyon. (7) Construction of a new road from the Canyon Hotel to Inspiration Point. (8) Construction of a new road from end of present road in Gibbon Canyon to Fountain Hotel. (9) Construction of a new road around Norris Hill. (10) If there are sufficient funds over what is necessary to execute the above works it would be well to open a wagon trail along the proposed line from the canyon to Yanceys, so as to make it possible to pass that way during the season of 1893. The full completion of the road from Grand Canyon via Mount Washburn and Yanceys to Mammoth Hot Springs would be a matter of two or three seasons' work, as it will, on the whole, be the most difficult and expensive piece of work in the Park. The view from the summit of Mount Washburn being one of the finest features of the Park, it is my opinion that the road should be built along the general line of the west trail from the Canyon to Yanceys. ENGINEER OFFICE. One of the first needs of the improvement work in the Park is that of adequate buildings for office, storehouse, quarters, and stable. The effort of last year to secure these buildings fell through on account of the unexpectedly high figure of the bids submitted. This matter is one of immediate and pressing importance. For several years the engineer office in the Park has been in a disgraceful little shanty, affording neither room nor shelter. The storehouse is scarcely any protection at all to the material. Moreover, it is wholly inadequate as to space. The tents and other articles of this season's work had to be stored in the office. The necessary buildings ought to be constructed under the next appropriation. ASTRONOMICAL STATION. I would suggest that steps be taken to secure the astronomical determination, by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, of the position of some convenient point within the limits of the Park. No such determination now exists. I am informed by the Superintendent of the Coast Survey that he will be glad to cooperate with us for that purpose during the coming season. Some point on the shore of Yellowstone Lake near the outlet seems to me preferable. It is a central location and reduces to a minimum the triangulation necessary to determine the positions of the most eastern and most southern points of the lake on which the location of the east and south boundaries depends. ROAD SPRINKLING. The day before leaving St. Paul for the Park last spring I hastily collected, by your direction, such data as I could obtain in the short time available bearing on the ques*Not printed. tion of sprinkling the Park roads. As you had indicated an intention of adopting some project for the above purpose, I gave considerable attention to the matter while in the Park during the past season, and since my return to this office I have collected as definite information as possible, in the absence of any direct experiment, as to the cost and practicability of the undertaking. The results at which I have arrived are as follows: I have assumed that any plan which may be offered will be expected to apply to the entire system of roads now open to travel. The system at present includes about 120 miles of road. The following data, supplied through the courtesy of Mr. George L. Wilson, assistant city engineer, and Mr. W. S. Young, sprinkling inspector, both of this city, furnish as close a criterion as can be readily obtained for our work: One sprinkler travels in a day about 35,000 feet, or approximately 7 miles. The actual length of street sprinkled depends, of course, upon its width and the number of times it is sprinkled. A 600-gallon tank, covering 16 feet of roadway, travels, according to the condition of the street, 1,200 to 1,500 feet without refilling. Streets are springled in hot weather from three to five times per day. Paved streets are sprinkled oftener than dirt streets. Where the former are sprinkled four or five times per day, the latter are sprinkled three or four times. Streets with steep grades require on an average one more sprinkling per day than streets approximately level. The number of sprinklings also depends on the location of a street with reference to tall buildings, which may shut off the sunlight. Sprinklers when full of water weigh about 8,000 pounds. One team per sprinkler on paved streets is generally sufficient. These data applied to roads of the Yellowstone National Park would be modified about as follows: The length of roadway covered by a single sprinkler would probably fall considerably under the above figure (1) on account of steep grades and soft roads, and (2) on account of the greatly increased amount of time lost in filling sprinklers. I have assumed that the sprinklers will be restricted to twice per day. This, however, might prove quite insufficient. The nearest comparative data that I have been able to obtain is the amount of sprinkling required in the city of Helena, Mont. The average amount of water per square foot per day required there is one-half gallon. Two sprinklings per day, as above proposed, will give only about .06 gallons per square foot. The width of roadway sprinkled will probably be reduced to about 8 feet. A 600 gallon sprinkler will, therefore, cover one-half mile or less of road without refilling. The number of horses required to pull a sprinkler full of water will be from four to eight, according to grade and quality of road. From two-thirds to three-fourths of the total length of roadway is subject to the action of the sun during the entire day. The remainder of the road lies through forest or canyon, and may be compared to streets in thickly populated portions of a city. A great portion of the Park roads are hilly, some of the hills being very steep. Storage tanks must be located at least every half mile, with a strong probability, based upon the foregoing data, that they will be required as often as every third of a mile. In a large proportion of cases the tanks will rest on the ground or be set in the ground on account of the difficulty of getting sufficient fall to fill an elevated tank. The filling of the sprinklers will, therefore, have to be accomplished in many cases by means of pumps, which will require the sprinklers to be equipped for that purpose. The filling in such cases will consume from one-half hour to one hour. The facilities for filling storage tanks are not such as one would infer from general distribution of water in the Park. A careful consideration of the whole line of road indicates that for only about one-third of the distance can water be obtained for filling elevated tanks if it is not brought a greater average distance than 500 feet. Another third of the distance will supply water for surface tanks. The remaining third of the distance gives no indication, so far as I can remember, of any water supply whatever. To properly sprinkle the roads twice per day will, therefore, require at least 40 sprinklers and 250 storage tanks. To operate this plant will require one overseer, about 10 foremen, 40 drivers, and 100 teams, together with some provision for executing repairs. It may be found necessary to add laborers to assist in filling the sprinklers when this is done by means of pumps. The plant should be throughout of the most thorough construction, for the service will be very severe. The cost of such a plant and its operation for one season will be approximately as follows: Cost of plant: 40 sprinklers complete, of best make, equipped with brake, pump, and facilities for attaching lead teams, and 250 storage tanks, each with 500 feet of 1-inch wrought-iron pipe, all delivered at Cinnabar, Mont. $35, 000 Transportation of plant from Cinnabar to Park....... Cost of lumber, labor, and superintendence in setting up plant in Park. Total.... Cost of operation: 100 teams, at $3.66 per day, and 40 drivers, at $2 per day, including board; daily expense. 1,500 7,500 4,400 48, 400 $446.66 Season from June 20 to September 20, makes 90 days, at $446.663. $40, 200 Superintendence Repairs, etc Proportion of office and other expenses. Total outlay for first season.. 2,000 1,500 900 44, 600 93,000 I have no doubt that an actual trial of the experiment will show that, owing to exceptional causes already alluded to, the above figures will be found too small and that the expense will reach $100,000. The sprinkling of the hill roads will be a serious matter. The progress up hill with so large a load will be very slow; it will be necessary to stop every few rods to rest the teams. This will make it difficult to regulate the flow properly and it will also very much lessen the length of roadway covered per day. It may be suggested to sprinkle only down hill, but this at once doubles the expense by necessitating a drive one way to no purpose. Moreover, on the steeper hills, it is improbable that if enough water be put on the roads to last four hours, it will most of it, reach the foot of the hill before the sprinkler does. The running expense will have to be considered as a constant quantity, even when the roads may not need sprinkling. Teams could not be hired on the condition of losing all time when the roads are not dusty. And they could not otherwise be used to advantage. A driver with a four-horse team and a wagon, but without other assistance, is not in shape to do effective work, while a concentration of teams would be quite out of the question. Every opportunity, such as rainy weather, would be taken by the drivers to get to a blacksmith or repair shop for shoeing horses and making repairs. It may be accepted as reasonably certain that a first-class sprinkling plant for the existing system of roads in the National Park and its operation for one year will cost a sum at least one-third greater than any single appropriation which the Park has yet received. The undertaking appears to me, in view of the limited appropriations, wholly impracticable. Furthermore, if an appropriation were available large enough to leave a considerable sum for this purpose, it would not, in my opinion, be advisable to so expend it. The terribly dusty state of the roads in dry weather is very largely due to the fact that they are composed of nothing but the ordinary soil through which the roadway passes, in the general case utterly worthless for road material. It becomes mire in wet weather; in dry weather, powder. The remedy lies, not in sprinkling this powder, but in getting rid of it. The cost of a sprinkling plant and its operation in one season would cover with good gravel, as recommended in this report, 40 miles of road. This would suppress dust and mud at the same time. If, however, it is decided to try the experiment, I would strongly recommend that it might be done for one season on a very limited scale. Two sprinklers might be put on the road from Gardiner River to the top of Golden Gate Hill, a distance of about 28,000 feet. Owing to the large amount of steep grade on this stretch, there would probably be needed about fourteen supply tanks. Each sprinkler would require a six or eight horse team. If the experiment can be made a success here, it can anywhere in the Park. The road is one of the dustiest and it is a good place to commence. Being near the engineer office, it would thus facilitate the work of collecting data for future use. The cost will be approximately $5,000. If, after one season's trial, the scheme proves a failure, we shall not be encumbered with an extensive and useless plant. If it proves a success, our additional information will enable us to prepare more exact specifications for a complete plant. CAPTAIN KINGMAN'S REPORT. In my opinion, steps ought to be taken to secure the publication, by the Chief of Engineers, of the reports of Captain Kingman's work in the Park. These reports, extending over three years, have never been published by either the Chief of Engineers, Secretary of War, or the Interior Department. In answer to a letter of inquiry to Captain Kingman in relation to this matter he says that the Secretary of War directed "that I should make my report to him. I did so in those years, sending the reports through the Chief of Engineers. The reports going to the Chief of Engineers in this exceptional way were of course not regarded by him as proper subjects for his annual report. He furnished from his office a copy to the Interior Department, but somehow between them all the reports have never been printed.” Captain Kingman was the first officer of the Corps of Engineers placed in charge of the improvement of the Yellowstone National Park. The project he adopted and the general rules laid down in regard to road work there have been closely followed by his successors. His reports cover nearly all subjects of engineering interest in connection with that work, and time has, in nearly every instance, shown the correctness of his views. The reports are, therefore, of especial value, not only for their intrinsic merit, but also by reason of their being the only source of information on the first three years of the work. The only place where they can now be found, so far as I am aware, is in manuscript form in this office. In concluding this report, I desire to express my thanks to the superintendent of the Park and the officers stationed there for their frequent material assistance in the prosecution of the season's work. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Maj. W. A. JONES, Corps of Engineers, St. Paul, Minn. HIRAM M. CHITTENDEN, First Lieut., Corps of Engineers. |