the camps company is extending both its housing and dining-room facilities at several camps. Taking into consideration all the existing conditions affecting the operations of the park public utilities, they operated this year with more efficiency than I have ever before observed. Service generally was excellent, and it was especially gratifying to observe the care and protection given to patrons of the transportation company by its employees, almost all of whom respected and implicitly observed the rules of the service in regard to speeding and passing private motor vehicles on the park roads. Furthermore, nearly all of the drivers were courteous and sought to inform their passengers regarding the park and otherwise entertain them. CAMP ROOSEVELT ENLARGED. Camp Roosevelt, built near the site of Col. Roosevelt's camp in the spring of 1903, has lately been improved by the construction of a large log dining room and lounge. This will be followed by the erection of log cabins for sleeping accommodations. This resort is to be operated for those who come to the park to remain for awhile, fishing, walking, riding horseback, and enjoying other forms of healthful recreation. A boys' camp will be operated in connection with it. New stores of pleasing architecture have been erected during the year at Lake Outlet and Grand Canyon, and attractive gasolinefilling stations have been constructed at Mammoth Hot Springs and Old Faithful. Much landscape work has been carried on under the direction of the landscape engineer, the most ambitious project being the study of a town pian for West Yellowstone, outside the western gate, which is to be cut up and so.d under the town-site laws. FISH AND FISHING. Yellowstone Park has always been famous for its fishing waters, but the immensely heavy increase in travel that the park has enjoyed during the past two years has seriously depleted the fish supply in several of the most accessible streams. To reestablish these streams and protect the park against further depletion, an extensive program of stocking barren streams and restocking other waters was undertaken during the past summer. Altogether 2,000,000 fry hatched. in the Yellowstone Lake hatchery, operated by the Bureau of Fisheries, were planted in the park, and rainbow and eastern brook fingerlings to the number of 78,000 from the Bozeman hatchery were planted by the service in cooperation with the Bureau of Fisheries. There can be no doubt but what this fish planting achievement will very shortly redound greatly to the benefit of the park and to the enjoyment of its hundreds of streams and lakes by visiting tourists. EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE BY LOYAL EMPLOYEES. No statement regarding Yellowstone Park operations during the past year should be brought to a conclusion without a grateful acknowledgment of the self-sacrificing efforts of park employees, particularly those of the ranger force, who, in the face of tempera tures far below zero, worked to save the wild animals of the park, struggling against the elements in an unprecedented winter. That Yellowstone Park still stands as the Nation's greatest game preserve, and that elk and deer still range in that preserve in large numbers, are gratifying results that must be credited to the heroic efforts of loyal employees, whose interest in the park and its natural features is never measured by the financial emoluments of their positions. YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK. It is a pleasure to be able to record each year that Yosemite National Park has completed its greatest and most successful season. Every season since my official connection with the national parks was formed Yosemite has exceeded all previous records of travel and has steadily forged ahead in improvements. Only recently, while in the Yosemite Valley, I surveyed all of the achievements of the past five and one-half years, especially of the five seasons of Superintendent Lewis's in umbency, and as I compared the park of to-day with that of 1915 I realized as never before what a tremendous change in conditions had been wrought. All of these accomplishments have been in the public interest, and all have redounded, as made, to the pleasure of the park's patrons. That the people themselves have appreciated what has been done there is indicated plainly by the fact that ever-increasing throngs go to the park each summer, even though approach roads are bad and many of the roads within the park are often in a state of disrepair on account of shortage of funds. POST-OFFICE FACILITIES VASTLY BETTERED. During the past year the public utilities and the Government have both contributed largely to Yosemite's betterment and advancement. Not all of the Government's work by any means was performed by the National Park Service. The Post Office Department completely reorganized the postal service of the valley and improved it even beyond the expectations of all concerned in the management and operation of the park. The Camp Curry post office was consolidated with the Yosemite office, which was advanced to the second class, on account of the combined business performed by the two old offices. Under the new system the Post Office Department established a main office at the village of Yosemite, and placed two branches in the valley, one at Camp Curry and one at Yosemite Lodge, all in charge of experienced officials and clerks. Mail delivered at El Portal by the railroad was taken at once in trucks belonging to the Post Office Department to the Yosemite office for distribution. From there trucks were also used to move mail to and from the branches. So well did the new system work that plans are now under consideration for an extension of the postal facilities to the big public automobile camps, the main idea contemplating the distribution and collection of the mail under an arrangement similar to the rural mail system. B. THE ONE HE MISSED. Attractive camping sites, fine fishing lakes, and easy accessibility from all large centers of population in the Middle West are the reasons for the tremendous popularity of the park. ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK. Photographs by Mile High Photo Co., Denver. A. UNNAMED FALLS 130 FEET HIGH IN FALLS RIVER DISTRICT. Irrigationists seeking to gain irrigation easements in southwestern corner of park have declared it to be devoid of scenic beauty. B. INNOVATION IN CLEARING PARK ROADS OF SNOW FOR 1920 SEASON. A snowplow attached to a 75-horsepower Holt caterpillar by the park engineers performed valiant service. YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK. |