Future development Kilauea's behavior reminds us that we must develop some of our many other features; for volcanoes are not only erratic, but are most dangerous at times when they are most impressive. With but 14 miles of good road in the park additional road construction is essential. Nothing will so popularize the Hawaii National Park with visitors and among the citizens of Hawaii as the construction of a road through the Pit Crater district of the Kilauea section. This can be cheaply built, and would pass along the rim of several pit craters of various sizes, many steaming, and two containing molten lava during the past two years. Near by is the 1923 lava flow where acres of forest were destroyed by lava spurting from earthquake cracks. In the development of the Mauna Loa section considerable money will be saved the Government by waiting until the Geological Survey completes their topographic mapping of this area, thus avoiding the duplication of much engineering work. There appears to be no immediate need for a road to the summit of Mauna Loa. The Haleakala section is worthy of early consideration; it is a wonderful place, and I hope soon to obtain satisfactory title to all portions desirable for national-park purposes. The frank enthusiasm of the people of Maui will make the development of Haleakala a pleasure to the Interior Department. Present roads The half mile of road leading to the rim of the volcano was absolutely obliterated by the eruptions, but parking space has been built 1,000 feet from the new crater rim, with a smooth trail beyond. Our most dangerous roads during the eruptions were those covered with a coating of "skiddy" ashes, insoluble, and a menace to safe driving until removed by hand. LAFAYETTE NATIONAL PARK, ME. Marked advance has been made in the development of Lafayette National Park, the entire area of which has been a gift to the nation. Three additional donations of land amounting to 358 acres have been made and accepted for park purposes during the year. These were tendered by the Hancock County trustees of public reservations, Charles W. Eliot, president. The chain of title to the lands conveyed revealed the fact that they were once part of the Province of Arcadia dating back in part to a grant by Louis XIV, King of France in 1688, and in part to a concession made in 1762 by the general court of the Province of Massachusetts. The park area, in addition to being rich in historic interest, includes the group of granite mountains among the oldest in America and the highest prominence along the entire Atlantic coast. Its bird and plant life, its ancient geologic story, and the prolific marine life in the ocean waters that surround it make the park of extreme interest not only to the scientist and student but to the casual visitor as well. Park roads approved The advisability of continuing road construction along lines approved in 1922 resulted in your holding a hearing here in Washington in March which all those who were opposed to the continuance of the approved work were invited to attend. You visited Lafayette with me in the early summer and personally inspected the park and examined its road-building program, and after the whole matter of road construction was thoroughly reviewed, approved the roads under construction, that for use with motors and that for use with horses. Construction of the first motor road in the park, being built with generous contributions, is proceeding rapidly. It is in every sense a park road and far from bringing any discordant element into the landscape will open its interest and wild' charm to countless visitors. The road to the summit of Cadillac Mountain, which branches off from this motor road, is planned for construction when funds authorized for the park road program become available. In this connection I desire especially to commend the superintendent and his forces for the painstaking care that has been taken in this construction work not to mar the park landscape. I consider the work that has been done the finest I have observed in mountain road building and I have in mind having all the road engineers of the National Park Service personally inspect the work so that they may take back to their own desks a desire to emulate the fine work that has been accomplished in Lafayette. HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, ARK. The cooperative arrangement with the Treasury Department was continued by having the United States Public Health Service detail a medical officer to act as superintendent. Dr. James Bolten, vice Dr. C. H. Waring, assumed charge March 24, 1924. Government free bathhouse and clinic A total of 4,025 persons bathed in the Government free bathhouse during the year. These persons were given 59,683 baths. New applicants numbered 3,676. The free clinic operated in connection with the free bathhouse and under control of an officer of the Public Health Service examined and treated 3,676 persons. Of these 2,227 were venereal and 1,449 were nonvenereal cases. The total number of examinations and treatments given was 43,824. The course of instruction for physicians was continued this year and one or more student physicians completed the course each month. Pay bathhouses No new pay bathhouses were constructed. The Arlington Hotel, now under construction, expects to open its hotel and bathhouse on January 1, 1925. This will complete the number of bathhouses that will be operated next year. Total profits reported by 16 pay bathhouses were $89,333.41.. Three pay bathhouses reported deficits amounting to $6,016.87 for the year. Total baths numbered 693,685, while total pay baths given were 610,523. Miscellaneous improvements A new comfort station was built on Hot Springs Mountain. In the free bathhouse and clinic 1,850 square feet of radiation was installed. Three shelter houses and 9,000 feet of trails were constructed. The police force was reorganized and is operating more efficiently. Curves on some of the roads have been eliminated, giving a greater factor of safety. The new Arlington Hotel, now nearing completion, will add greatly to the beauty of the city and is a worthwhile asset. A central impounding reservoir needed A central impounding reservoir should be built to take care of the seepage and overflow of hot water now going to waste, to anticipate an increase in the number of baths, and to avoid any shortage of water. This reservoir could be built for about $40,000, and would furnish all bathhouses equally with the necessary amount of water. Auto travel heavy Tourist travel by auto has been exceedingly heavy. With the opening of the new paved highway between Hot Springs and Little Rock travel by auto is expected to increase. Visitors by railroads numbered 122,175 and by auto 42,000, a total of 164,175. Hot waters to be investigated A conference of leading members of the medical profession called together by the National Research Council at the request of the Secretary of the Interior unanimously adopted resolutions urging a thorough investigation of the physiological action and therapeutic value of the waters of the hot springs. At your direction an estimate of the cost of such an investigation has been included in the estimates of appropriations for the 1926 fiscal year. Sanitation and public-health measures Bathhouses are given at least five regular inspections each month and are inspected at irregular intervals. All employees of the bathhouses are given monthly physical examinations to detect communicable diseases. Individual health cards are issued. New attendants are given complete physical examinations. Bacteriological examinations are made of the water, and mosquito-control work is carried on. MOUNT MCKINLEY NATIONAL PARK, ALASKA The tremendous uplift of Mount McKinley, the highest mountain in the world above its surrounding base, and the climax of Alaskan scenery contained in Mount McKinley National Park make it as a scenic attraction the most valuable asset of the Alaska Railroad in developing tourist travel to Alaska. Before this asset can be made to return a cash dividend, however, it is necessary to make the park accessible through the construction of roads and trails and the instal lation of proper tourist accommodations. In the road and trail development work the Alaska Road Commission has been giving close cooperation. In 1923 the commission expended $5,000 on an entrance road from McKinley Park Station on the railroad into the park. More extensive work has been accomplished this summer, the park road having been completed to the head of Hines Creek, a distance of 6 miles. When the funds for road and trail work authorized under the national park road act become available the work planned in McKinley Park will be handled by the road commission, and so that it may tackle the work effectively and without delay surveys and special preparations have been made in the improvement of the existing pack trail. At the present time only the hardiest travelers actually get into the park to view at close hand the magnificent scenery and the herds of wild animals for the protection of which the park was primarily created. A pack and saddle train has been operated under a permit the past two seasons, and while a chain of three camps extending 50 miles into the park was contemplated only one camp so far has been erected, that being at Savage River, 12 miles from the railroad. Here comfortable sleeping and mess arrangements have been provided for 24 persons. Attention was called last year to the fact that there had been considerable wanton destruction of the game in the park by alleged miners and prospectors. The law creating the park provided that miners and prospectors in the park may take and kill so much game or birds as may be needed for their actual needs when short of food, but as prospecting is widespread and patrol difficult it is practically impossible to control wanton killing. During the year two prosecutions for illegal game killing were made, resulting in one conviction and one acquittal. In connection with the game situation an encouraging feature is that prospecting in the eastern portion of the park has been nearly abandoned. Aside from mineral discoveries, as of yet unknown value, made in the Copper Mountain district no important mineral deposits have been found in the park, although prospectors have covered it fairly well for years. A devastating forest fire which burned about 30 square miles occurred during July and, owing to an extremely dry season and high wind, it was one of the most spectacular and unmanageable fires seen in years. While none of the park buildings at headquarters were destroyed, three-quarters of a mile of timber along the new highway was destroyed, leaving an ugly scar that will remain for years. With portable fire-fighting equipment similar to that maintained by the Canadian Park Service this fire could have been controlled before it had gained much headway. ZION NATIONAL PARK, UTAH Stimulated by the visit of the late President Harding to Zion Park early in the summer of 1923, the attention of the traveling public was particularly directed to this gorgeously colored section of southern Utah and travel this summer has largely exceeded that of previous years. Many notable visitors have been in the park and classes from several colleges have made it their summer study room. New camp development under way The development of tourist accommodations and facilities in the park by the Utah Parks Co. has not progressed as rapidly as was expected largely by reason of the disapproval of their plans for the construction of a large hotel on the floor of Zion Canyon. I was never favorable to this project, and although plans drawn for the proposed hotel were approved by the Fine Arts Commission I felt that the construction of a large hotel in the canyon was not the proper development. I am glad to say the construction of the hotel was abandoned and instead an ample central building with cottages for sleeping quarters conveniently located near by are now being constructed. The new camp development now well under way should be ready by the opening of the 1925 season. The present camp was operated very satisfactorily this year and its management assures exceptionally good tourist accommodations for next year. The new hotel at Cedar City, the starting point of southern Utah trips, was placed in operation this year and is a notable improvement. The Utah Parks Co. is also undertaking the development of tourist accommodations at the Cedar Breaks area and within the Bryce Canyon National Monument, elevation of which to national park status has been provided for by act of Congress when all alienated lands within the area are first secured for the United States. Improved transportation facilities also may be recorded this year, these being conducted by the Utah-Arizona Parks Transportation Co. under an agreement with the Utah Parks Co. Notable road and trail improvements With the deficiency appropriation for 1923 and 1924 for road and trail construction, signal progress has been made in the development of roads and trails in Zion Park. The road from the park entrance to the public camp was entirely reconstructed and has been in use all the season. From the public camp to Cable Mountain 11⁄2 miles of new road have been completed, and from this point to the Temple of Sinawava, where the road will end a short distance below the Narrows, the road is now under construction and will be completed for travel its entire length next season. This road work includes the construction of five new bridges on the road from park entrance to Cable Mountain. The bridge at Rockville spanning the Virgin River, also provided for in the deficiency appropriation, is nearing completion. The construction of this bridge makes possible the Zion Park-North Rim of Grand Canyon Cut-off Road, which will shorten the distance between these two points about 30 miles. The Utah and Southern California Automobile Associations, cooperating, have placed metal direction signs along the highways leading to the park from southern California and from Salt Lake City, Utah. The most notable improvement in Zion Park, however, has been the remarkable trail construction that has been accomplished. The West Rim Trail, 42 miles in length with a 9-mile loop on top of the west rim, is perhaps one of the most scenic trails in the national park system. The Lady Mountain Footpath, 2 miles in length, has over 1,400 steps chiseled out of the rock, two ladders, and 2,000 feet of |