hand cable. It is a spectacular foot trail and the views from the summit of Lady Mountain are especially magnificent. A third new trail known as the Highline Trail, 11⁄2 miles in length, has been constructed and the East Rim Trail rebuilt in the most difficult places during the year. This new construction is destined to bring fame to Zion as a wonderful trail park. Circle trip to be popular With further road improvement, which is slowly but steadily going forward in southern Utah and in the Arizona strip north of the Grand Canyon, Utah's scenic attractions combined with the north rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, are becoming more readily accessible. When the beauty, variety, and colorfulness of these attractions become better known I predict there will be no more popular tourist trip than this in America. LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK, CALIF. Mount Lassen, the active volcano that is the main feature of this park, was quiet during the year. At one time during August it showed symptoms of activity when an unusually large volume of steam and vapor arose from it, but this disappeared almost at once and was followed by normal conditions. It is unfortunate that shortage of funds made it impracticable to undertake the development of Lassen Volcanic National Park this year, as it is an important link in the chain of national parks along the Pacific Coast. Road location surveys have been made, however, so that when the road budget is made available work can be undertaken on the road system. Topographic map now being prepared The mapping of this park has been undertaken by the United States Geological Survey and some preliminary work done this year. Next year the survey of the area will be completed, so that copies of the finished topographic map may be available by 1925. This map will be invaluable in proceeding with the development work it is hoped shortly to undertake in the park, and the cooperation of the Geological Survey in giving this work priority is greatly appreciated Elimination of private holdings important One of the problems to be solved when the Service begins actively to administer the area is that of private holdings, of which there are a number in the park. It is felt that an effort should be made to acquire these holdings as soon as possible, exchanging for them lands of approximately equal area and size outside the park. Our tentative development plans include work on the west side of the park only, where the roads can be built entirely on public lands. Cattle grazing detrimental The service has been permitting grazing in Lassen Volcanic Park to take care of the overflow from the adjoining national forest. A point has been reached, however, where it is vitally necessary to limit this grazing, or eliminate it entirely, if the plant and animal life of the park is to be saved. Reports have been received from one of our field officials that the land is already overgrazed, so that little forage is left to sustain the wild life indigenous to the area, which forms one of the great attractions of a national park. If this condition continues the vegetation will be killed and it will take years to bring the meadows back to their normal condition. Increase in travel In spite of the lack of roads and of tourist facilities in the park, the number of visitors to the area has increased greatly this year. There is little doubt that when the necessary development of the area has been undertaken a far greater number of visitors will be recorded. Word of appreciation The cooperation of the Lassen Volcanic National Park Association in promoting the interests of the park, at this time when the service, because of lack of funds, is handicapped in its efforts to care for the park, is greatly appreciated. I sincerely hope that this interest will continue, even after a definite local park administration has been installed. WIND CAVE NATIONAL PARK, S. DAK. Again this season the most outstanding feature in Wind Cave National Park was the remarkable increase in number of visitors despite the unfavorable economic conditions obtaining throughout the Northwest. The most striking characteristic that elicited no small amount of adverse comment from visitors was the very poor condition of the park road, which condition was emphasized by the fact that visitors passed over liberally wide, gravel-surfaced roads on all sides of the park. Practically all of the approach roads to the park have been or are being reconstructed or surfaced. It was impossible to make any extensive repairs or improvements to the park road because of the failure of the general road budget. The protection force at the park was inadequate to meet the demands of the increased numbers of visitors, and the lighting equipment for the cave does not now meet the requirements satisfactorily. It is urgently necessary that funds be provided for a good road, an electric lighting system for the cave, some additional buildings, and some other much-needed equipment, tools, and machinery. Watering and camping facilities at the park were taxed to their limit during the season, and it is reasonable to except a steady increase of visitors from year to year. The number has more than doubled during the past five years. PLATT NATIONAL PARK, OKLA. Platt is an all-the-year park and while the season proper runs during the summer months there are always campers and visitors all through the year. On July 4 over 20,000 people visited the Bromide Springs and drank of the medicinal waters. Records show that 539,495 persons entered the park gates, but as many of them undoubtedly repeated their visits from day to day 134,874 individuals is considered a fair estimate of travel. The park is gaining in favor as a health and pleasure resort with each succeeding season. Very little in the way of improvements could be done owing to the limited appropriation. Notwithstanding its area, water, accessibility, and large travel Platt has never received an adequate appropriation. The increasing popularity of the park demands a larger appropriation for the extension of the camp grounds, sewer lines, water and light systems, for the erection of more toilet facilities and for more help and equipment. The park roads are entirely too narrow and need to be widened, graded, and resurfaced to safely and comfortably accommodate the tremendously increased traffic in the park. SULLYS HILL NATIONAL PARK, N. DAK. Sullys Hill, a small park, is not actively administered by the National Park Service. The reservation is utilized primarily as a game preserve by the Bureau of Biological Survey, Department of Agriculture, and as such is an important factor in preserving the wild life indigenous of the region. The park serves local recreational purposes and its principal need is a good approach road. The present trails to the park are exceedingly poor, are hard on autos, and discourage persons from visiting the park. A Federal aid highway has been projected to and through the park, a permit having been issued by the service to the State highway commission for the construction of the road through the park. Completion of this road will, it is expected, greatly increase travel to the park. The area is not of national park caliber, however, and in my judgment its designation as such should be ended and its elimination from the national park system and transfer to the Department of Agriculture as a game preserve recognized and accomplished by appropriate legislation. THE NATIONAL MONUMENTS The outstanding feature of the administration of the national monuments during the past year was the designation of Custodian Frank Pinkley, of Casa Grande and Tumacacori National Mouments, to the position of Superintendent of Southwestern Monuments. Under this arrangement Mr. Pinkley has general supervision over the Aztec Ruin, Capulin Mountain, Carlsbad Cave, Chaco Canyon, El Morro, Gran Quivira, Montezuma Castle, Natural Bridges, Navajo, Petrified Forest, Pipe Springs, and Rainbow Bridge National Monuments, in addition to his custodial work at the Casa Grande and Tumacacori. Having a local superintendent has greatly simplified the handling of monument affairs in the Southwest and has relieved this office of much detail work. An appropriation of $5,000 was made for general repairs to the historic and prehistoric ruins on the monuments that were slowly disintegrating under the action of the elements, and repair work has been carried on during the summer at Casa Grande, Tumacacori, Gran Quivira, and Aztec Ruin. Important repair work at Chaco Canyon will be undertaken early next year. A similar amount has been included in the estimates for 1926, and if funds are made available to carry on the necessary restoration work progressively all the important monument ruins will be placed in condition to insure their being handed down to posterity. The custodians of the Muir Woods and Pinnacles National Monuments in California both reported successful seasons. The board of road commissioners in Alaska and the Territory cooperated with the Park Service in providing funds for certain necessary repair and maintenance work in the Sitka National Monument. The work was done under the supervision of the road commission. LEGISLATION The following is a brief summary of legislation affecting the national parks considered in Congress since the preparation of the seventh annual report. The text of new laws will be found in Appendix D of the report. Bills enacted into law The deficiency act of April 2, 19241, carried an item of $27,700 for repairing damage caused by flood washouts to roads, bridges, and retaining walls in Yellowstone National Park, and to the road leading out of the park from the east boundary. H. R. 36822, entitled "An act authorizing the construction, reconstruction, and improvement of roads and trails, inclusive of necessary bridges, in the national parks and monuments under the jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior," which was approved April 9, 1924, authorized appropriations of $2,500,000 annually for the three-year period ending June 30, 1927, for road and trail construction in the national parks and monuments. No funds were provided by this act. H. R. 2713, signed by the President June 2, 1924, entitled "An act to transfer certain lands of the United States from the Rocky Mountain National Park to the Colorado National Forest, Colorado," eliminated from the Rocky Mountain National Park an area of 345 acres immediately on the northwest boundary which was needed in connection with the construction of the Grand River reservoir in the adjoining Colorado National Forest. H. R. 4985, approved June 5, 1924, entitled "An act to repeal the first proviso of section 4 of an act to establish a national park in the Territory of Hawaii, approved August 1, 1916," repealed the inhibition on annual appropriations of more than $10,000 for Hawaii Na tional Park. The Interior Department appropriation act of June 5, 1924, carried appropriations of $1,877,835 for the National Park Service in Washington and for the administration, protection, maintenance, and improvement of the various national parks and monuments. S. 668, approved June 7, 1924, entitled "An act to establish the Utah National Park in the State of Utah," provided that the Bryce Canyon National Monument be given national park status when all private property within the exterior boundaries of the proposed park shall have become the property of the United States. S. 1987, signed by the President June 7, 1924, entitled "An act accepting certain tracts of land in the city of Medford, Jackson county, Oregon," provided for the acceptance by the United States of two lots offered by the city of Medford as sites for a residence for the superintendent of Crater Lake National Park, with attached office, and for a warehouse for the storage of park supplies and equip ment. Bills introduced but not enacted before the close of the last session The second general deficiency bill, which failed to pass in the closing hours of the last session, carried the following appropriations for the National Park Service: Personal services in the District of Columbia_. Mesa Verde National Park, on account of flood damage. $27,000 3,000 13, 000 26, 171 1, 000, 000 1,069, 171 The failure of this bill was a severe blow to the service, and it is earnestly hoped that when Congress convenes in December measures may be taken to pass it immediately. A new bill, S. 4095, to enlarge Sequoia National Park by the addition of Mount Whitney and portions of the Kings and Kern River Canyons, was introduced, but no action was taken upon it. Bills were introduced for the creation of the following national parks: Mount Katahdin, Me., Killdeer Mountain, N. Dak., Roosevelt, N. Dak., Mammoth Cave, Ky., Mississippi Valley, Iowa-Wis., Wonderland, S. Dak., Nicolet, Wis., Grand Coulee and Yakima, Wash., Peel, Ark., Smoky Mountain, Tenn.-N. C., Mena, Ark., and Ozark, Mo., and also for other national parks in the States of Virginia, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Texas, and one in the three States of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. A bill was also introduced for the establishment of the Battle of the Bear's Paw National Monument, Montana. Other pending measures of interest to the Park Service propose the appropriation of $22,500 for the protection and improvement of Lassen Volcanic National Park, making revenues received from national parks and monuments available for improvements in the respective parks and monuments, appropriating funds for the construction of roads in the Sevier National Forest, the Kaibab National Forest, and the Grand Canyon National Park, appropriating funds for the construction of roads and bridges on the north approach to and within the Petrified Forest National Monument, authorizing the construction of approach roads to the national parks and monuments, providing $5,000 for protecting the Dinosaur National Monu 6 Public No. 227, 68th Cong. See p. 157. 7 Public No. 239, 68th Cong. See p. 157. |