54° 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



Wapama Falls, south side of Tuolumne River, in tlie foreground 

 Hatch Hetchy Valley, Yosemite National Park, Cal. 



The question might well be asked why such work as this Avas not 

 undertaken sooner b}^ the government. The principal reason is that 

 every officer of the government directing the affairs of the national 

 parks is burdened with a mass of administrative details relating to 

 other matters. The parks have been placed by law under the direct 

 supervision of the secretary of the interior and the detailed adminis- 

 trative work is all done by officials immediately subordinate to the 

 secretary. The Hot Springs of Arkansas were made a government 

 reservation in 1832 and in 1872 the Yellowstone, the first of the great 



