r. GEOGRAPHY. 223 



less. The Park was visited daring 1872, in connection with 

 the expedition of Professor Hayden, and new routes deter- 

 mined, by which access will be much easier than heretofore. 

 At present the only mode of approach is by means of saddle 

 and pack trains, and Governor Langford suggests the propri- 

 ety of constructing several wagon-roads for the convenience 

 of the public. One of these roads should start from a point 

 about lifty miles above the junction of Henry's Fork with 

 the Snake River, and extend eighty miles to the north. This 

 will pass over or through the main range of the Rocky 

 Mountains, either by the Henry or the Targee Pass. Anoth- 

 er practicable road would commence at the same point on 

 Heni-y's Fork and follow up the Middle Fork. This route 

 would be shorter than the other, and lead more directly to 

 the Geyser Basin and Yellowstone Lake, the distance be- 

 tween the two being about twenty miles. In the Park a 

 road should be built from Gardiner's River Springs across 

 the Lower Geyser Basin, the distance being forty miles. The 

 oj^ening of these roads would insure the early erection of 

 large and commodious public-houses at Monmouth Springs, 

 Yellowstone Falls, Yellowstone Lake, and the Upper and 

 Lower Geyser Basins. 



When these improvements are made it is thought that ex- 

 tensive settlements will spring up in that region, supported 

 in part by the travel of tourists, and partly by the exporta- 

 tion of lumber made from valuable timber in the district. We 

 are informed that there is no land in the Park suitable for 

 agricultural purposes, although enough grass can always be 

 found to feed the horses of tourists. No mines appear to 

 have been detected, nor is there any prospect of them. It is 

 recommended that, for purposes of police regulation, the Park 

 be attached to Gallatin County, Montana; as, although more 

 closely connected with Wyoming, access to the Park is con- 

 sidered impossible by way of that territory. Senate Ex. 

 Doc, No. 35. 



EXPLORATIONS OF LIEUTENANT WIIEELEE, IN 1871. 



The i^reliminary report of the explorations and surveys 

 during the year 1871, in Nevada and Arizona, conducted by 

 Lieut. George M. Wheeler, of the engineer corps, has lately 

 been published in quarto form by the government printer. 



