296 F. V. Hayden— Yellowstune National Park. 
? Ta for the cunning — of nature to form. Persons are now 
ing for the spring to open to enter in and take possession of 
done remarkable curiosities, to make merchandise of these beauti- 
ful specimens, to fence in these rare wonders so as to char, rge vis- 
itors a fee, as is now done at Niagara Falls, for the sight of that 
ee oe ought to be as free as the air or water. 
a few years this region will be a place of resort for all classes 
of petals from all portions of the world. The geysers of Iceland, 
which have been objects of interest for the scientific men and 
travelers of the entire world, sink into insignificance in compati- 
son with the hot springs of the Ydllvtirotis aud Fire-Hole Basins. 
As a place of resort for invalids it will not be excelled by any 
portion of the world. If this bill fails to become a law this ses- 
sion, the vandals Sie are now waiting to enter into this wonder- 
land will, in a single season, despoil, beyond recovery, these 
remarkable siekaaitsen which have im athe all the cunning skill of 
nature thousands of years to prepa 
We have already shown that no portion of this tract can ever 
be made available for agricultural or mining purposes. Eveni 
the altitude and the climate would permit the » country to be made 
available, not over fifty square miles of the entire area could ever 
be settled. The valleys are all narrow, hemmed in by hi gh vol 
canic set te like gigantic walls. 
e withdrawal of this tract, therefore, for sale or settlement 
takes “sikiey from the value of the pu ublic domain, and is 10 
pecuniary loss to the Government, but will be regarded by the 
entire civilized shes as a step of progress and an “honor to Con- 
gress and the nati 
DEPARTMENT 0 E INTERIOR, 
Washington, D. C. ane 29, 1872. 
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your com 
munication of the 27th instant relative to the bill now pending in 
the House of Representatives dedicating that beg of country 
known as the Yellowstone Valley as a ag a8 ted 
you herewith the report of D Hayden, Uni 
States geologist, relative to said propoted deradee: and hav 
only to add that I fully concur in his recommendations, and tru 
i il aw. 
Hon. M. H. Dunn ell, House of Represen ntatives bill 
e committee therefore ebimaid the passage of the » 
without amendmen 
