68 



Sierra Club Bulletin. 



The event of the conference was John Muir's account of his first 

 visit to the region, how he met Galen Clark, and how the trip was 

 made to and from the valley, including the stay in it at the expense of 

 about three dollars. 



R. B. Marshall, Chief Geographer of the United States, was always 

 ready with his comprehensive knowledge of the parks in their entirety. 



R. B. Watrous, of the American Civic Association, discussed the parks 

 from the standpoint of their immense national importance, advocating 

 the proposed National Park Service (Bureau) and all agreed with 

 his presentation of the great need for such a bureau to care for the in- 

 creasing complexity of details involved in their proper development 

 for the public use. 



William E. Colby, representing the Sierra Club, spoke of the Club's 

 lively interest in the Yosemite National Park and outlined the Club's 

 activities in making the wonders of the Sierra known to the people and 

 in guarding them from private aggression. 



E. T. Parsons spoke in advocacy of making the park available to the 

 many to whom it is now shut, and to do this by making knapsacking 

 trips at slight expense possible to the thousands whose vacations are 

 limited to a week, and to a moderate outlay. 



Most impressive was Secretary Fisher's wonderful grasp and control 

 of the sessions, his getting the truth clearly and definitely, and the 

 elimination of pyrotechnics. All present were convinced of the great 

 value of these gatherings. 



Extracts from 1912 Report of the Acting Superintendent of the 

 Yellowstone National Park. 

 Grand total of travel, season of 1912, 22,970. 



It was recommended that in case automobiles and motor cycles are 

 to be granted the use of park roads that the present roads be recon- 

 structed at an estimated cost of approximately $2,265,000, in order to 

 provide a single system of roads for automobiles, motor cycles and ve- 

 hicles drawn by horses and other animals. As a result, the sum of 

 $77,000 was included in the sundry civil bill, approved August 24, 1912, 

 for widening and improving surface of roads, and for building bridges 

 and culverts, from the belt-line road to the western border; from the 

 Thumb Station to the southern border; and from the Lake Hotel 

 Station to the eastern border, all within Yellowstone National Park, 

 to make such roads suitable and safe for animal-drawn and motor- 

 propelled vehicles. It is understood that this work of widening and 

 improving, which will be commenced under the small appropriation 

 referred to above, is to be extended over several seasons, thus giving 

 the present stage and transportation lines operating in the park an 

 opportunity to prepare for the advent of automobiles. 



L. M. Brett, 

 Lieutetmnt-Colonel, First Cavalry, 

 Acting Superintendent. 



