National Park Notes 



325 



visitors have overrun the hillsides, departing from the trails and trampling 

 down and destroying the ferns and other plant life that have always made a 

 pleasing and refreshing carpet among the big trees; that there was a dearth 

 of direction signs in the park area; that automobile traffic had become alto- 

 gether too heavy for one narrow road through the woods ; that more road and 

 trail work should be done at once; and that the custodian was too advanced 

 in years to longer care for the upkeep of the parkland. 



Acting on the recommendations of the reports submitted to me, the custodian 

 was relieved of his duties, and a younger man, a retired business man living 

 in the near-by city of Mill Valley, was placed in charge, with authority to 

 employ able assistance in the maintenance of the park area. The new cus- 

 todian, Mr. Richard Festus O'Rourke, has for years been an active member 

 of the Mount Tamalpais Conservation Club, and has taken a keen interest in 

 the preservation of the landscape in the Mount Tamalpais and Muir Woods 

 region. Since assuming charge of the woods he has accomplished very satis- 

 factory results. 



In line with another recommendation of my investigating committee, I ex- 

 cluded automobiles from the national monument and required that thereafter 

 they should park immediately south of the Muir Woods. A parking space 

 there was provided by Mr. Kent, who owns the adjoining land. The exclusion 

 of the cars has already had a marked effect upon the vegetation of the woods, 

 and it appears that it has stimulated in the visiting public a greater reverence 

 for the forest, and with it a greater desire to refrain from acts of vandalism. 



PINNACLES NATIONAL MONUMENT 



The Pinnacles National Monument was established by presidential proclama- 

 tion January 16, 1908, which reserved the area "from appropriation and use of 

 all kinds under all the public land laws subject to all prior valid adverse 

 claims." An area of 160 acres on the north edge of the monument was pat- 

 ented prior to its creation; therefore, the establishment of the monument was 

 of no effect in so far as this tract of land is concerned. Within recent years 

 this tract passed to its present owner, the Copper Mountain Mining Company, 

 of California, which has fenced off entrance to the property, which is also the 

 main entrance to the monument, and is charging a fee of fifty cents from 

 visitors desiring to pass through. 



Local residents who have visited the monument for many years claim that 

 access to the monument area was maintained through this property, and that 

 by right of usage the road or trail is a public highway. This is a question of 

 fact which can be determined only by legal process, and the San Benito County 

 authorities have been urged to determine this. 



PROPOSED PALM CANON NATIONAL MONUMENT 



At the present time we are greatly interested in the possibility of adding to our 

 national monument system a tract of land in southeastern California on which 

 the stately Washington palms (Washingtonia filifera) are growing. 



The canons of native Washington palms are a few miles south of the village 

 of Palm Springs, and constitute the greatest surprise of all the unexpected 

 things seen on a trip in this land of climaxes. There are three of these canons 



