326 



Sierra Club Bulletin 



— Palm, Andreas, and Murray — all in comparatively close proximity to each 



other, and each contains scores of specimens of these interesting and really 



beautiful palm-trees. Palm Canon is the largest, and for a distance of ten 



miles the native palms grow along the shores of the little stream that flows 



through it. Most of the trees, however, are concentrated in relatively small 



areas in each of the canons near the point where they leave the hills. The 



streams leave these canons by tortuous routes ; hence it is impossible to see into 



them from points along the highway. It is necessary to visit each canon in 



turn and ascend to points considerably above their floors in order to look into 



them and reach their palm groves. Hence the supreme surprise of the visitor 



making his first trip. He sees no palms or indication of them as he rides 



through the desert south of the village; he ascends through vast areas of 



desert flora the foothills of the San Jacinto Range; suddenly he reaches a 



ridge and gazes downward into a cafion filled with palms centuries old. 



(Note: The status of the Barbour Bill to establish the Roosevelt-Sequoia National Park 

 was on March i, 102,?. that n had been reDorteo to the House of Representatives by the 

 Public Lands Committee with the recommendation that it do pass, with amendments pro- 

 tecting the enlarged park from water-power applications under the Federal Power Act, 

 and making a slight addition to the boundary along the western side of the present park 

 to take in the slope down to the North Fork of Kaweah. The only opposition to the bill 

 appears to come from the Municipal Power Bureau of Los Angeles, which has filed ap- 

 plications for power-sites on the Kings River Cafion, Paradise Valley, Tehipite Valley, 

 and Simpson Meadow. It has been suggested to the Bureau that it withdraw these appli- 

 cations in recognition of the wide-spread desire for this park, and also of the great ad- 

 vantage to the city of Los Angeles of such a recreational area, but such withdrawal has 

 not yel taken place. The bill is likely to come before the House for action very soon, and 

 if passed will go to the Senate, where it will probably be submitted to the Senate Com- 

 mittee on Public Lands.) 



DAM ACROSS YELLOWSTONE RIVER 

 Hon. Charles L.McNary, June i, 1921. 



Chairman Committee on Irrigation and Reclamation, United States Senate. 



My Dear Senator: I am in receipt of your request for report upon S. 274 and 275, pro- 

 posing to authorize the State of Montana, or irrigation districts authorized by the State, 

 to build a dam across Yellowstone River at a point not more than 3 miles below the out- 

 let of Lake Yellowstone, for the regulation of the waters of the lake for irrigation pur- 

 poses. This construction would be within the limits of the Yellowstone National Park. 

 * I can not favor the enactment of the measure. I do not believe it would be advisable 

 for Congress to permit private interests to develop irrigation or power sites within the 

 limits of existing national parks. These parks were created by Congress for the preserva- 

 tion of the scenery, forests, and other objects of beauty and interest in their natural con- 

 dition, and they are created and maintained for general and national purposes as contra- 

 distinguished from local development. 



If cases be found where it is necessary and advisable in the public interest to develop 

 power and irrigation possibilities in national parks, and it can be done without interfer- 

 ence with the purposes of their creation, I am of the opinion that it should only be per- 

 mitted to be done, whether through the use of private or public funds, on specific 

 authorization by Congress, the works to be constructed and controlled by the Federal 

 Government. 



Sincerely, Albert B. Fall, Secretary. 



