Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1880.djvu/66

64 reservation, and for the maintenance of free baths for the invalid poor of the United States.

By the provisions of this act the appraised valuation of awarded lands was reduced from $224,819 to $89,927.60, a reduction of $134,891.40.

The appraised valuation of the unawarded lands was $105,499. As the mountains reserved from sale by the act of June 16, 1880, were appraised at $62,200, the available aggregate of unawarded lands amounts to $43,299. The total valuation of awarded and unawarded lands, exclusive of the mountain reservations, is $133,226.60. As certificates for condemned buildings, amounting to $52,696, are receivable as money for payment of these lots, the cash returns, if all lots are sold at their present appraised valuation, will be $80,530.60.

The appropriation for salaries and other expenses of the Hot Springs Commission amounted to $82,000.

The dates and amounts of the separate appropriations were as follows: May 26, 1877, $27,500; December 22, 1877, $15,000; March 10, 1879, $12,000 (deficiency); March 10, 1879, $27,500.

The amount of money received from the rental of waters during the year ending June 30, 1880, was $2,774.03; expenditures during same period, $2,550.

The flow of hot water having been found insufficient to supply the daily demands made upon it during the few hours devoted to bathing, a reservoir has recently been constructed to store sufficient water to accommodate all the bath-houses now in operation or likely to be established for some years to come. It is a substantial structure, built of brick, and cost $3,034.86.

The building of the Utah and Northern Railroad has made the Yellowstone National Park more accessible; and it may be assumed that the number of visitors would now rapidly increase if the park itself were provided with facilities of travel. The original intention of Congress in reserving that interesting region from sale or other disposal was undoubtedly that it should become a popular place of resort by the people of the United States. This was a wise measure; but a personal inspection convinced me that very much remains to be done to give that measure the desired effect. The Yellowstone Park covers an area of over 3,000 square miles. Its western part contains the largest known geysers in the world, far grander than those of Iceland, California, New Zealand, and Formosa; and hot springs of signal beauty and remarkable mineral properties. It is in this respect certainly the most interesting region on this continent, and, perhaps, on the face of the earth; and the medicinal qualities of its waters, so far only in part analyzed and ascertained, may render it one of the most important restorative resorts for the afflicted. At the same time, it presents mountain scenery of peculiar beauty, north, west, and south of Yellowstone Lake; while the