Specimen Ranger Cabin.-Located at Poudre Lakes. Located about 3 miles from the western boundary and 10 miles from eastern boundary line by trail; 19 miles from Estes Park village. Not furnished.

FIREWOOD.

Free firewood permits are issued to residents of Estes Park and vicinity for their own use, with the understanding that they are to volunteer their services when necessary to suppress forest fires. These permits are issued for "dead and down" timber located in the "pole patch" near Mill Creek Ranger Station.

Permits are issued for firewood for "commercial purposes" at the rate of 50 cents per cord. This wood is also taken from the "pole patch."

There is sufficient "fire killed" and "dead and down" timber located in the "pole patch" to supply the residents of Estes Park and vicinity for a number of years.

Ten "free permits" for firewood have been issued this season for 74 cords, and one permit for 200 cords for "commercial purposes" to the Y. M. C. A. conference of Estes Park.

PERMITS.

The following permits have been issued:

Shepard N. Husted, permit to guide, $25 per annum.
Charles E. Hewes, permit to guide, $25 per annum.
Glenn E. Mills, permit to guide, $25 per annum.
Clifford S. Higby, permit to guide, $25 per annum.
A. E. Sprague, permit for 3,000 feet logs, unscaled.
W. R. Kibbe, permit for 3,000 feet logs, unscaled.
D. J. March, all cut timber on Fall River Road, $80.
Y. M. C. A. conference, 200 cords firewood, $100.

CONCESSIONS.

No concessions have been granted other than the continuation of the permits for hotels and resorts issued by the Forest Service prior to the creation of the park.

There are six resorts within the park boundary, as follows:

Concessions in Rocky Mountain National Park.

HOTELS AND CAMPS.

Rate for period stated.

Higby Bros., summer hotel and resort at Fern Lake, permit expires Dec. 31, 1915_-_

$15

Higby Bros., summer hotel and camp at The Pool, permit expires Dec. 31, 1915.

10

A. E. Sprague, summer hotel building and fish preserve at Bartholdt
Park, permit expires Dec. 31, 1915__

35

Willard H. Ashton, summer camping grounds at Lawn Lake, permit expires Dec. 31, 1915___

15

Enos Mills, shelter cabin at timber line, Longs Peak, permit expires Dec. 31, 1915

10

E. A. Brown, summer camping grounds at Bear Lake, permit expires
Dec. 31, 1915_.

15

OTHER PERMITS.

Rate for pe

riod stated.

Willard H. Ashton, use of 10 acres of land on Lawn Lake for pasture purposes.

Willard H. Ashton, use of telephone connection to Government line. Permit transferred to Bradley & Patrick, proprietors of Horseshoe Inn, which they purchased from Mr. Ashton__.

Charles E. Hewes, authorizes construction of a trail in park, and use of 3 acres of land on which to maintain summer hotel____

J. H. Hutchinson, authorizes construction of a wagon road approximately 7 miles long from park line to Hutchinson Lakes. No charge is made

for the privilage other than the road is to be open to the Government free of charge---

2

In my opinion the rates heretofore made by the Forest Service for permits for resorts were entirely too small.

RESERVOIRS.

There are a number of irrigating ditches and reservoirs located in the park title to which is in the name of private parties and corporations. This matter will be investigated at first opportunity and report made thereon.

CATTLE.

There have been no permits issued to transport stock through the park, and only one instance is known where stock was transported and the owner of said stock has been notified by me of the rules and regulations covering this matter. There is no stock grazing in the park at the present time under permit, and the department has decided not to allow the use of lands within the park for grazing

purposes.

MINERAL CLAIMS.

There are several so-called "mineral claims" within the park, and this matter is now under investigation to find whether or not the claims are valid.

PATENTED LANDS.

There are 16 locations of patented lands, homestead entries, timber and stone, and pre-emption entries within the park. One of these locations is that of Daniel T. March, in sec. 11, T. 5 N., R. 74 W., which is just within the boundary line on the Fall River Road at what is now known as the main entrance to the park.

TELEPHONE LINES.

There are at the present time within the park boundaries two telephone lines, one being located parallel with Mill Creek, which was used to connect the Mill Creek ranger station with the public telephone line. The line extends approximately one-half mile within the boundary and 3 miles outside. The line is in good condition, with the exception of three-fourths mile, which requires reconstruction. It is the intention to install a telephone instrument in the Mill Creek ranger station this fall.

8161°-INT 1915-VOL 1-71

The Fall River line extends from the public exchange in Estes Park, running parallel with the Fall River Road to the main entrance of the park, and has been extended by the contractor of the Fall River Road for a distance of 1 miles. I believe it will be advisable to install a telephone instrument at this point and continue the line to Fall River ranger station, a distance of 3 miles, and eventually to continue the line to Specimen ranger station, a distance of 5 miles from the Fall River station.

TRANSPORTATION.

There is no transportation furnished this office, and it has been necessary to hire an automobile on numerous occasions to make trips to certain points of the park which are accessible. Had there been. available transportation, no doubt, more frequent trips would have been made, and it might be advisable to consider the purchase of an automobile to be used in connection with the administration of this office.

CASUALTIES.

During the month of August Bertha Herbaugh, of Highland, Ill., dislocated her elbow on the trail to Fern Lake. Proper action was taken at the time, consequently the affair was not serious.

On September 2, 1915, Dr. Thornton R. Sampson, of Austin, Tex., left Grand Lake with the intention of going to Estes Park, and was last seen by a licensed guide on the Flat Top trail about 2 miles from Grand Lake. On notification of his disappearance September 14, prompt action was taken to locate his whereabouts, and volunteer searching parties were organized, assisted by Forest Service rangers and park rangers, but without result. The supposition is he became bewildered after reaching Flat Top Mountain and was unable to locate the trail. It is also possible that Dr. Sampson may have been struck by lightning or may have had an attack of heart failure.

Since the disappearance of Dr. Sampson, the line of cairns which distinguish the trail across Flat Top Mountain have been rearranged, and numerous other cairns which were in existence have been destroyed. The cairns at the present time are arranged about 200 feet apart, and it is the intention to paint them white, with a black circle about 1 foot from the top.

VISITORS.

It is impossible to report the number of persons who visited this park during the season of 1915 other than a rough estimate. The majority of people entering the park enter through the eastern boundary, as a rule, from the village of Estes Park. During the summer season of 1914 a check was kept of the number of visitors to this region, and an estimate of 56,000 persons was made at that time. From observation and information obtained from business men in this locality, I would state that the number of visitors to Estes Park during this season was 10,000 less than the previous year, viz, 46,000. Estimating that two-thirds of this number entered the National Park, this would make the approximate number of visitors 31,000.