REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of conditions and administration in the Yosemite National Park during the season of 1915: GENERAL STATEMENT. The Yosemite National Park, when created by the act of October 1, 1890 (26 Stat., 650), was situated in Tuolumne, Mariposa, Madera, and Mono Counties, Cal., and covered an area of about 1,512 square miles, being 36 miles wide by about 40 miles long. Under the act approved February 7, 1905, entitled "An act to exclude from the Yosemite National Park, Cal., certain lands therein. described and to attach and include the said lands in the Sierra Forest Reserve," 542.88 square miles were excluded and 113.62 square miles were added to the park, making a net reduction in area of 429.26 square miles, so that the area, after the passage of the above act, was 1,082.74 square miles, the park being situated in Tuolumne, Mariposa, and Madera Counties. By act of June 11, 1906, entitled "Joint resolution accepting the recession by the State of California of the Yosemite Valley grant and the Mariposa Big Tree Grove, and including the same, together with fractional secs. 5 and 6, T. 5 S., R. 22 E., Mount Diablo meridian, Cal., within the metes and bounds of the Yosemite National Park, and changing the boundaries thereof," there were added to the park the Yosemite Valley, 48.60 square miles; Mariposa Big Tree Grove, 4 square miles; and a strip lying between the latter and the park proper, 2.13 square miles; and deducted by the change in the southwestern boundary, 13.06 square miles; making a net addition to the area of 41.67 square miles. The present area of the park is 1,124.41 square miles. BUILDINGS. The buildings which have been used for the housing of the Government employees this summer are the cottages that were heretofore used by the War Department, located in Camp Yosemite, the former Army post, now the Yosemite Falls Camp. These cottages are of light construction and were intended only for summer use. Two of these cottages were ceiled for use during the past winter, and if it is contemplated to use these cottages the coming winter they will have to be ceiled before being suitable for the winter storms. The present hospital is of the same construction as these cottages and will also have to be ceiled if it is to be used this winter. Arrangements have been made for the erection of two new buildings, to be used for fire-protection purposes, known as fire-lookout stations, or triangulation stations. One will be situated on Mount Hoffman and the other on Sentinel Dome. During the past season there were constructed three new outpost or checking stations, which are used by the park rangers for outpost purposes, these cabins being located at Merced Grove, Crane Flat, and Hog Ranch. The following new outpost stations for rangers' use should be built the coming year: One on the Wawona Road, somewhere in the vicinity of Camp A. E. Wood, and a somewhat larger and more spacious outpost than those constructed this year should be built at Tuolumne Meadows, at which latter place are the Lambert Soda Springs and the Sierra Club's buildings, which accommodate a large crowd each season, and in the near future it will probably be necessary for two park rangers to be stationed at this outpost-one of the first class for ranger duty and one of the second class to check automobiles, as the Tioga Road is now open and a large number of cars will be passing over that road yearly. Other new buildings especially needed are an administration building, outpost quarters of less elaborate construction than the checking stations, and rescue lodges or chalets, as well as a new hospital. PHYSICIAN AND HOSPITAL. On May 1, 1915, Dr. J. S. Brooks, a physician and surgeon from San Francisco, and Dr. E. H. Coleman, a physician, opened the hospital building for the practice of medicine in the park under authority granted by the department. The building formerly used by the War Department as a hospital was slightly remodeled, providing a new operating room. These physicians were allowed to sell drugs. The hospital was rendered more serviceable and better equipped to handle cases of sickness as well as operative cases. The physicians in charge were aided by a trained nurse. This arrangement, although not entirely satisfactory from point of equipment and necessities for handling the cases, was a great improvement over past years, and was a great help in the handling of cases of accident and sickness occurring this season. Had it not been for the establishment of this hospital and the presence of these physicians, probably there would have been two deaths from sickness; one, a case of appendicitis wherein the patient was treated and recovered, and another, a serious case of pneumonia which was handled in an excellent manner. There was one major operation performed and many minor operations. During the past winter the Yosemite Valley was without a physician, which should never be allowed to occur in the future. It is urged that the department provide this park at all times with a physician, a hospital, and hospital equipment throughout the year. At present this hospital is equipped with an inadequate X-ray apparatus which is not powerful enough to be used on the larger portions of the body, and at one time this season when an X-ray apparatus was much needed it was very disappointing as well as serious to find that the one in the hospital belonging to the physicians was not powerful enough for the use required of it. It is therefore urged that this hospital be equipped with a larger X-ray apparatus and other necessities so that major operations may be performed without any serious results occurring from the lack of proper equipment. ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS. On going over the reports of the past few years and perusing what data is available in this office, it is noticed that this is the first year since 1908 in which there has not been a death occurring in the Yosemite National Park or an accident of a serious nature. The absence of a death due to sickness is largely due to the establishment of the new hospital and its excellent service. The lack of accidents this year, in which the visitors have been more than double that of any year in the past, is largely due to the instructions given to people concerning trails, the particular pains taken in reference to instructions as to the operation of automobiles on the narrow roads, and the strict attention given to the upkeep of the same, and to the speed or fast driving of the many automobile transportation stages carrying passengers to the valley. The most serious accident during the year occurred on the Wawona Road, a short distance above Artist Point, when one of the seven-passenger transportation stages in shifting gears backed down a grade onto a large rock at the side of the road and the car was partially overturned, throwing its occupants to the ground. The passengers were immediately taken to the hospital and were rapidly recovering when taken from the hospital to their homes. Other minor accidents occurred on the trails at different times during the season when tourists were injured, some by trying to do the impossible in mountain climbing, and others in smaller ways by sprained ankles, etc. These cases were always taken care of by the ranger department and the persons injured brought to the hospital, where they were cared for. There were but few accidents among the employees, one occurring to Marcus Shinskie, a painter, October 29, 1914, who had his fingers badly bruised. One other employee, Tom Lupton, an Indian, employed at the sawmill operating the wood splitter, had his hand badly crushed, which resulted in the amputation of two fingers, which operation was performed in the Yosemite Valley Hospital. SANITATION. The sanitation of the Yosemite Valley is cared for by primitive methods which are defective. As a protection to the health of the people in the Yosemite Valley the present methods are probably taking care of the situation as well as can be expected, but as a protection to the health of the people of the San Joaquin Valley, dependent on the Merced River as a water supply, steps should be taken at once to design and install a complete sewerage system and disposal plant in the nature of septic tanks, to be placed in proper places in the Yosemite Valley. In doing this it would also make it much more convenient and a greater protection to the health of the people of the Yosemite Valley in that they would be able to make use of the river water in any section of Yosemite Valley for drinking purposes, where at present the water can only be used in such sections of the river as lie above the present village site, as the sewage from the present camps and village drains into the river at these points. The garbage is disposed of in a very up-to-date method, being gathered daily in garbage wagons, hauled to a pit, and buried. ELECTRIC LIGHT AND POWER. There has been a marked increase in the use of electricity for power and lighting purposes within the park the past year, owing to the installation of the Yosemite Falls Camp and the additional street lights installed, and the time is near when the present plant will not be able to supply the demand. This increase in the use of current for power means an increase in the park revenue, and the sale of the same to concessioners should be encouraged. The time is not far distant when the cutting of wood under the present forestry thinning and clearing system must cease on the floor of the valley, and at such time a new fuel must be provided and new heating and cooking devices installed in the various camps and places of business. This fuel will either have to be brought into the valley from the outlying districts in the nature of wood, coal, or oil, any one of which would be no source of revenue to the park, since it would be an article brought from outside of the park. It would therefore be good business policy if the Government would during the coming year build an electric light and power plant large enough to provide current for all heating, cooking, and lighting for the concessioners and Government buildings within the park, fixing such a rate for such current as would compete successfully with the fuel shipped in from outside of the park, and at the same time having the concessioners install electric cooking devices of the type that has been so successfully in use by the United States Navy in the past. I believe that by this method the park, without any increased expense for operation, could greatly increase its revenues without any extra financial burden being placed on the concessioners and residents of the valley, giving them a more convenient and modern service, and at the same time conserving the forests in the park and only allowing the necessary trees to be cut as in the judgment of some forestry man are necessary. These trees would always furnish enough wood for the campers and places that are not equipped with electricity, also enough wood for fireplaces for added appearances to lounging rooms. WATER SUPPLY. During the past five years work has been done on the water-supply system of the Yosemite Valley as funds were available, until the work is now nearing completion. All the principal points, except Kenneyville, are now provided with water from the water mains of sufficient capacity to afford fire protection. In the future such extensions as are necessary can be made from the present system as needed to meet any requirements. Some small mains will have to be run to some of the camp sites, which may be taken care of when necessity requires. TELEPHONE LINES. The work of maintaining the telephone system between the outposts, and also the service to the concessioners on the floor of the valley, has been under the direction of J. W. Emmert, chief electrician. The lines heretofore constructed have been of a light wire, which is very expensive to maintain in the summer season owing to the fact that the wire is strung from tree to tree in many places and small limbs falling from these trees break the light wire in many places. Also the heavy winter snow each season breaks and throws down these lines so that they have to be practically rebuilt at the opening of each season. It is, both from a financial standpoint and that of good service, advisable that in the future all of these lines be constructed of wire not lighter than No. 9 and substantially put up. The present switchboard of the Yosemite Valley has been enlarged from time to time and is now carrying its full capacity. We have on it about 50 drops, or 50 lines, and with a view of increasing business and better service, I believe that this office equipment should be enlarged four times its present capacity so that some of the present lines may be divided, with a view to better service. ROADS. There are only a few miles of macadamized roads under the control of the Government, most all of them being earth roads. This makes the cost of road maintenance very expensive-as these earth roads are hard to keep in shape-and reduces the quantity of material hauled, which makes the cost of freight much higher than if the roads were of equal, regular grade. The macadamized roads within the park consist of one-half mile of oil-bound, put in for experimental purpose, and 2.16 miles of water-bound macadam. All the roads in the park at the present time are in about as good condition as they have been in past years, being of a very poor standard, owing to the heavy cost of maintenance and the amount of money available to be expended on the many miles of road running through this park. A large sum of money is spent yearly for the purpose of sprinkling, which, if better roads were built, could be greatly reduced. If the present road between El Portal and the Pohono Bridge is to be used in the future it should be oiled, not from a standpoint of making it a hard-surfaced road but with a view of settling the dust and putting the road in a condition so that the large expense of sprinkling this 9 miles of road may be eliminated. This road is of granite material, and, by the use of heavy automobile trucks, grinds into a very fine dust, which rises and stays in the air for a long time. Proper oiling would hold this dust so that it would not rise, and at the same time be a large financial saving to the Government yearly. If the type of road that is now on the floor of the valley is to be used next year, we should install power-driven sprinkling machines to replace the inadequate sprinkling wagons drawn by horses, it |