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GAME.

The comparatively mild winter of 1914-15 was very favorable to game increase, and, judged from the frequency of being encountered by tourists and park rangers, there has been a very satisfactory increase of deer. Hunting is absolutely prohibited in park territory, and every precaution is taken by park officers to prevent poaching, but the densely wooded nature of park territory makes it impossible to entirely stop the practice. A great many goats have been observed at various times and places during the past summer. One band of 100 goats was observed by trail workers in August. A number of goats have pastured in Van Trump Park this season.

MINERAL SPRINGS.

The mineral springs at Longmire constitute an attraction which has had much to do with the development of the park. The ground on which these springs are located was patented under the mining laws a number of years ago and is held by private parties. This tract is so situated with reference to Government lands that the public can not readily distinguish the private from the public lands and buildings. Several kinds of mineralized waters spring from the ground on this tract and little care is exercised to prevent pollution. A large amount of this water has a temperature of 70° F. on reaching the surface. It is heavily charged with sulphur, and a swimming tank is provided in order that visitors may take a "sulphur plunge." Other waters are charged with iron, and still others are sweet, cool and sparkling.

Immediately south of the southern boundary of the park, near the southeast corner, very hot mineral springs are located, and an attempt is being made to acquire them under the mineral-land laws. If this attempt fails, the small amount of land involved should be taken from the national forest and added to the park.

Fine mineralized water has been discovered on the new trail, which was built up the Tahoma Fork River, 5 miles north of the Government road and also on the South Fork of Puyallup River near boundary post No. 16.

TRAVEL.

During the season 32,764 visitors to the park registered at the park office, on the Government road, near the southwest corner of the park. There is no systematic effort to obtain registration of entrances at other places on the boundaries, but the ranger in the Carbon River district estimates the number of entrances on the north side as being 2,000, and the ranger at Ohanapecosh station estimates the number entering there at 50, making the number of visitors reach the total of 34,814, as compared to a total of 15,038 for the season of 1914. A systematic count of the park gate registration shows the 32,764 registrations at that point to be distributed as follows: From Tacoma, 8,194; from Seattle, 7,437; from other points in the State of Washington, 5,544; from points outside the State of Washington, 11,589.

The number of private automobile permits issued during the season of 1915 was 3,230, as compared to 1,594 issued in 1914. The number

of people entering in private automobiles was 23,404; the total number of machine entrances, 5,029. The figures given in the last sentence above do not include the automobile-stage entrances, by which means 8,153 people entered, 3,652 having come to Ashford, on the Tacoma Eastern Railroad, thence to the park in automobile stage, the remaining 4,501 having come on automobile stages from Tacoma; 200 people entered in horse-drawn vehicles; 5,000 people came into the park for camping purposes. The average length of time each person remained in the park is estimated at three days. Visitors are not required to register on going out.

AUTOMOBILES AND MOTORCYCLES.

During the year ended September 30, 1915, there were issued 3,230 permits to owners of private automobiles to use the roads of the park for travel. These permits are good for repeated entrances until December 31 of the year of issue. For each of these permits a fee of $5 was exacted, making the revenue collections from this source $16,150, while public automobiles paid $1,900. Motorcycles to the number of 247 were licensed at $1 each.

ACCIDENTS.

Two fatal accidents occurred in the park during the month of August, 1915. On August 19 Mr. Gilbert Francis Ordway, a prominent attorney of Boston, Mass., while returning from the summit of Mount Rainier, was killed near Gibraltar in descending the cliffs of Cowlitz Cleaver, a rocky ridge that extends from Camp Muir to Gibraltar. The mountain-climbing party was composed of seven people and a guide. After walking along this cleaver for about a quarter of a mile the party started to leave it and go down to the trail in the snow below. When within 15 feet of the trail Mr. Ordway placed his Alpine staff directly in front of him, in order to make a step down of about 2 feet. Suddenly his staff slipped, precipitating him forward to the trail below, a drop of about 15 feet. He struck on his head, just back of the left ear, against a rock, rendering him unconscious, in which state he remained until his death. The accident happened at 4.20 p. m., but he lived until the rescue party reached him at 10 p.m.

On August 31 Mr. C. W. Ferguson, of Seattle, Wash., was killed by falling ice in the caves of Paradise Glacier. There were 17 people and a guide in the party. Disregarding the instructions of the guide, several people proceeded in advance and entered the caves. Two boys passed through, Mr. Ferguson, accompanied by his wife, followed, stopped inside and began picking at the ice overhead with his Alpine staff, when a large block of ice broke loose, killing him instantly.

Aside from these two no other accidents have occurred.

An arrangement was made with Dr. James R. Yocom, of Tacoma, for medical and hospital service to the men employed on construction work, for which the men contributed $1 per month. Two patients were removed to the hospital in Tacoma, one of whom died.

CONCESSIONS AND SPECIAL PERMITS.

Following is a list of special permits issued and amounts paid therefor for the season now closing:

Special permits issued during season of 1915.

HOTELS AND TENT CAMPS.

Tacoma Eastern Railroad, hotel at Longmire Springs (see also Tele-
phones).

John L. Reese, tent camp in Paradise Valley (see also Novelty sales stands)..
George B. Hall, tent camp in Indian Henry's Hunting Grounds (see also
Livery barns and pony trains)..............

LIVERY BARNS AND PONY TRAINS.

Tacoma Taxicab & Baggage Transfer Co (see also Automobiles).
George B. Hall (see also Hotels and tent camps)....................

$500.00

577.50

75.00

65.00

200.00

NOVELTY SALES STANDS.

National Park Hotel & Transportation Co., in lobby of National Park Inn,
Longmire Springs.

John L. Reese, at camp Paradise Park (see also Hotels and tent camps)...

Harry G. Greer.

Jules Stampfler...

H. A. Loss...

R. E. Williams (packer, 1 horse).

GUIDES.

AUTOMOBILES AND MOTORCYCLES.

50.00

15.00

25.00

25.00

20.00

1.00

Tacoma Auto Livery Co., five 7-passenger automobiles for hire..
Pacific Auto Transit Co., two 16-passenger automobiles for hire..

Mountain Transportation Co., four 12-passenger automobiles for hire.... Atherton's Bluebird Tours Co., three 7-passenger automobiles and two 24-passenger automobiles for hire.....

Tacoma Taxicab & Baggage Transfer Co., five 12-passenger automobiles and two 20-passenger automobiles for hire (see also Livery barns and pony trains)..

400.00

200.00

300.00

250.00

Mount Tacoma-Rainier Tours Co., two 7-passenger automobiles for hire.

Independent Touring Car Co., two 7-passenger automobiles for hire...
Burgon D. Mesler, one 5-passenger automobile for hire....
J. G. McCormick, one 7-passenger automobile for hire.
Conrad M. Hansen, one 7-passenger automobile for hire..
W. P. Geisenheyner, one 7-passenger automobile for hire.
D. J. Lindsay, one 7-passenger automobile for hire.
Frank Gill, one 7-passenger automobile for hire...
Edwin L. Davis, one 7-passenger automobile for hire..
R. H. Chantler, one 7-passenger automobile for hire.
Private automobiles, 3,230, at $5 each....
Motorcycles, 247, at $1 each.

TELEPHONES.

Tacoma Eastern Railroad (see also Hotels and tent camps)..

PHOTOGRAPHERS.

150.00

100.00

100.00

50.00

50.00

50.00

50.00

50.00

50.00

50.00

50.00

16, 150.00

247.00

25.00

L. G. Linkletter..

E. Ray Hackett..

50.00

75.00

MISCELLANEOUS.

Elcaine Longmire, ice cream, confectionery, and camp grocery.

$100.00

James G. Patterson, barber shop in Reese's camp..

5.00

Mount Rainier Mining Co., privileges on abandoned mining claims.

300.00

Mount Rainier Mining Co., for timber cut in park.....

200.00

Eagle Peak Copper Mining Co., for use of water in Paradise River for generating electricity..

7.50

National Park Hotel & Transportation Co., fuel wood.

10.00

John L. Reese, fuel wood...

20.00

Thos. B. Elliott, ice cream, soft drink, and lunch stand near foot of Nisqually Glacier..

25.00

William Nish, telescopes for view purposes..

25.00

Tacoma Taxicab & Baggage Transfer Co., temporary garage in Paradise

Valley.

50.00

National Park Inn, fuel wood..

3.00

20, 746.00

Total revenues..

HOTELS AND CAMP ACCOMMODATIONS.

The National Park Inn, at Longmire Springs, is the principal public stopping place within the park. The franchise to operate this hotel is held in the name of the Tacoma Eastern Railroad. The building is a frame structure, two and one-half stories in height, 125 feet long, and 32 feet wide. There are 36 guest rooms in the main building, and through the use of tents 250 guests may be accommodated. A very attractive clubhouse or assembly hall, built of pine logs, has been provided for the comfort and enjoyment of guests. Water is taken from the Nisqually River for the operation of an electric lighting and refrigerating plant.

A hotel and tent camp is operated on the patented lands at Longmire Springs by Mrs. Elcaine Longmire.

John L. Reese operates a tent camp in Paradise Valley, and George B. Hall operates a tent camp in Indian Henry's Hunting Grounds.

Very respectfully,

The SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.

D. L. REABURN,

Supervisor.

APPENDIX.

RULES AND REGULATIONS.

General regulations of March 30, 1912.

Pursuant to the authority conferred by the acts of Congress approved March 2, 1899, and May 27, 1908, the following rules and regulations for the government of the Mount Rainier National Park, in the State of Washington, are hereby established and made public: 1. It is forbidden to injure or disturb in any manner any of the mineral deposits, natural curiosities, or wonders on the Government lands within the park.

2. It is forbidden to cut or injure any timber growing on the park lands, or to deface or injure any Government property. Camping parties will be allowed to use dead or fallen timber for fuel.

3. Fires should be lighted only when necessary and completely extinguished when not longer required. The utmost care must be exercised at all times to avoid setting fire to the timber and grass.

4. Hunting or killing, wounding, or capturing any bird or wild animal on the park lands, except dangerous animals when necessary to prevent them from destroying life or inflicting an injury, is prohibited. The outfits, including guns, traps, teams, horses, or means of transportation used by persons engaged in hunting, killing, trapping, ensnaring, or capturing such birds or wild animals, or in possession of game killed on the park lands under other circumstances than prescribed above, will be taken up by the superintendent and held subject to the order of the Secretary of the Interior, except in cases where it is shown by satisfactory evidence that the outfit is not the property of the person or persons violating this regulation and the actual owner thereof was not a party to such violation. Firearms will only be permitted in the park on written permission from the superintendent thereof.

5. Fishing with nets, seines, traps, or by the use of drugs or explosives, or in any other way than with hook and line, is prohibited. Fishing for purposes of merchandise or profit is forbidden. Fishing may be prohibited by order of the superintendent in any of the waters of the park, or limited therein to any specified season of the year, until otherwise ordered by the Secretary of the Interior.

6. No person will be permitted to reside permanently, engage in any business, or erect buildings, etc., upon the Government lands in the park without permission, in writing, from the Secretary of the Interior. The superintendent may grant authority to competent persons to act as guides and revoke the same in his discretion. pack trains will be allowed in the park unless in charge of a duly registered guide.

No

7. Owners of patented lands within the park limits are entitled to the full use and enjoyment thereof; the boundaries of such lands,

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