during July, August, and September of each year. The State of Washington, the Forest Service of the United States Department of Agriculture, private timber owners' associations, and the park service, however, exercise great watchfulness over danger sources, and the good results are becoming more manifest each season.

PATROL.

During the season of 1913 there were seven rangers employed in the park service. Throughout the year in the northern half of the park one of these rangers is employed and one is likewise employed in the southern half. Five temporary rangers were detailed to various stations during the months of July, August, and September, where watchfulness must be constantly exercised over vehicle traffic, camping parties, etc.

GAME.

Game is not as plentiful within the park as it should be, and there is a marked decrease each year instead of increase. This decrease is not occasioned by hunting within the park. Hunting is absolutely prohibited. There are no winter ranges for game animals within the park, and they are driven to lower altitudes, outside, when the heavy snows come. As soon as the game is forced beyond the park boundaries waiting hunters are on hand for the slaughter. Measures should be taken to make a game preserve of all forest reserve lands within 10 miles of the park boundary lines.

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 occur was patented under the mining laws a number of years ago and is held by private parties, who do not seem to realize the necessity for modern improvements. Several kinds of mineralized waters spring from the ground on this tract and no 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 have been discovered during the past five years, 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 this year been discovered on the new trail which was built up the Tahoma Fork River, about 4 miles north of the Government road.

AUTOMOBILES.

From May 1, 1913, to September 30, 1913, there were issued 1,192 permits to private automobile owners to use the park roads for the season. This is an increase of 518, or more than 76 per cent, over the

number issued during the year 1912. Inasmuch as the larger number of these were used for repeated entrances, a heavy automobile traffic is indicated by these figures. Fully 95 per cent of this traffic was during the months of July and August. It is very gratifying to report that no accidents occurred. This fact is largely due to the rigidity with which the rules are enforced with regard to the use of the road by automobiles.

Motorcycle permits to the number of 191 were issued during the

season.

HOTELS AND CAMPS.

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 2 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, 225 guests may be accommodated. A very attractive clubhouse, or assembly hall, built of Alaska cedar 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 Elcaine Longmire.

pre

John L. Reese operates a tent camp in Paradise Valley, and George B. Hall operates a tent camp in Indian Henrys Hunting Grounds. Both of these camps are in course of reconstruction and will be pared to furnish better accommodations next season than heretofore. Mrs. R. M. O'Neal conducts a tent camp at the Ohanapecosh Hot Springs.

TELEPHONE.

A telephone line has this season_been built by the park service, running from the park entrance to Paradise Valley, with intermediate stations at Kautz River, Longmire Springs, Nisqually Glacier, and Narada Falls. Connection with the Forest Service line is made at Longmire Springs, establishing, thereby, a line of communication with the Ohanapecosh ranger station, in the southeast corner of the park.

SPECIAL PERMITS.

The Tacoma Carriage & Baggage Transfer Co. operates a stage line in the park, using 30 head of horses, four 4-seated and four 3seated stages from Longmire Springs to Paradise Valley, and between Ashford and Longmire Springs five 12-passenger automobile stages, one automobile for transporting express and baggage, and a freight wagon. This company conducts its business in a satisfactory manner. A general livery business, using 20 saddle and pack ponies, is also carried on by this company at Longmire Springs.

George B. Hall conducts a livery business at Longmire Springs and uses 37 saddle and pack horses and 13 driving horses. He operates three 3-seated stage wagons between Longmire Springs and Paradise Valley, and saddle and pack trains into Indian Henrys Hunting Ground, and gives satisfactory service.

A general photographic business is conducted in tents at Longmire Springs by Mr. L. G. Linkletter. He makes a specialty of taking photographs of parties, and carries in stock a good line of park

views.

The Kum-an-go Transportation Co. was granted a permit to use two 17-passenger automobiles for transporting passengers within the park.

F. C. Lundberg and I. J. Hummon were each granted permits to operate one 12-passenger automobile for transporting passengers within the park.

Conrad Hansen was granted a permit to operate one 7-passenger automobile for transporting passengers within the park.

J. E. Batson was granted a permit to operate a 5-passenger automobile for transporting passengers within the park.

John L. Reese was granted a permit to care for and cover automobiles at foot of the Nisqually Glacier.

The five-year lease which was made in favor of Fred George, June 1, 1911, for a small strip of land at Longmire Springs on which to construct a building to be used in carrying on an ice cream, confectionery, and camp grocery business for the accommodation of tourists and others in the park was transferred to Samuel Estes July 29, 1912, and by him transferred to Elcaine Longmire May 29, 1913.

ROAD SURVEY.

The sundry civil act of June 23, 1913, carried an appropriation of $10,000 for the survey of a road from a point on the present Government road at or near Longmire Springs to a point on the east boundary line of the forest reserve surrounding Mount Rainier National Park. This survey is now in progress and will be completed prior to June 30, 1913. By reason of the hearty cooperation of the governor of the State of Washington and the Washington State highway commission with the Interior Department it would seem that an east and west road from eastern Washington to western Washington, touching Mount Rainier National Park, will soon be a reality heretofore fondly dreamed of.

ESTIMATES AND ECOMMENDATIONS.

On the present basis of employment of persons in the administration of park affairs there will be required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1915, an appropriation of $5,400 for salaries of permanently employed officers and $900 for temporary officers ordinarily employed during the season of tourist travel and fire danger. These temporary officers should be called to duty not later than June 15 and retained until October 1, which will require an additional allowance of $350. Increases of salaries of the superintendent and clerk-stenographer are asked in the respective sums of $900 and $300 per annum, which sums are not included in the amount first above mentioned.

For the ordinary care and upkeep of the present Government road in the park $7,000 will be required. This amount, however, will not cover the rebuilding of several bridges, which is deemed essential. This work, if properly done, will cost at least $20,000 additional.

For the repair and upkeep of the present trails within the park an appropriation of $2,500 is asked. Much the larger portion of the 115

miles of trails within the park is subject to heavy windfalls and much washing.

Ranger quarters should be provided at Indian Henrys Hunting Grounds. For this purpose $1,000 is asked, $250 of this amount being for furniture and bedding; $1,000 is also asked for the purpose of providing furniture and bedding for the four ranger cabins now existing.

An emergency fund of $1,000 should be set aside to provide for fire fighting, if required.

The closest railroad station to Longmire Springs, headquarters for all construction and repair work, is 13 miles, and freight-hauling charges by wagon amount to 60 cents per hundred weight, to which must be added distributive hauling charges. A motor truck should be provided to facilitate park service work and to reduce expense; $2,500 is desired with which to purchase such a truck and operate same. The superintendent should also be provided with an automobile, and $2,250 is asked for purchase and maintenance.

As a life-saving measure, a shelter should be erected at Camp Muir (elevation, 10,000 feet). This point is on the principal route to the summit of Mount Rainier; $1,500 will provide a suitable building.

Sewage systems should be built in the three principal tourist resorts; $5,000 would be required to properly provide this utility.

A suitable residence for the superintendent should be built at or near Longmire Springs. A building which can be made to serve may be erected for $2,500, but one more in keeping with surroundings would cost from $7,000 to $10,000.

A systematic program of (1) road improvement and (2) road extension should be inaugurated. Work of this nature can be carried on for an average of about five months in each year. This work should be laid out in progressive units on which a definite amount could reasonably be expected to be made available each year until full development is accomplished:

Road improvement.-The 20 miles of road now existing should be widened, properly drained, permanent bridges erected, and, eventually, hard surfaced. This work should be divided into four units of annual development, viz: Park entrance to Longmire Springs, 61 miles; Longmire Spring to Nisqually Glacier, 5 miles; Nisqually Glacier to Narada Falls, 4 miles; Narada Falls to camp in Paradise Valley, 3 miles.

Road extension.-A survey is now being conducted by the Interior Department in contemplation of building a road from the existing Government road in the park to a point on the east boundary line of the Rainier National Forest Reserve, by which Mount Rainier National Park is surrounded. It is intended to have this survey connect with Washington State Road No. 5 near the Cowlitz River, 13 miles south of the present Government road. This mileage should be divided into two annual construction units. To connect with the McClellan Pass highway project now under construction by the State of Washington to provide a road across the Cascade Mountains, an additional 14 miles of this newly surveyed route will be required. This should be divided into two additional annual construction units, and the completion will mean that Mount Rainier National Park has

been half encircled and made accessible from eastern as well as western Washington.

The northern half of Mount Rainier National Park, though quite as important in all respects as the southern half, and though much nearer to the population centers is now inaccessible except by crude trail travel. This is a condition that should not exist, for administrative reasons as well as for all the other reasons for which the park reserve was created. A survey should be provided for and followed by a construction program such as is outlined above in connection with road extension in the southern section of the park. Such survey and construction work will complete the encirclement of the mountain park and make it accessible from all directions.

Respectfully,

The SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR,

ETHAN ALLEN, Superintendent.

Washington, D. C.