A.R. Narayanan - "Truth and the Myth"

Harold B Wright - "The Winning of Barbara Worth"

Arnold Bennett - "The Old Wives' Tale"

Nora A. Smith and Kate Douglas Wiggin - "The Story Hour"

The Yosemite

J >> John Muir >> The Yosemite




Presumably the Yosemite National Park was created such by law because
within its boundaries, inclusive alike of its beautiful small lakes,
like Eleanor, and its majestic wonders, like Hetch Hetchy and Yosemite
Valley. It is the aggregation of such natural scenic features that makes
the Yosemite Park a wonderland which the Congress of the United States
sought by law to reserve for all coming time as nearly as practicable
in the condition fashioned by the hand of the Creator--a worthy object
of national pride and a source of healthful pleasure and rest for the
thousands of people who may annually sojourn there during the heated
months.

In 1907 when Mr. Garfield became Secretary of the Interior the
application was renewed and granted; but under his successor, Mr.
Fisher, the matter has been referred to a Commission, which as this
volume goes to press still has it under consideration.

The most delightful and wonderful camp grounds in the Park are its three
great valleys--Yosemite, Hetch Hetchy, and Upper Tuolumne; and they are
also the most important places with reference to their positions
relative to the other great features--the Merced and Tuolumne Canyons,
and the High Sierra peaks and glaciers, etc., at the head of the rivers.
The main part of the Tuolumne Valley is a spacious flowery lawn four or
five miles long, surrounded by magnificent snowy mountains, slightly
separated from other beautiful meadows, which together make a series
about twelve miles in length, the highest reaching to the feet of Mount
Dana, Mount Gibbs, Mount Lyell and Mount McClure. It is about 8500 feet
above the sea, and forms the grand central High Sierra camp ground from
which excursions are made to the noble mountains, domes, glaciers, etc.;
across the Range to the Mono Lake and volcanoes and down the Tuolumne
Canyon to Hetch Hetchy. Should Hetch Hetchy be submerged for a
reservoir, as proposed, not only would it be utterly destroyed, but the
sublime canyon way to the heart of the High Sierra would be hopelessly
blocked and the great camping ground, as the watershed of a city
drinking system, virtually would be closed to the public. So far as I
have learned, few of all the thousands who have seen the park and seek
rest and peace in it are in favor of this outrageous scheme.

One of my later visits to the Valley was made in the autumn of 1907 with
the late William Keith, the artist. The leaf-colors were then ripe, and
the great godlike rocks in repose seemed to glow with life. The artist,
under their spell, wandered day after day along the river and through
the groves and gardens, studying the wonderful scenery; and, after
making about forty sketches, declared with enthusiasm that although its
walls were less sublime in height, in picturesque beauty and charm Hetch
Hetchy surpassed even Yosemite.

That any one would try to destroy such a place seems incredible; but sad
experience shows that there are people good enough and bad enough for
anything. The proponents of the dam scheme bring forward a lot of bad
arguments to prove that the only righteous thing to do with the people's
parks is to destroy them bit by bit as they are able. Their arguments
are curiously like those of the devil, devised for the destruction of
the first garden--so much of the very best Eden fruit going to waste; so
much of the best Tuolumne water and Tuolumne scenery going to waste. Few
of their statements are even partly true, and all are misleading.

Thus, Hetch Hetchy, they say, is a "low-lying meadow." On the contrary,
it is a high-lying natural landscape garden, as the photographic
illustrations show.

"It is a common minor feature, like thousands of others." On the
contrary it is a very uncommon feature; after Yosemite, the rarest and
in many ways the most important in the National Park.

"Damming and submerging it 175 feet deep would enhance its beauty by
forming a crystal-clear lake." Landscape gardens, places of recreation
and worship, are never made beautiful by destroying and burying them.
The beautiful sham lake, forsooth, should be only an eyesore, a dismal
blot on the landscape, like many others to be seen in the Sierra. For,
instead of keeping it at the same level all the year, allowing Nature
centuries of time to make new shores, it would, of course, be full only
a month or two in the spring, when the snow is melting fast; then it
would be gradually drained, exposing the slimy sides of the basin and
shallower parts of the bottom, with the gathered drift and waste, death
and decay of the upper basins, caught here instead of being swept on to
decent natural burial along the banks of the river or in the sea. Thus
the Hetch Hetchy dam-lake would be only a rough imitation of a natural
lake for a few of the spring months, an open sepulcher for the others.

"Hetch Hetchy water is the purest of all to be found in the Sierra,
unpolluted, and forever unpollutable." On the contrary, excepting that
of the Merced below Yosemite, it is less pure than that of most of the
other Sierra streams, because of the sewerage of camp grounds draining
into it, especially of the Big Tuolumne Meadows camp ground, occupied by
hundreds of tourists and mountaineers, with their animals, for months
every summer, soon to be followed by thousands from all the world.

These temple destroyers, devotees of ravaging commercialism, seem to
have a perfect contempt for Nature, and, instead of lifting their eyes
to the God of the mountains, lift them to the Almighty Dollar.

Dam Hetch Hetchy! As well dam for water-tanks the people's cathedrals
and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the
heart of man.



Appendix A

Legislation About the Yosemite


In the year 1864, Congress passed the following act:--

ACT OF JUNE 30, 1864 (13 STAT., 325).

An Act Authorizing a grant to the State of California of the "Yo-Semite
Valley," and of the land embracing the "Mariposa Big Tree Grove."

"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America, in Congress assembled, That there shall be, and is
hereby, granted to the State of California, the 'Cleft' or 'Gorge' in
the Granite Peak of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, situated in the county
of Mariposa, in the State aforesaid, and the headwaters of the Merced
River, and known as the Yosemite Valley, with its branches and spurs, in
estimated length fifteen miles, and in average width one mile back from
the main edge of the precipice, on each side of the Valley, with the
stipulation, nevertheless, that the said State shall accept this grant
upon the express conditions that the premises shall be held for public
use, resort, and recreation; shall be inalienable for all time; but
leases not exceeding ten years may be granted for portions of said
premises. All incomes derived from leases of privileges to be expended
in the preservation and improvement of the property, or the roads
leading thereto; the boundaries to be established at the cost of said
State by the United States Surveyor-General of California, whose
official plat, when affirmed by the Commissioner of the General Land
Office, shall constitute the evidence of the locus, extent, and limits
of the said Cleft or Gorge; the premises to be managed by the Governor
of the State, with eight other Commissioners, to be appointed by the
Executive of California, and who shall receive no compensation for their
services.

"Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That there shall likewise be, and
there is hereby, granted to the said State of California, the tracts
embracing what is known as the 'Mariposa Big Tree Grove,' not to exceed
the area of four sections, and to be taken in legal subdivisions of
one-quarter section each, with the like stipulations as expressed in
the first section of this Act as to the State's acceptance, with like
conditions as in the first section of this Act as to inalienability,
yet with the same lease privileges; the income to be expended in the
preservation, improvement, and protection of the property, the premises
to be managed by Commissioners, as stipulated in the first section of
this Act, and to be taken in legal subdivisions as aforesaid; and the
official plat of the United States Surveyor-General, when affirmed by
the Commissioner of the General Land Office, to be the evidence of the
locus of the said Mariposa Big Tree Grove."

This important act was approved by the President, June 30, 1864,
and shortly after the Governor of California, F. F. Low, issued a
proclamation taking possession of the Yosemite Valley and Mariposa
grove of Big Trees, in the name and on behalf of the State, appointing
commissioners to manage them, and warning all persons against
trespassing or settling there without authority, and especially
forbidding the cutting of timber and other injurious acts.

The first Board of Commissioners were F. Law Olmsted, J. D. Whitney,
William Ashburner, I. W. Raymond, E. S. Holden, Alexander Deering,
George W. Coulter, and Galen Clark.


ACT OF OCTOBER 1, 1890 (26 STAT., 650).

[Footnote: Sections 1 and 2 of this act pertain to the Yosemite National
Park, while section 3 sets apart General Grant National Park, and also a
portion of Sequoia National Park.]

An Act To set apart certain tracts of land in the State of California as
forest reservations.

"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled, That the tracts of land in the
State of California known as described as follows: Commencing at the
northwest corner of township two north, range nineteen east Mount Diablo
meridian, thence eastwardly on the line between townships two and three
north, ranges twenty-four and twenty-five east; thence southwardly on
the line between ranges twenty-four and twenty-five east to the Mount
Diablo base line; thence eastwardly on said base line to the corner
to township one south, ranges twenty-five and twenty-six east; thence
southwardly on the line between ranges twenty-five and twenty-six east
to the southeast corner of township two south, range twenty-five east;
thence eastwardly on the line between townships two and three south,
range twenty-six east to the corner to townships two and three south,
ranges twenty-six and twenty-seven east; thence southwardly on the line
between ranges twenty-six and twenty-seven east to the first standard
parallel south; thence westwardly on the first standard parallel south
to the southwest corner of township four south, range nineteen east;
thence northwardly on the line between ranges eighteen and nineteen east
to the northwest corner of township two south, range nineteen east;
thence westwardly on the line between townships one and two south to
the southwest corner of township one south, range nineteen east; thence
northwardly on the line between ranges eighteen and nineteen east to
the northwest corner of township two north, range nineteen east, the
place of beginning, are hereby reserved and withdrawn from settlement,
occupancy, or sale under the laws of the United States, and set apart as
reserved forest lands; and all persons who shall locate or settle upon,
or occupy the same or any part thereof, except as hereinafter provided,
shall be considered trespassers and removed therefrom: Provided,
however, That nothing in this act shall be construed as in anywise
affecting the grant of lands made to the State of California by virtue
of the act entitled, 'An act authorizing a grant to the State of
California of the Yosemite Valley, and of the land embracing the
Mariposa Big-Tree Grove,' appeared June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and
sixty-four; or as affecting any bona-fide entry of land made within the
limits above described under any law of the United States prior to the
approval of this act.

"Sec. 2. That said reservation shall be under the exclusive control
of the Secretary of the Interior, whose duty it shall be, as soon as
practicable, to make and publish such rules and regulations as he may
deem necessary or proper for the care and management of the same. Such
regulations shall provide for the preservation from injury of all
timber, mineral deposits, natural curiosities, or wonders within said
reservation, and their retention in their natural condition. The
Secretary may, in his discretion, grant leases for building purposes for
terms not exceeding ten years of small parcels of ground not exceeding
five acres; at such places in said reservation as shall require the
erection of buildings for the accommodation of visitors; all of the
proceeds of said leases and other revenues that may be derived from
any source connected with said reservation to be expended under his
direction in the management of the same and the construction of roads
and paths therein. He shall provide against the wanton destruction of
the fish, and game found within said reservation, and against their
capture or destruction, for the purposes of merchandise or profit. He
shall also cause all persons trespassing upon the same after the passage
of this act to be removed therefrom, and, generally, shall be authorized
to take all such measures as shall be necessary or proper to fully carry
out the objects and purposes of this act.

"Sec. 3. There shall also be and is hereby reserved and withdrawn from
settlement, occupancy, or sale under the laws of the United States, and
shall be set apart as reserved forest lands, as herein before provided,
and subject to all the limitations and provisions herein contained, the
following additional lands, to wit: Township seventeen south, range
thirty east of the Mount Diablo meridian, excepting sections thirty-one,
thirty-two, thirty-three, and thirty-four of said township, included
in a previous bill. And there is also reserved and withdrawn from
settlement, occupancy, or sale under the laws of the United States, and
set apart as forest lands, subject to like limitations, conditions,
and provisions, all of townships fifteen and sixteen south, of ranges
twenty-nine and thirty east of the Mount Diablo meridian. And there is
also hereby reserved and withdrawn from settlement, occupancy, or sale
under the laws of the United states, and set apart as reserved forest
lands under like limitations, restrictions, and provisions, sections
five and six in township fourteen south, range twenty-eight east of
Mount Diablo meridian, and also sections thirty-one and thirty-two of
township thirteen south, range twenty-eight east of the same meridian.
Nothing in this act shall authorize rules or contracts touching the
protection and improvement of said reservations, beyond the sums that
may be received by the Secretary of the Interior under the foregoing
provisions, or authorize any charge against the Treasury of the United
States."


ACT OF THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, APPROVED
MARCH 3, 1905.

"Sec. 1. The State of California does hereby recede and regrant unto the
United States of America the 'cleft' or 'gorge' in the granite peak of
the Sierra Nevada Mountains, situated in the county of Mariposa, State
of California, and the headwaters of the Merced River, and known as the
Yosemite Valley, with its branches and spurs, granted unto the State
of California in trust for public use, resort, and recreation by the
act of Congress entitled, 'An act authorizing a grant to the State
of California of the Yosemite Valley and of the land embracing the
Mariposa Big Tree Grove,' approved June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and
sixty-four; and the State of California does hereby relinquish unto the
United States of America and resign the trusts created and granted by
the said act of Congress.

"Sec. 2. The State of California does hereby recede and regrant unto
the United States of America the tracts embracing what is known as the
'Mariposa Big Tree Grove,' planted unto the State of California in trust
for public use, resort, and recreation by the act of Congress referred
to in section one of this act, and the State of California does hereby
relinquish unto the United States of America and resign the trusts
created and granted by the said act of Congress.

"Sec. 3. This act shall take effect from and after acceptance by the
United States of America of the recessions and regrants herein made
thereby forever releasing the State of California from further cost of
maintaining the said premises, the same to be held for all time by the
United States of America for public use, resort, and recreation and
imposing on the United States of America the cost of maintaining the
same as a national park: Provided, however, That the recession and
regrant hereby made shall not affect vested rights and interests of
third persons."



Appendix B

Table of Distances


From the Guardian's office, in the village, the distances to various
points are in miles as follows:

Miles.

Bridal Veil Fall 4.04
Cascade Falls 7.67
Cloud's Rest, Summit 11.81
Columbia Rock, on Eagle Peak Trail 1.98
Dana, Mt., Summit 40.34
Eagle Peak 6.59
El Capitan Bridge 3.63
Glacier Point, direct trail 4.45
Glacier Point, by Nevada Falls 16.98
Lyell, Mt., Summit 38.20
Merced Bridge 2.03
Mirror Lake, by Hunt's avenue 2.91
Nevada Fall (Hotel) 4.63
Nevada Fall, Bridge above 5.45
Pohono Bridge 5.29
Register Rock 3.24
Ribbon Fall 3.99
Rocky Point (base of Three Brothers) 1.45
Tenayah Creek Bridge 2.26
Tenayah Lake 16.00
Yosemite Falls, foot 0.90
Yosemite Falls, foot Upper Fall 2.67
Yosemite Falls, top 4.33
Soda Springs (Eagle Peak Trail) 24.50
Sentinel Dome 5.57
Union Point, on Glacier Point Trail 3.13
Vernal Fall 3.50



Appendix C

Maximum Rates for Transportation


The following rates for transportation in and about the Valley have
been established by the Board of Commissioners:


SADDLE-HORSES

From Route to Amount

Valley Glacier Point and Sentinel Dome, and return, $3.00
direct, same day
Valley Glacier Point, Sentinel Dome, and Fissures, 3.75
and return, direct, same day
Valley Glacier Point, Sentinel Dome, and Fissures, 3.00
passing night at Glacier Point
Valley Glacier Point, Sentinel Dome, Nevada Fall, 3.00
and Casa Nevada, passing night at Casa Nevada
Valley Glacier Point, Sentinel Dome, Nevada Fall, 4.00
Vernal Fall, and thence to Valley same day
Glacier Point Valley direct 2.00
Glacier Point Sentinel Dome, Nevada Fall, and Casa Nevada, 2.00
passing night at Casa Nevada
Glacier Point Sentinel Dome, Nevada Fall, Vernal Fall, 3.00
and thence to Valley same day
Valley Summits, Vernal and Nevada Falls, direct, 3.00
and return to Valley same day
Valley Glacier Point by Casa Nevada, passing night 3.00
at Glacier Point
Valley Summits, Vernal and Nevada Falls, Sentinel Dome, 4.00
Glacier Point, and thence to Valley same day
Valley Cloud's Rest and return to Casa Nevada 3.00
Valley Cloud's Rest and return to Valley same day 5.00
Casa Nevada Cloud's Rest and return to Casa Nevada or 3.00
Valley same day
Casa Nevada Valley direct 2.00
Casa Nevada Nevada Fall, Sentinel Dome, and Glacier Point, 2.00
passing night at Glacier Point
Valley Nevada Fall, Sentinel Dome, Glacier Point, 3.00
and Valley same day

Upper Yosemite Fall, Eagle Peak, and return 3.00
Charge for guide (including horse), when furnished 3.00
Saddle-horses, on level of Valley, per day 2.50

1. The above charges do not include feed for horses when passing night
at Casa Nevada or Glacier Point.

2. Where Valley is specified as starting-point, the above rates prevail
from any hotel in Valley, or from the foot of any trail.

3. Any shortening of above trips, without proportionate reduction of
rates, shall be at the option of those hiring horses.

4. Trips other than those above specified shall be subject to special
arrangement between letter and hirer.


CARRIAGES

From Route to Amount


Hotels Mirror Lake and return, direct $1.00
Hotels Mirror Lake and return by Tissiack Avenue 1.25
Hotels Mirror Lake and return to foot of Trail, to Vernal 1.00
and Nevada Falls
Hotels Bridal Veil Falls and return, direct 1.00
Hotels Pohono Bridge, down either side of Valley, and return 1.50
on opposite side, stopping at Yosemite and Bridal
Veil Falls
Hotels Cascade Falls, down either side of Valley, and return 2.25
on opposite side, stopping at Yosemite and Bridal
Veil Falls
Hotels Artist Point and return, direct, stopping at Bridal 2.00
Veil Falls
Hotels New Inspiration Point and return, direct, stopping at 2.00
Bridal Veil Falls
Grand Round Drive, including Yosemite and Bridal Veil 2.50
Falls, excluding Lake and Cascades
Grand Round Drive, including Yosemite and Bridal Veil 3.50
Falls, Lake, and Cascades

1. When the value of the seats hired in any vehicle shall exceed $15
for a two-horse team, or $25 for a four-horse team, for any trip in the
above schedule, the persons hiring the seats shall have the privilege
of paying no more than the aggregate sums of $15 and $25 per trip for a
two-horse and four-horse team, respectively.

2. If saddle-horses should be substituted for any of the above carriage
trips, carriage rates will apply to each horse. In no case shall the
per diem charge of $2.50 for each saddle-horse, on level of Valley, be
exceeded.

Any excess of the above rates, as well as any extortion, incivility,
misrepresentation, or the riding of unsafe animals, should be promptly
reported at the Guardian's office.

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