REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE PLATT DEAPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, PLATT NATIONAL PARK, Sulphur, Okla., August 21, 1914. SIR: Complying with the departmental instructions of May 16, 1914, in which I was requested to forward to the department a report of the condition of affairs in and the management of the Platt National Park since June 30, 1913, I have the honor to submit the following: GENERAL STATEMENT. By the acts of Congress of July 1, 1902 (32 Stat., 641), and April 21, 1904 (33 Stat., 220), 629.33 and 218.98 acres, respectively, at the town of Sulphur, Okla. (then Indian Territory), were segregated as the Sulphur Springs Reservation," which designation, by joint resolution approved June 29, 1906, was changed to "Platt National Park." The park, with a total area of 848.22 acres, extends in irregular form a distance of approximately 3 miles from northeast to southwest along Travertine Creek, including a portion of Rock Creek, into which the Travertine empties, and it has a circuit of 9 miles. Within the park are a number of known mineral and 3 nonmineral springs, one of the latter (the Cold Spring) having been developed and confined during the year ended June 30, 1913. The principal groups of springs in the park are the Bromide and Medicine Springs in the extreme western portion of the park; the Beach, Pavilion, and Hillside Springs in the north-central portion of the park; and the Bromide-Sulphur, Black-Sulphur, and Wilson Springs in the southcentral part of the park. Sulphur springs predominate. The Antelope and Buffalo Springs, nonmineral in character, are situated at the extreme northeastern end of the park, with an elevation of 1,080 feet above sea level at the Antelope Spring and 1,078 feet at the Buffalo. They have an approximate discharge of 5,000,000 gallons daily into Travertine Creek. The Medicine Spring has been discovered within the last few years, and the work of development and installation of the water from this spring in the pavilion at Bromide Springs has been completed, although in a rather unsatisfactory manner, as the spring in its present condition fills up with every flood which comes down Rock Creek. The matter of further improvement to this spring is considered on page 10. VISITORS. Failure of the sundry civil bill carrying appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1914, to embrace an appropriation for this park caused the work of care and maintenance of the park to be suspended beginning July 1, 1913, just at the height of the season for visitors; and this condition continued throughout the entire season and until October 25, 1913, after the passage of the urgency deficiency bill, in which was incorporated an appropriation of $8,000. However, before the appropriation in the deficiency bill became available the weeds in the park had obtain a rank growth and the park generally assumed a neglected appearance which caused the visitors to return to their homes, or to move on to other resorts, carrying with them the report that the park had been abandoned by the Government, which materially decreased the number of visitors during the present summer among the class who generally come and stop at the best hotels and boarding houses. I estimate that not more than 25,000 to 30,000 persons visited the Platt National Park during the year ended June 30, 1914. However, although the park office was not open for a part of the time between July 1, and October 25, 1913, at the time when there was no appropriaton for its maintenance, so that the campers who came into the park camp grounds during much of that time were not registered, yet there were registered during the year a total of 864 who came into the park and camped for three days or more, an increase over last year of 383 persons, and exceeding the year previous to last by 130 persons. As shown by the records of the watchman at the Bromide Springs, the visitors there during the year just ended numbered 112,667, which exceeded the attendance during the preceding year by 22,561, and these figures do not include the watchman's record for the month of August, 1913, which was forwarded to the department by the former superintendent and no copy retained in this office. This aggregate number of visitors to this spring does not represent as many individuals, but is made up from day to day of visitors and resident citizens who make frequent trips to the springs, the same persons ofttimes being counted day by day. The increased attendance at this spring during the past year, despite the fact that the number of visitors at the hotels and boarding houses had decreased, was due to the fact that an immense Socialist picnic camped for about a week along a clear stream of water running from an artesian well on the west side of the town, and these persons visited the Bromide Spring daily, thus swelling the general attendance. The waters from this group of springs (which includes the Medicine Spring) continue to grow in popularity, and their curative properties have become more widely recognized. During the year just ended 157 orders were issued from this office, on physicians' prescriptions, for the shipment of these waters in 5-gallon quantities to persons outside the city, the shipments having been made throughout Oklahoma and Texas and a few shipments into Kansas, Pennsylvania, and Arkansas. During the last six months of the year a record was kept of the total gallons shipped from these springs, the total amounting to 2,980 gallons. During the entire year a total of 58,232 gallons of these waters were taken from the springs (including the water shipped), exceeding the record of the previous year by 1,794 gallons. For the last 10 months of the year a separate record was kept showing the total gallons of medicine water taken from the springs as distinguished from the total gallons of bromide removed, and the record shows for that length of time a total of 13,048 gallons of medicine water and 32,381 gallons of bromide. This record does not include the water shipped, nor does any of the above data include the watchman's record for the month of August, 1913, a copy of which (as indicated above) was not retained in this office. LIVE STOCK CROSSING THE PARK. During the year 2,416 cattle were transported through the park. Part of the herds were being driven to pastures adjacent to the park and at Scullin, Okla., and others to the stockyards in Sulphur for loading out to markets in Kansas City and Oklahoma City. BUILDINGS AND THEIR CONDITION. The following is a list of the buildings in the park, their location, condition, and the purposes for which they are used: Frame cottage, 7 rooms, 2 halls, 2 porches, with servant's room near by. Located about 700 feet south of the Pavilion group of springs. In good condition except for the underpinning, which needs repairs, and the roof, which should be replaced and painted. Used as a residence for the superintendent. Frame cottage, 5 rooms, 1 hall, and 3 porches. Located about 450 feet due east of Panther Falls. In fairly good repair. At present occupied by Caretaker R. A. Earl. Frame cottage, 6 rooms, 1 hall, 3 porches. Located approximately one-third mile south of Pavilion Springs. In fairly good repair, with exception of 2 porches which need rebuilding. At present occupied by Laborers W. K. and A. C. Milligan. Frame cottage, 3 rooms, 1 pantry, and 1 porch. Located 10 rods north of Bromide Springs. In fairly good condition, but needs roof to the entire house and the porch floor repaired, also a new flue. Occupied by Caretaker H. T. Long. Frame cottage, 5 rooms, 1 porch with cement floor. Located about 600 feet southeast of Pavilion Springs. In fairly good condition, but needs flues and roof repaired and two rooms should be repapered. Until the last few days occupied by Inspector E. A. Keys. At present unoccupied. Stone building, 2 rooms, 1 porch and coal shed attached. Located near Hillside Spring. Needs repainting inside and out, repapering inside, and the roof painted. Also needs a new porch and storm door on front. At present used as superintendent's office, and with repairs mentioned will do very well for this purpose for some time to come. Frame pavilion at Bromide Springs with stove room attached. In serviceable condition, but of very crude construction and should as soon as possible be replaced. Two frame pavilions at the pavilion group of springs. Both recently repaired and repainted. Pavilion at Hillside Spring, conglomerate rock columns with pagoda roof and cement floor. Recently repainted and in good condition. Pavilion at Black Sulphur Spring, frame. Recently repainted and in good condition. Pavilion at Sulphur Bromide Spring, frame. Recently repainted and in good condition. Pavilion at Wilson Spring, frame. Recently repainted, but still needs some repairs, especially to roof. Pavilion at artificial spring near old Vendome, frame. Recently repainted and roof replaced. Ten frame resthouses, in excellent condition. Seven old resthouses, in fair repair. Frame structures. One resthouse with sewer attachments at ranger house near superintendent's residence. Four small horse barns, all frame, old and dilapidated. dences in park. Located near resi One new frame barn, with hay loft and buggy shed (the buggy shed with cement floor). In excellent condition. Several old frame henhouses at locations near residences in park. Old and dilapidated. 60734°-INT 1914-VOL 1-54 OFFICIAL VISITS. During the early part of September, 1913, this park was visited by Inspector M. L. Dorr of the Interior Department, who made a thorough inspection and investigation of conditions here and forwarded to the department a report and recommendations for improvements here which are now on file in the Secretary's office. On October 10, 1913, Mr. E. A. Keys, inspector for the Interior Department, arrived in Sulphur to supervise the construction of the sanitary sewer system, and on October 25, 1913, after the passage of an appropriation for the park, Mr. Keys was made acting superintendent, pending the appointment of a new superintendent, which was made on the 3d of February, 1914, and I assumed my duties as superintendent on the 14th day of that month. I consider the visits of these inspectors to this park of incalculable benefit. Nothing is more needed in the proper administration of the park than an intimate knowledge by the department of its conditions and needs; and too much can not be said in commendation of the faithful and conscientious work done by Mr. Keys and his assistant engineer, Mr. R. R. Hornor, in the supervision of the construction (which was done under contract) of the main line of the sewer, nor of the superior quality of the construction by force account, under their supervision, of the extensions to this system and the building of the Travertine Road via Antelope and Buffalo Springs. Along this line, I consider the recent appointment of a general superintendent and landscape engineer of national parks to be of inestimable value in the proper management and improvement especially of this park, as I feel that some one thoroughly versed in the knowledge of how to improve it without destroying its natural rustic beauty, could make of it a most attractive place, which combined with the curative properties of the waters and its availability as a resort during the entire year would make it one of the most valuable national parks in the country. SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM. On September 12, 1913, contract was let to E. M. Eby, of Wellington, Kans., for the construction of the sanitary sewer system, Platt National Park, from the joint funds contributed by the city of Sulphur, Okla., and the United States Government, which amounted to $35,000. Under the original plan adopted for this sewer, it consisted of the main line which started just below the Artesian Hotel in the town of Sulphur, entered the park and crossed Rock Creek by means of a siphon just north of Lincoln Bridge, follows the north side of Rock Creek, thence discharges into the same not quite 1,000 feet below Bromide Springs. The system, as originally designed, had two branch lines, one to provide for the sewerage on the north part of the town by way of the valley of Rock Creek, and the other is so located that the northern and eastern portions of the town can be connected with it. Just prior to the completion of Mr. Eby's contract complaints were made by the citizens of the west side of the town of Sulphur to the effect that the sewer system as designed failed to embrace a plan for sewering that part of the city. This was taken up with the department by the inspector in charge of construction, and he was instructed to have the contractor submit a bid for the construction of this additional branch, which was later known as line D. The contractor submitted a bid of $3,000, which was considered to be excessive, so the work was undertaken by force account and constructed at a total cost of $1,366.55. Later it was determined to build another extension to this system which would connect with the superintendent's office and residence, and a ranger house near the superintendent's quarters, this branch being known as line E extension, which was constructed at a total cost $1,231.07, including a siphon under Travertine Creek to connect with the flush tank for the siphon under Rock Creek for the main line of the sewer. The total cost of the entire system, including the contractor's original bid with additional charges and deductions for the main line and two branches, $16,475.38, and all extensions, was approximately $20,238.13, which also included all miscellaneous expenditures and repairs so far as known in this office, leaving an unexpended balance on the appropriation and funds contributed by the city of Sulphur for this system of $14,761.87; and it has been said by one engineer who visited the city during the construction of this system that he had never before in all his engineering experience of over 40 years seen sewers built with that degree of engineering precision which characterizes the construction of the sewer in this park. To properly accommodate the flush tank for cleaning the siphon under Rock Creek it was necessary to obtain from the city of Sulphur permission to connect with the city water main near the Park Hotel, running a 14-inch water-supply pipe parallel to line B of the sewer system (which runs from just south of the Park Hotel to the flush tank for the siphon under Rock Creek) and there connecting with the flush tank. The park water supply has been connected with this 11-inch main about 500 feet northwest of Lincoln Bridge, and this supply is conveyed to the flush tank for the siphon under Travertine Creek from a point just south of Lincoln Bridge. The normal population of Sulphur is between 3,500 and 4,000, which is considerably augmented during the tourist season. The main line of the sewer system below the Rock Creek siphon is constructed so that when flowing half full it will accommodate about 18,000 persons, while the siphon under Rock Creek is built to accommodate a total of 16,000 persons with both barrels of the siphon open. The outfall of the sewer was so constructed that it now empties right into the creek, it having been determined that the appropriation for constructing this sewer was not available for building a septic tank outside the limits of the park, and there having been insufficient room inside the park to permit of its being built without spoiling the little Bromide Park, which is one of the prettiest parts of this park. It was considered by the engineer in charge of the sewer construction that this outfall would not become a nuisance in its vicinity for many years to come. TRAVERTINE ROAD. Under date of January 2, 1914, the department made an allotment of $300 for the survey of this road, and under date of April 2. 1914, allotment of $3,000 was made for the construction of same. Under |