"The pressure, which had ranged from 297 pounds to 250 pounds, dropped rather suddenly to 125 pounds. This looked as if the steam were finding new outlets, and in a short time it was evident that it was breaking through to the surface. Blowouts of steam, accompanied by crumbling and ejection of ground, appeared about 25 feet to the south, and the openings increased rapidly in size… A multitude of other vents, ranging from minute openings to some of several feet in diameter at the mouth appeared to the west and north."

With all systems failing catastrophically, drilling ceased 265 feet below the surface, but not without a greatly enhanced knowledge of Yellowstone's hydrothermal system, including subsurface temperature changes, geological conditions, and fluid circulation patterns that would not otherwise be known.

These early research efforts culminated in two classic and highly cited papers: "Hot Springs of the Yellowstone National Park," and "Bore-Hole Investigations in Yellowstone Park" — two seminal papers which ultimately laid the groundwork for our current understanding of Yellowstone's complex system of hydrothermal circulation. A system where heat, water, gas, and rock interact to create the large diversity of fluids found in Yellowstone's thermal features and ultimately enables the very life that may have been the earliest to form on Earth.

Thus began the long and fruitful relationship between geologists and YNP. To this day, scientific research in the park still requires a permit, whereby methods, expected results, and potential impact on the park's features and landscape are rigorously evaluated through peer review and by permitting specialists from the National Park Service. The outcome is a partnership, perhaps akin to that envisioned by Albright 100 years ago, where scientists provide data on YNP systems that can then be used by the National Park Service to help preserve and protect the park's natural resources "for the benefit and enjoyment of the people."

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