The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-26
WATCHING THE GAME
Tom Newcombs eagle" Eye Is AL
ways Wide Open.
HE IS AN OLD-TIME SCOUT
Buffalo Has Been Killed In the
Park and the Hunter Thinks the
Butte Authorities Have One
Man CorraIled-No tes.

Special Correspondence of the Standard.
Livingston, Nov 25.-Tom Newcomb,
one of the two civilian scouts employed
In the Yellowston National park, came
I'm from Wonderland the other day and
was warmly greeted by his numerous
old-time friends in this city. All the
old-timers throughout the length and
breadth of the Yellowstone valley know
Tom Newcomb. When Gen. Nelson A.
Miles, now commander-in-chief of the
United States army, was stationed at
Fort Keogh. Newcomb was the gem
erals civilian scout and performed val
liable service for the government on
more than one occasion when the
troops were out ON a raid against hos
tile Indians. This was 20 years ago.
and when Newcomb's services were no
longer needed dn the field he abandoned
the saddle and his bucksxin suit and
became a gambler, following this busi-
ness at Miles City in early days, at
Junction City and at Billings. This
was his occupation in this city UP to
four months ago, when he again took
UP the life of a government scout.
There are few men better qualified
than Mr.. Newcomb for the hazardous
work In which he Is now engaged, and,
with June Bossen for a companion,
the National park, could not have Sc
lected two more competent men for the
position
During the past four months" said
MIR. Newcomb, I'VE have been paitroll-
ing every portion of the great National
playground in an endeavor to prevent
hunters from poachfng in that famous
region of game and geysers. During
this time there has been but one party
of poachers in the park They came In
I.n~ N4rx.aa
during August, killed 10 head OF buffa-
10 in THE southwestern portion of the
preserve and got safely away with the
hides and heads. 1t Is the general be-
lief that one of the party of poachers
Is Jim Courtney, who was ARRESTED at
Butte a Jew DAYS ago ON this charge.
/ understand he took the heads and
hides to Butte and disposed of them
10 a taxidermist Cor a good round sum-.
This Is the only game THAT has been
killed in the park during the past sum-
mer. Hunting in that region is a
pretty dangerous occupation, but still
there are men willing to take the
chances of discovery. 1 believe that if
Superintendent Anderson had an appro-
priation sufficiently large to enable him
TO employ four or five civilian scouts,
mighty little hunting would be carried
on within the confines of the great
game preserve. OF course the region
is constantly paltrolled by soldiers sta
don't hn the bill. 1t Is not to be ex-
pected THAT a soldier who only gets s13
per month is going to break his neck
trying to catch poacher. Eternal
vigilance Is the price of National park
game, for buffalo hunting is as profit
able as Ut is hazardous. The poachers
are cunning and audacious, and despite
the watchfulness OF the soldiers sue
coed every now and then in killing
game in the park. their raids being
principally directed against the buffalo.
'How many buffalo are there in the
park now? That Is pretty hard to say,
and be accurate. There are not very
many, however, probably 200 head; /
don't think there are to exceed sthis
number. The National park herd has
been decreasing in numbers every year,
but the work of exterminating the
American bison has not been carried
on so much in the park as 1t has been
Just across the southern border. In
the winter time some of the buffalo
wander across the line into Idaho, the
Fall river country being admirably
adapted as winter range for these
animals. That section, however, is in
habited by a merciless lot of pot hunt
ers. and as the laws Of Idaho afford no
protection to buffalo and other wild
game. the slaughter cannot be stopped
unless the bison can be kept within the
confines of the park. To this end a
u
was constructed the past summer in
Hayden valley, near the center of the
park. A chute takes in the mountain
pass down which the buffalo come in
the winter time. and 1t is expected that
many of the bison will be corraled be-
fore spring. The enclosure has been
stocked with plenty of hay and con-
tains water and shelter for the ami
mails.
'Other game in the park Is increas-
ing rapidly" continued Mr.. Newcomfb:
there are thousands OF head of ante
lope and deer. Large numbers of
moose, mountain sheep and bear also
other day saw a band of antelope
stretched for over a mile, and / can
take you to-day to where there is a
herd of over 1000 of these animals
within a days ride from Mammoth Hot
Springs. All kinds OF wild game, ex-
cept buffalo, is multiplying remarkably
fast in the park, and bear are becom-
ing so numerous as to cause consider
able annoyance to campers during the
tourist season."
In his lecture delivered in this city
recently j. B. Daily, the ex-priest stat
ed that the American Protective asso-
citation has at the present time a men,
bership Of 100000 that A p AS
were increasing at the rate OF 10000 a
week. and that at the next presidential
election the association would cast
100000 votes.
The Hiidige ranch up Shields river.
consisting OF 3S6 acres, will be sold at
sheriff's sale in this city on Monday.
A w. Miles mas opened a grain and
general feed store on Calendar street.
b. ID. Sheffield will give a turkey
shoot on McLeod's island Thanksgiv-
ing day.
Editor George Anderson OF the Liv-
ingston Post. departed Saturday on a
visit with old-time friends in Chicago
and Lacrosse.