The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-10-23
ON A BUFFALO FARM.
Only Herd of Any Size is Now LO-
Gated on a Big Ranch in
Montana.

Montana is the home OF many strange
geological and agricultural wonders, but
none more so than that of the only herd
of domesticated buffaloes in this country
Ravalli is located upon the edge of the old
Flathead Indian reservation, and can be
reached by the Northern Pacific, from
Helena, in half days ride. 1t is
thriving and enterprising place in a most
picturesque part of the country and in
the summer time many tourists get off
here to inspect the herd of buffoloes own
ed by Mr.. Charles Allard and Marched
Pablo. Scientists and representatives Of
museums frequently drop off here and try
to buy buffaloes to ship East, and one day
the leader of travelling circus tried
to bargain for the whole herd AS there
are nearly 200 in the herd, and the price
for buffaloes is advancing rapidly every
year, this enterprising Snowman did not
realize the sum of money he would have
required for the purchase. A good buff
falo hide is worth $100 today, and a
mounted head all the way from 5000 to
$500; but what a whole buffalo would
cost it is difficult to say. The owners of
the herd are not selling today; they are
breeding for the future. Letters pour in
upon them from all parts OF the country
buffaloes
But we are not selling any buffalo,"
says Charles Allard, for the reason that
we need them all at present. They will
not be put upon the market for several
years yet Museums, parks and shows
are constantly making efforts to get them
in quantities, and though we might dis
pose OF one or two singly, we have no
pairs to sell. We will have altogether
about 200 by this fall
Two years ago this herd consisted of 80
animals, and was then located at Omaha,
and was known as the Jones herd. AL
lard paid $4,000 for them, and removed
them to Montana, where they are kept
on large range. Later Marched Pab-
10, we'll known cattle merchant went
into partnership with Allard, and the two
has conducted the buffalo farm between
them ever since. During the present
summer party of scientists and travel
ers visited the herd, and they enjoyed
something rarely tasted in these days-a
steak of buffalo. An accident had made
it possible for them to try this tempting
morsel, and every one pronounced it more
delicious than any steak they ever tasted.
1t was finer than the most delicate porter
house steak ever put upon the market,
and buffalo meat in time may become
rare product of our markets. When the
animals are bred in sufficient numbers
they will be killed gradually for their
hides and heads, and the meat alone will
bring good sum to the owners.
Buffalos crossed with domestic cattle
make fine meat for table use also some
fine specimens here crossed with the
nN11o6 vendors n tho
stranger They are all large and mag
nificent animals, and the fur is finer and
closer than that of the pure buffalo. Our
host assured us that the meat was even
more sweet and wholesome, although no
one had a practical test of it. These
crossbreeds yield very valua BILE robes and
in many ways retain the look and char
acteristics of their wild progenitors.
Cross-bred buffaloes may yet roam over
the country in herds and infuSe new blood
into our domesticated stock, giving them
the strength and vitality SO much needed
in the West to withstand the storms and
billiards.. The domesticated buffaloes
and the cross-breeds defy the severest
storms and they face them every time.
While horses and cows will be driven be-
fore the storms for many miles the but
faloes simply stand still with their breast
toward the wind and wait until it has
abated Then they will hunt around
where the snow is thinnest and search for
food Their thick, shaggy coats appear
to be water proof, wind proof and cold
proof. AS soon as a storm approaches
the herd punches together and form
wedge with the we'll protected head Of
the oldest bull at the apex. In this way
the weakest cows and calves are sheltered
by the more hardy animals.
The domesticated herd has lost much
of the natural WildneSs Of the untamed
buffaloes, and they feed quietly within the
range not far from human spectators, but
their instincts are the same, and it is
an interesting study to watch them as
they Craze on the rich grass. The re-
port of a rifle invariably startles them
and they rush across the field in true buff
falo style, giving you an idea of what
kind of death awaited one who happened
to be in their way. The animals are
trusty to certain extent, but it needs an
experienced cowboy to handle them when
the bulls are around. These animals,
though not so fierce as the Spanish bull
reared for the arena, are more savage and
determined when drawn into battle. If
placed in the arena with a Spanish bull
wild buffalo would come out victor every
time, if one can judge of his fighting quail
tiles out here in the native wilds HIS
head is as hard as a rock, and nothing
short of cannon ball could make an
impression upon it. The shaggy hair
acts as thick pad to most of the head
and protects the eyes and brain so that a
rifle bail could not penetrate through hair
and hide unless it happened to strike at
peculiar angle.
This herd is the only one in the coun-
try of any size" explained the head of
the valuable herd of Stock although
there is a small one in the Texas Pan
handle There are quite e number of
wild ones in the Yellowstone Park, too,
and there may be few scattered around
in the West These, however, are scat
tered over immense ranges, and hidden
in almost inaccessible places In 1883
the northern herd of wild buffaloeS con-
tanned about 10000 head, and were To-
Gated between the Black Hills and Bis
marck But during that summer so
MANY hunters, Indians and white men,
surrounded the herd that by October the
number was reduced to 1900. Then Sit
ting Bulls band arrived at Standing
Rock Agency and in a few days there
wasn't a hoof to be found in the whole re-
gion. The Indians literally wiped out
the remainder of the once powerful herd.
It was rumored for time that the herd
had gone north and had even entered
Canada. but hunters have sought in vain
for them. Occasionally one is stumbled
upon. but it is very rare thing. They
are literally exterminated. Long before
this the southern herd had been killed off
by the Indians and white hunters, and the
destruction of the northern herd COM