The Dickinson press., 1905-11-25

Greene & Co.'s drug store. Trial bottle
free.
Noted Ranch Changes Hands.
Near Yellowstone Park is a celebrated
ranch which in past years has been the
rendezvous for merry hunters and from
which the parks and hunting preserves
OF the east nave been supplied with the
wild game Of the Rockies.
| Glendive independents: The former
owners Of this celebrated ranch were
we'll known residents in Eastern Mon
tana in the early days, and many old
timers remember the reputation both of
them earned during the buffalo days of
the early 'So's.
The ranch was located by Vic Smith,
now resident of Glendive, and his
partner, Dick Rock, in the year 1885.
Vic Smith was in at the death of the
race OF the buffalo on the plains Of
Montana and Dakota, and it was at that
time that he formed the acquaintance of
Dick Rock, who probably was the fast
est man on the plains with skinning
knife. and thought nothing of taking off
the hides OF from 50 to 60 buffalo in
day. with no tackle or facilities what
ever save his knife and two swift hands
backed by brawny arms. With the
passing OF the buffalo, and after the
Indian troubles had been settled, their
. occupations were gone and the had to
find new fields.
Vic took trip down east and saw in
| the parks and ZOOS many of the animals
: that he had been accustomed to see rum
ming wild. 1t was with astonishment he
4 heard of the fabulous prices paid by
: collectors of game for show purposes
= and game preserves. Then it was he
conceived the plan Of going into the
r business OF supplying that market, and
: Rock was just the man Tor the partner
e ship that was formed at Livingstone
and together they took up the ranch al
Henrv's lake.
AN pa" uhuCI "IuNl tuCt WI
t the first winter was to run down the elk
r in the deep snow while the hunters were
4 mounted on Norwegian skis, and it was
+ success, though accomplished with
S great labor and hardship, not only in
h capturing the elk and roping them, but
also IN getting to the ranch after they
were once taken.
! They thenshit upon plan more willy
and more successful. High corrals
: were built during the summer months
and the inside of the Enclosures were
D stocked with wild hay and tempting
a food, and b. rs left down on one side OF
e the pen. Travelling together on the
t skis Vic and his partner would locate a
t herd of elk and then drive them ahead
of them like cattle, as they were able tc
do owing to the snow, which made i,
e impossible for the animals to make
i speed. 1t proved a simple matter tc
: steer them into the traps and put ur
j. the bars behind. 1t was only necessary
k then to feed the animals until they were
It sold. They were shipped to all parts o.
e the country but the best market was
t found among the wealthy men of New
e York, who stocked their preserves ir
d the Adirondacks from the Rocky noun
a tain ranch.
o The elk were sold for from s85 to sIoe
$ a piece, mountain sheep were worth
# $3.50, bears brought $50 and deer So,
If each, and the purchasers paid the freigh
d and bore the expenses OF getting tn
y animals to the railroad.
h During their five years of partnership
they captured 3o7 elks, $50 deer, 2
mountain goats. IL bears and a few
moose. Last of all they took in thre,
(. buffalo calves that were on the rancl
:. when the allurements of civilization ant
II bright-eyed Anaconda girl persuaded
d Vic to sell out his interests and com,
r into the haunts of men for the rest o
r his days.
It| Dick Rock continued the business
and kept the buffalo on the place
where they grew up. He thought they
had become used to their life of con
6nement and one day in an unguardec
! moment ventured too near one of thu
buffalo which attacked and gored hin
6 to death. The animals were afterwart
sold and are now among the sight!
pointed out to visitors at Columbi:
Gardens in Butte.
e The widow of Rock married not Ions
n after his death a man named Trout ane
), has now disposed of the place that viii
q probably lose its old time novelty ane
= charm in becoming summer resort TO
$ the capitalists who will seek the noun
t tains only for the hunting season.