The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1909-11-13
BUFFALO i.
RESERVE |
Society Complete Range in Flat
head Country for Thousand
Head of Buffalo at Cost
of About $40, 900.

When a recent congress- passed bill
setting aside great tract of land In
Montana for buffalo range for the
purpose Of aiding in the preservation Of
''ou national animal it did something
that appealed nightly to the heart of
Americans. The experiment is bearing
fruit. Acquisitions are coming in from
many quarters. Recently thirty-four
animals were turned in ON the reserva-
ton. They were purchased from the
Conrad herd by the American Bison
society for $275 per head, Grated separ-
atcly at the place where they were pw-
chased. shipped down Flathead lake by
boat to the place where they were disem-
barked and then hauled on wagons to
The range. distance of twenty miles,
Less than fifty years ago herd OF
thirty-four buffaloes would not have
excited remark if seen at any point on
the Great American desert. If any one
had predicted then that bison would
ever be Grated and shipped as freight
such statement would have been
laughed down. That was when the huge
beasts were numbered by hundreds of
thousands. Half century ago they
were estimated BY the million. In 1908
they had dwindled to 1, 502 in the United
States. The same year there were 40
in Canada and $50 in Europe. .
The Montana national bison ranch is
an accomplished fact. In addition to
the herd on the range, more animals
have been promised and will be dejiv-
cred by next spring. The government
construction party finished the erection
Of the fence about the range several
weeks ago. The ranee and work were
inspected BY the purchasing committee
Of the American Bison society, consist
ing Of Dr., ". 7. Hornaday, president
Of tho society. and i. H. Kennard of
Boston, They reported that the ranae
10 as nearly perfect as can be conceived
for its. purpose and will support /, 500
animals. With this start the American
Bison society hopes to restore the ma
tion's animals to something like its
former Glory, although conditions are
such that no Twins. man or any that is
to come will ever see what has been
seen: 'y E t.'ESi'd ,' afs9'> +1 "a E
| The range il on the Flathead reserva-
tion. It is in the county of Missoula.
Mont eighty miles west of the town of
the same name. six miles from Revalli,
a station on the Northern Pacific. The
cost Of the land was about $50, COO and
the fence was built Tor $40. 900. The or
eanization which brought about the pas
sage Of biliss BY congress was the result
Of the national movement begun in 1904
for the express purpose of devisine ways
and means for the preservation of the but
falo. ThaDociety was organized in New
York city in December. 1905. Many
disting uished and patriotic citizens
responded to the movement, and when
the society was formed President Roose-
welt was elected honorary president, and
Earl Grey. governor general of Canada.
was elected honorary vice president.
That the plan to restore the bison is
succeeding is attested by the fact that in
1906 there were only, by actual census.
943 in the country. In 1908 there were
/. 502, all pure blooded.
The last great slaughter took place
in the Indian Territory in 1878. A band
|of Cheyennes and Arapahoes was per-
mitted by the government to 60 out to
this exterminaton. In the course of
few hours more than 1000 buffaloes
were killed mercilessly and their bodies
torn to pieces after the fashion of the
Indian after he had killed his game.
KENESAW DAVIS.