The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1924-11-05
BUFFALO MEAT
AGAIN ON MENU
Northern Pacific Dining Cars
Feature Bison ROaStS
and Steaks

Buffalo steak siZzled merrily
and, appetizingly over many a
camp fire Of Lewis and Clark,
famed explorers, on their long
path-finding trip from the Mis-
souri, river to the Pacific coast in
1875.
Today, 12l years later, buffalo
meat again tops" a menu card
this time On the Northern Pacific
dining cars, which railroad fol-
lows the Lewis and Clark trail
to the North Pacific coast.
The prime meat is served as either
st""1" OF roasts. according to the an
-~-~~ment made oday by W. A.
Thomson, superintendent of dining
car service, and transccntinental trav-
elers are finding it a happy addition
to the menu suggestions.
Comes from Montana
The meat comes from the Montana
National Bison range established near
kavaili, Montana, in 1909 for the pre-
., lion of the buffalo or bison.
Thirty-seven head were turned upon
the range October II, 1909. The herd
now numbers 500. Each year, it is
explained, it is necessary to dispose
Of a number of the animals in order
to keep the herd within the food ca
pacity of the preserve.
The national movement for the pre-.
s~ervation of buffalo, according to da-
ia Of the U. S. biological survey, be-
gan in June, 1904 with the enlistment
Of support for the project by Ernest
Harold Baynes, President Roosevelt
took immediate and active interest.
The American Bison society was
formed, and in January, 1903, recon-
mended that a site be purchased sit
Uated along the Northern Pacific
rail way, at Ravalli, on the Flathead
Indian reservation north of the Jocko
and east of the Flathead rivers, o n
sisting of a minimum of 20 square
miles.
Dixon Introduced Bill
Senator Joseph NJ. Dixon, chairman
Of the committee en- Indian affairs
and now governor Of Montana, intro
duced a bill which was passed, and
which was signed by President Roose-
velt May 3, 1908, appropriating tn,
funds to buy the lands from the Flat
head Indians.
The society raised $1O,56O for the
purchase Of a nucleus herd, the buf-
falO being selected from the herd
founded by the late c.. E. Conrad al
Kalispell, Mont. 1t was said to have
had its origin in a few calves cap.
tuTcG by a Pend d'Orielle IndiaT
about 1878 on the plains east of the
Rocky mountains. The society pur.
chased "a head (12 males and % fe.
males) at $275 a head, delivered OF
the range, and in addition received
from the Conrad estate, che male
herd leader Kalispell chief, 7 year.
old, and one female, 6 years old, th'
best COW in the Conrad herd.
Thirty-seven head Including a fe
male buffalo given by Charles Good
night Of Texas) reached Ravalli Sat
urday night, October 16, 1909, anc
the following day were unloaded Of
a special switch track put in by tn,
Northern Pacific railway on the soutl
side of the range, two and One-haI
miles west of the Ravalli station.
On November Is, 1910, three buf
falO, presented by the Blue Mountsi
Forest association, New Hampshir;
from the herd founded by the lat
Austin COrbin, arrived at the rang
in good condition.
Six National Herds
There are six nationally owned bui
falo herds in the United States. TIL
two largest are located along the lin
ii Ae Northern Pacific railroad, or
in the Yellowstone National park an
the other on the Montana Nation;
bison range. The government Owne
herds in the United States contai
1,719 animals. There is one herd
Canada reported to contain 10000.
The rapid increase of the buffa
in the United States to more than Il
number necessary to insure their pc
petuity had made it possible fer Il
Northern Pacific railroad cOmpar
to secure buffalo meat for service {
their dining ears.
Many of those who frequentel Il
range in the old days considered bu
falo meat far superior to that of bee
when properly cooked to bring out j
characteristic taste.