The Carbon County news. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1924-1931, 1924-11-13

The romance of buffalo meat is
explained In a circular letter that
has been issued by the Northern
Pacific railroad, which has added
the meats TO its menus as novel;
~. The letter, whcih has been re-
ceived by Nontanans is as follows:
buffalo meat sizzIed merriiy and
appetizingly over many camp
fire of Lewis and Clark, famed ex~
plorers, on their long pathfindinR
trip from the Missouri river to the
Pacific coast In is04-05.
To-day, 100 years later, buffalo
meat again tops" menu card
this time on the Northern Pacific
dining cars, which railroad follows
the Lewis and Clark trail to the Pa
cific coast
'The prime meat is served as
either steaks or roasts, according to
the announcement made recently by
A. w. Thompson, superintendent of
dining car service, and transconti-
rental travellers are finding IL hap
by addition to the menu suggestions.
"The meat comes from the Mon
tana national bison range establish
ed near Ravalll. Montana, In 1919 for
the preservation OF the buffalo or
bison. Thirty-seven head were turn
cd upon the range October VI, 1908.
The herd now numbers five hundred.
Each year. 1t is explained, 1t Ia NO
cessary to dispose of number OF
the animals In order to keep the herd
within the food capacity of the pre-
serve.
Movement Began lin 1904.
1.-THE national movement for the
preservation OF buffalo, according to
the u. s. biological survey, began In
June, 1904, with the enlistment Of
support for the. project by Ernest
Harold Haynes, President Roosevelt
took immediate and active interest.
The American Bison society was
formed. and In January, 1908. re-
commended that site he purchased
situated along the Northern Pacific
railway, at Ravalli, on the Flathesd
Indian reservation, north OF the
Jocko and east OF the Fiathead riv-
ers, consisting OF a minimum OF 30
square miles,
Senator Joseph M. Dixon, chair
man OF the committee on Indian af-
fairs, and now governor OF Mon
tana, introduced a bill which was
| passed, and which was signed by
President Roosevelt May 3, 1908,
appropriating the funds to buy the
lands from the Flathead Indians.
Herd Founded.
THE society raised $l0.600 for
the purchase OF nucleus herd, the
buffalo selected being from the herd
founded by the late G. II. Conrad ut
Kalispell. Montana. IL Il said 10
have had It's origin In few calves
captured by Pend d'Orele Indian
about 1878 on the plains east OF ths
Rocky mountains. The society pur-
chased 81 head head (l2 males and
ca females) at $275 head. deliver
cd on the range, and In addition re-
ceived as gift from the Conrad e.
tate one male herd leader. Kalispeli
Chief, seven years old, and one female
years old, the best COW In the Con-
rad herd.
'Thirty-seven head (including .
female buffalo given by Charles
Goodnight OF Texas) reached Ravallt
Saturday night. October liz, 1899,
and the following day were unload
ed on special switch track put In
| by the Northern Pacific railway on
the south side OF the range, two and
one-half miles west OF the RavallI
station.
ION November IS, 1910, three buff
falo, presented by the Blue Mountain
Forest association, New Hampshire
from the herd founded by the late
Austin Corbin, arrived at the range
In good condition.
Six Preserves.
There are six nationally owned
J buffalo herds In the United States
The two largest are located alons
the line Of the Northern Pacific rail-
= road, one In Yellowstone national
park and the other on the Montans
national bison range. The govern
ment owned herds In the Units<
States contain l,719 animals. Their
Ia one herd la Canada reported u
contain 10000.
THE rapid increase OF the buffals
Il In the United States to more thar
u the number required to insure thsil
n Derpetuity has made IL possible fol
II the Northern Pacific railroad com
II pany to secure buffalo meat for ser.
n vice on their dining cars.
II Many OF those who frequented
N the range In the old days considered
II buffalo meat far superior to that oI