Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-09-03

At Gardiner Mai. John Pitcher, mill
tary superintendent Of Yellowstone
park, with Capt. F, o. johnson and
4 rs mounted men Of troop G. third
cavalry, met the presidential train.
My dear major, I am back 10 my
own countryl" was Teddy's spontaneous
greeting.
To the president was assigned Bob,
splendid mount belonging to a private
Of B troop-the Gray troop, since all
men were mounted on gray horses
Of the third cavalry.
After mounting, Teddy paused to adj
dress a few words TO the gathered
throng. In closing he pointed to a cow
boy IN a white sombrero and said: Il
have worked with you, like that fellow
over there. believe in you. / wish you
the best Of luck and unbounded pros
perity."
Then, with Major Pitcher riding at
his 5tirrup, the president dashed away
into the park, with his party following
on horses and IN an1bulances. With all
arrangements completed, the people of
Mammoth, then called Fort Yellow
stone. awaited his arrival. But Teddy
took matters into his own hands. For
two hours or more he chased antelope
and other game between Gardiner and
Mammoth, finding a keen zest In ex-
amining the condition Of the animals
inquiring about game management, !
and watching the antics Of the wilder |
ness creatures.
From this moment the president was
entirely aloof from the public eye and
the public prints Such an isolation has
not since been attained by any chief
executive. For is days the presidential
train sat on sidetracks at Cinnabar,
below Gardiner, and messengers kept
TlGf4ru in rnF1ferf NTH tfa k1uaFafc AF the
world, but no news of the presidential
party was brought from the park.
Teddy, with John Burroughs, was
into the snowy Businesses
Of the park by the Gray troop and six
park scouts, of whom Scott Mcbride
was one. Mcbride was an active and
prominent figure In the park and
around Gardiner until recent years.
In his own book, Outdoor Pastimes
1f an American Hunter" Theodore
Roosevelt included chapter on will
ierness Reserves; the Yellowstone
Park" in which he sketches his move
nentS in the park, giving them brief
allusion while he devOtes the great
bulk OF some 80 pages to observations
If wildlife.
We do learn, however, that his first
amp was made on Cottonwood creek,
between Mammoth and the Lamar
:roSsing of the Yellowstone. A longer
amp was made below Tower falls in a
pot which greatly enchanted the presi-
lent and where he made long and
intensive study of mountain sheep In
honor of this camp and its delight
or Teddy, the lodge now located there
S called Camp Roosevelt or Roosevelt
odge. From this camp sleds and skis
we're used for a trip to the Upper {
ieyser basin, and of this trip Teddy
mentions only his wildlife observations,
angling from meadow mouse to birds ,
md big game.
While the president was In the park
occurred to H. e. Klamer, Alex Ly-
II, Charles Miller, w. A Hall, George
and other MaSons of
Gardiner and Mammoth that it would
e a splendid idea to have President
dedicate the new entrance
rch before leaving the park. A COM
lunication was addressed to the preSi-
ent through Major Pitcher, Capt.
Tram Martin Chittenden, II. w. Child
nd Robert Walker, all of the park, In
ehalf Of Livingston Lodge No. 80, A. F. 4
nd A. M. The communication was de- d
vered to Teddy by Captain Chitten- a
en-, and he acceded to the request. b
The Livingston lodge then communi- g
tied with Frank e. Smith Of Lewis "
lWAg &4o44Q A1Ah6SCL VI b4lC 01JubdIlAt
and lodge, who proceeded with the v
since the grand lodge II
I'D the prerogative Of handling cor /,
srstone ceremonies. n
On April "a special trains were run (.
ON many points TO Gardiner for the "
ent. Captain Chittenden took charge n
the program as ceremonial manager. X
Referring again TO RoOsevelt's chap Il
r on Yellowstone park, his only men a
1n of the dedication was to remark d
at on the ride from Mammoth he G,
lcountered o herd Of blacktan deer. a
But the presidents arrival at Gard c,
er was piece of pageantry combin- d
8 pioneer civilization with wilderness W
Dry. With the little town Of Gardiner, IL
" in typical pioneer atmosphere, as
backdrop to the stage. the front was Il
e virgin wilderness within the park. n
rst In line came the Gray troop, &
1ich had camped with the president, So
en- MaSons in regalia, TO take their al
aces about the entrance site. Then ca
thin a few moments came Theodore m
Josevelt and his encourage from the 1t
nyon Of the Gardiner river within
e park, to ride at sharp canter to st
e scene. The president, In keeping eI
tn the informality of his visit, was d.
essed In black coat, military trous- ia
5 and soft black hat. Is
Greetings and brief formalitieS dis cC
sed Of, the president, with more than 10