Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1939-05-05
Spirit of Friendly Montana Reaches High Point
At Dude Ranches Where Old West Still Exists
HILE the esprit of friend
wv ly Montana" which Mon
w fononc Tn~ fho cfofo

" ly Montana" which Mon
w tanans, Inc, the state
chamber of commerce, urges all
residents to emphasize in greeting
and meeting tourists and out of
state visitors, is evident at every
service station, hotel, tourist camp,
and in every mercantile establish
ment in the state, it really reaches
its high point at the dude ranches.
At those resorts, from the first saluta-
ton Of Light, stranger, and rest yore
saddle" until the final 'adios" when
the visitors stay is ended, the hos
pitable spirit Of the old west is para
mount.
The service rendered by them is an
ttcipatory Of every want of the guests,
favored with Just enough of modern
conveniences not to detract from the
wilderness and pioneer. setting with
which they are surrounded.
Although the dude ranching dates
back 40 or more years, 1t is only in
the last 10 or Is years that it has be-
come an important business in the
west, according to w. c. Nye, executive
secretary of the Dude Ranchers asso-
citation.
There are now lis members in the
group holding land which represents
combined value of SIC, 100000. An
additional 100000 in holdings is
credited to approximately 225 summer
dude ranch guests who have settled
in Wyoming and Montana, Nye says.
1900 Guests Each Summer
The association officer points out
that $4,000 guests on member ranches
each summer pay 100000 for their
outings. In addition to this, these
guests spend 100000 with local con-
Germs, a total Of S3,200,000 revenue for
the country in which members operate.
One ranch alone reported expenditures
of nearly $4,000 on the part. OF its
guests in 1896, although this is con-
coded to be above the average.
Most Of the patrons come from the
east, with Canada next in line, sur
vey shows, but guests have been reg
istered from France, Australia, Hawaii
and even China.
"The greater the distance from which
our guests come. the longer they stay"
Nye reports. Some come and make
a summer of it. Because hunting, fish
ing and hiking are among the chief in
ducementS, guests at dude ranches are
primarily conservationists In wndlife
matters"
The Dude Ranchers association was
organized in 1925 to bring about better
cooperation between dude ranching
and the state and national depart
ments such as fish and game, forest
service, national parks and the bio
, logical survey. State and national legis
lation affecting the industry are closely
followed and supported or opposed.
Larom Only President
Credit for the idea of the association
is given to A. B. Smith, who at the
time, was connected with the passenger
department of the Northern Pacific
railroad.
I. II. Larom, owner of Valley ranch
at Valley, Wyo, was elected the first
president and has served continuously
Since that time C. C. Moore of Dubois:
Wyo.. is the vice president. and Paul
Van Cleve Jr.. Of Big Timber, Is Sec
retary-treasurer.
Livestock Is Leader
Three fourths of the members OF
the Dude Ranchers association are en-
gagged in the livestock business, the
Secretary says, and consequently they
are interested in all matters affecting
the livestock industry.
Dude ranchers cooperate in such
matters as control of predators, the
grazing of livestock in national forests
and other grazing problems and IN flsh