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' I v.K... PAGE TWO OIL AND MINING JOUR*AL Saturday, September 3, 1938 I Millions of Tourists From All WWlkssa of Life Have Passed Under Roosevelt Arch* Gardiner Entrance to Yellowstone National Park

By ELNO _____ At Gardiner MaJ. John Pitcher, mill- m : the hide tanned as a memento of harter and was kind fix two ILLIONS of peopie from evary tary superintendent of Yellowstone $20.000 he would never see again. section of „the *l°be haw pHwd park, with Capt. F. O. Johnson and «spy thereafter and the calf oTS through the great Roosevelt 25 mounted men of troop C, third; But it Is an iU wind that blows m years 1888 and 1889 were The arch at Gardiner daring the cavalry, met the presidential train, m body good, and the Indians erf Montana cattle business had two things In its M made considerable money In the spring favor in digging itself out of the rut— past S5 yean as they entered “My dear major, I am back In my à - sIliKy skinning cattle that bad starved or much of the loss of the winter of 1886- Yellowstone park. They have been j own country!” was Toddy’s spontaneous frozen to death. bums and princes, hitchhikers and greeting. f -Pspil 87 had fallen cm the shoulders of the titled nobility, plain John Jones and To the president was assigned Bob, ! S- ‘Swr-ft Montana cattlemen had lost $6.üCW,- eastern invertors, and most of the 000 but, contrary to expectations, the family from Hometown, V. S. A, apd j splendid mount belonging to a private w 4 Montana banks had enough money In- ’ loss did not cause the price of beef vested In the then booming Montana royalty and Its retinae from the world’s | 0f B troop—the Gray troop, since all to rise that spring. Prices went steadily capitals. There have been lesser pap- 1 man were mounted on gray horses— min» to balance their cattle losses. ts from the farthest and least civil-; 0f the third cavalry. ilp downward as every cattleman shipped Pierre Wlboux was one of those who Kd corners of the earth. I After mounting, Teddy paused to ad- i his cattle in an attempt to cover his took the lead to building up depleted losses. By the fall of 1887 prices were herds. With money borrowed from aris­ 1 Ü Most of those millions have raised ; dress a few words to the gathered ; Hi so low that one shipment of Montana tocratic relatives In Prance, he bought their eyes to the inscription above the throng. In closing he pointed to a cow- H cattle brought Just $2.50 per hundred up the stock of several ranches that keystone; “For the Benefit and En- boy In a white sombrero and said: “II HI and the average price of cattle on the were quitting business and within a Joyment of the People.” They have | have worked with you, like that fellow H Chicago market for the year was $3.15. few years was in the cattle business on commented upon its democratic sym-1 over there. I believe In you. I wish you i EH No cattleman made money from a greater scale than ever before. From boUsm. But very few of them, perhaps, the best of luck and unbounded pros- ; B cattle in 1887. Bankruptcies followed the Running Water Land & Cattle Co., have paused to consider what might j perlty.” one another In fast succession as such he purchased 20,000 head, and from the be the history of the arch and all that ; Then, with Major Pitcher riding at j I big outfits as the Alec Swan ranch Powder River Co., 10,000 head. it represents; even fewer are aware of j hb Ttirrup, the president dashed away ■ in Wyoming and the Niobrara Cattle the pageantry, brief though it was, as- into the park, with his party following 11 Throughout Montana the cattle In­ soda ted with the construction of the on horses and in ambulances. With all Co. went under. In the spring of 1886 dustry made a spectacular recovery and the Niobrara had had 39,000 nat cattle by 1890 there were more cattle on great entrance gate—pageantry of a I arrangements completed, the people of valued at $1,000,000. In the roundup type seldom seen In these days of motor Mammoth, then called Fort Yellow- V Montana cattle ranges than before the i of June, 1887, they had 9,000 head. The catastrophe. This time the business was i cars, which each year enter the park stone, awaited his arrival. But Teddy big Gibb Bros, spread went out of by the thousands. took matters Into his own hands. For ROOSEVELT ARCH established on a sound basis and the business and , who slip-shod, sometimes even criminal K The lives of pioneer trappers, humble two hours or more he chased antelope At Gardiner entrance to Yellowstone park. Photo courtesy John Haberstroh. had been ranching at Med ora, Dakota workmen, hardy frontiersmen, the and other game between Gardiner and » ivinrslon ^ bookkeeping of former years was re­ territory, gave up the ghost and went placed with more businesslike methods. army, and a president of the United Mammoth, finding a keen zest in ex- Into politics as a surer field of en­ States are symbolized in the massive aminlng the condition of the animals,-! Eastern and foreign investors had at deavor than raising cattle. Hie famous last become convinced that raising structure of native stone. inquiring about game management, 3,000 people watching, spread mortar, I which was a Montana nugget, appro- Marquis de Mores, who had gone Into cattle was not an easy and romantic Plans for construction of the arch and watching the antics of the wilder- and the huge cornerstone was lowered priately engraved “T. R., 1903.” cattle raising on a large scale in Da­ way of becoming rich quick and the were completed in 1902, and in the ness creatures. Into place. i The president was Introduced at kota, threw up his hands in disgust and blind investments of former years spring of 1903 tons upon tons of native From this moment the president was Within the stone is preserved for the Gardiner by J. C. McCartney, a prom- went tiger hunting in India. ceased. It is said that for seme of the basaltic rock had been assembled entirely aloof from the public eye and people of the remote future, should the ; inent Gardiner character who bore the Unfortunately, other western cattle­ cattlemen the bad winter had been a awaiting the late breaking of the the public prints. Such an isolation has arch ever be dismantled, documents sobriquet “Mayor of Gardiner, ai- winter. ; not since been attained by any chief concerning early Montana history and though the town, as now, was untocor- men could not do the same and though salvation, for by exaggerating the ex­ the cattle business was In a bad way, tent of their losses they were able to Pres. Theodore Roosevelt, accom- executive. For 16 days the presidential the history of the park. There are porated. After bidding officers and the fighting spirit of frontier Montana cover up losses Incurred in crookedness panted by Naturalist John Burroughs, trfin sat on sidetracks at Cinnabar, records of a Montana grand lodge con- scouts with his vacation party fare- was still rampant and many of the and management. entered the park on April 8, 1903, for b®1?w Gardiner, and messengers kept yocation; the Masonic code of laws; well, the president rode to his train cattlemen went back to their ranches a late winter tour of wonderland— Teddy in contact with the events of the several coins; a bible; articles written at Cinnabar, where he held a brief re­ to continue the fight against the ele- More than 22,000 different kinds of winter tour so-called because the snows wor*d, but no news of the presidential by Cornelius Hedges In 1870-72, when i ception before departing for the capital, mente. Nature repented her wood have been classified. still were deep throughout the park. party was brought from the park. he was advocating the creation of the Following its creation in 1872, Na-1 bad be- The story of Teddy’s tour and that Teddy, with John Burroughs, was , park; park pictures; a photograph oflthaniel P. Langford, one of the little •» I of the arch are an intertwined narra- accompanied Into the snowy fastnesses ; the president, and copies of the Liv- group who. first advocated the national ; tive. j of the park by the Gray troop and six ; ingston Post and the Gardiner Wonder- park idea, served as the first park ! This was one of the few times in the1 park scouts- of whom Scott McBride I land. The Post and the Wonderland, superintendent for several years with- j history o? moderrT^ Amhriea tint »i was one- McBride was an active and I long ago joined the list of Montana] out pay, devoted to the ideal of keep-I * nr^sident ofthe nnitsd Rtat.« has Promlnent «sure in the park and newspapers which now exist only taiing the park free of exploitation fori ramoletelv Isolated hü^lf from th£ around Gardiner untU recent years. memory. personal profit. He battled long and; nubile view for more thana. few hours^ ,In his own book, “Outdoor Pastimes Following the Masonic dedication ! strenuously to keep out the Bamums ; ~ $*5 » TMdv remsrned In thf Lrir fî^?R! ®f an Amencan Hunter,” Theodore | ritual the president addressed the 1 who would have established admission SSr davs during11 which ttaietae news- : ?oosevelt induded a chapter on “Wil- gathering, expressing his appreciation | gates at Old Faithful, the Canyon, and; •— " "Xlczz Dauere were8deniedanvdirect wor^of1 derness Rt^eTve®: .^i® Yellowstone for the park holiday and the rest and ! other points of interest. His battle was û a ny (Urect worû OI ‘ Park.” In which he sketches his move- recreation it afforded. He likened the largely won before he relinquished his ! The Dresldent’q annroach to the nark1 V1® park- /lvi^ tb®m ***** park to the Alps and the Riviera, ex- ; post and turned again to personal 1 allusion while he devotes the great pressing surprise that In the years up affairs. > a?5!bulk °* some 33 P0®®8 to observations| to 1903 more people from Europe than Langford was one of the organizers who n^^ onfv of w'UdUfe- from th® «»stem had of, and a leading spirit in. the Masonic hlstorrDistrict*Judjre Prank Henrv We do learn, however, that his first been Yellowstone visitors. He stressed order in Montana. Roosevelt was the; Y Vw 1 Sem Tom Carter Chfef camp was made on Cottonwood creek, the beauties of the park in winter, still : greatest conservationist of his time, •■'c ■JUj dore BranUey^^nd Joseph M* DtxorT h®1*®«1 Mammoth and the Lamar seen In this good year 1938 by few Perhaps It was not entirely colncl-i ^ liïiiïi ■■ «5? who was successive!^ œi^eisman crossing of the YeUowstone. A longer People outside the employes of the dence that Langford’s old grand lodge • I senato^^ovemOTandass^s^t^cre- camp was made below Tower falls In a . Repaid tribute of Masons and the ardent conserva- tarv of’ the mterio^Th^e i sP°t whicb greatly enchanted the presi- to the Grand Army of the Republic tionlst were associated In laying the; E-ares ofllsseriiSits f romalT narts dent and where he made a long and and to Farragut Post No. 7 of Living- cornerstone of the great Roosevelt arch.i % Äm.n» Ugnts 1 u pans I intensive study of mountain sheep. In «ton, which had participated in the It was Indeed fitting that both should ItoosevSvk association with the ramm honor of this camp and Its delight welcome at Livingston and In the have participated In the ceremony ' lan^feaste^M^ntSir^dw^m for T®ddy, the lodge now located there ceremonies at the arch (which completed the work begun a| North D^Mta^TM ds called Camp Roosevelt, or Roosevelt ^The Masonic grand lodge expressed third of a century earlier by Langford, of the oldter cattlemen It wMbu?flve lod8®- hom this camp sleds and skis H* appreciation of the presidents gra- in the dedication of Yellowstone na- STÄÄ in were used for a trip to «Pthe ÆUpper clous co-operation“ “by b6ckpresentingBrouno a tionaland park Enjoyment for all timeot the “For People." the Bene-

Ten»Swss wealdent-''' *“ * •1:5SSSi5?l8 In his Livingston talk the president I an.^!? , recalled his cowboy days and the west- ^be < presldentwaa In the park Eastern Montana Stockmen ^•sr»-ß:2 era men whose Influence had helped Ly" hun to get his regiment, j gj.SS““® ^ Recall “Hardest Winter99 ■35 î Gardiner and Mammoth that it would > J be a splendid idea to have President SSm DO YOU WANT TO j Roosevelt dedicate the new entrance By WALTER ED TAYLOR who had to sit by unable to succor arch before leaving the park. A com­ LD-TIME them. “How long could it last?” was BUILD A RIG munication was addressed to the presi­ cattlemen gathered around the the question on every man’s lips. An SKID A DERRICK dent through Major Pitcher, Capt. corrals at a sale of registered early spring was the only hope of f: j Hiram Martin Chittenden, H. W. Child LAY A PIPELINE O Hereford bulls in Billings re- salvation. mi & and Robert Walker, all of the park, in cently recalled that 51 years ago The long-awaited chinook came in behalf of Livingston Lodge No. 32, A. P. ____r.-ra.-rfT, _ . BUILD A CAMP this spring the Montana cattle Industry March as a warm wind swept down HrlACVlOVI i and A. M. The communication was de­ digging itself oat of what Is prob- from the Rockies. The snow disap- ? livered to Teddy by Captain Chitten­ ably the most memorable winter in its peared as If by magic and Montana » den, and he acceded to the request. history. In the words of one old timer, and the rest of the northwest heaved Hi Tf The Livingston lodge then communi­ "These modem dudes just don’t know a great sigh of relief. Said the'editor if cated with Prank E, Smith of Lewis- what a real tough winter Is!” of a Miles City paper; “At the risk u II town, grand master of the Montana Montana’s hardest winter was the of a great setback, we cannot refrain The GALLOPING SWEDE grand lodge, who proceeded with the winter of 1886-87 and In the history of from a third and last call. Springtime ! arrangements, since the grand lodge the state the date is as Important as has surely come, gentle Annie.” i held the prerogative of handling cor­ 1216 In Prench history or 1066 in the Gentle Annie had been correctly ln-1 nerstone ceremonies. story of Great Britain. It Is always re- formed and springtime really had come On April 24 special trains were run ferred to by old timers as theterrible1 in March, for the state experienced Seismic surveys conducted in Canada, Montana and other from many points to Gardiner for the win£r’. a°d It was Indeed terrible. It no more cold weather that season. But event. Captain Chittenden took charge marked the turning point in the his­ the damage had already been done. Rocky Mountain States. n of the program as ceremonial manager. tory of the cattle industry in the state; The Montana Stockgrowers association Referring again to Roosevelt’s chap­ it marked the closing of the frontier met as usual In mid-April and the ter on YeUowstone park, his only men­ and the beginning of a new era of speakers and members who attended Successful oil operators are saving many unnecessary dry tion of the dedication was to remark development. Before that winter the did their best to act and sound cheer­ £ .J that on the ride from Mammoth he cattle business had been conducted as ful but a general pall of gloom hung holes by knowing the proper location for initial tests through encountered a herd of blacktall deer. a boom Industry, carried on in many over the assembly. Even the bluff con­ But the president’s arrival at Gard­ cases in a fly-by-nlght, get-rich-quick, viviality of a Theodore Roosevelt could iner was a piqoe of pageantry combin­ devil-take-the-hindmost manner. The not rouse the assembled cattlemen to utilization of Heiland Research experience and success in these ing pioneer civilization with wilderness winter of 1886-87 ended that phase of laughter. Had the cattlemen realized NO JOB TOO BIO; glory. With the little town of Gardiner, the cattle business forever. the full extent of their Losses they areas. NONE TOO SMALL still In typical pioneer atmosphere, as When the winter had passed many would probably have been even more a backdrop to the stage, the front was thought the industry was ruined for downhearted. the virgin wilderness within the park. good, but the final result was that the For further information see £. Byers Emrick, We have “cats” and trucks, large First in line came the Gray troop, cattle ranchers emerged on a sounder, The spring roundup revealed the hor- which had camped with the president, rible truth. Losses averaged 50 perce nt and small, with which to do any saner, more profitable basis of oper­ to the Yellowstone and Musselshell re- Conrad, Montana, or apply direct to then Masons in regalia, to take their ation than ever before and the annual moving Job quickly and econom­ places about the entrance site. Then and were almost as severe to the cattle output of the nineties was al­ h Basin country. Nelson Storey of ically. Call us, night or day. within a few moments came Theodore most twice that of any year preceding S » Roosevelt and his entourage from the “the terrible winter." Bozeman, one of the great cattle-kin canyon of the'Gardiner river within of the day, estimated his losses at During the years 1885 and 1886 the two-thirds and on one stretch of graz­ the park, to ride at a sharp canter to steadily falling price of beef In east- Heiland Research Corporation ing land alone lost $20,000 worth of the scene. The president, in keeping era markets set the stages for the cruel prize poled angus bulls. One of the J. HUGO ARONSON with the informality of his visit, was 700 Club Building—Denver, Colorado drama which was to be played on Mon­ bulls was found alive but It died al-, Phone dressed In a black coat, military trous­ tana cattle ranges in the winter of| most immediately and Storey ordered .i. CUT BANK, MONTANA ers and a soft black hat. 1886-87. In 1885 beef prices dropped! Greetings and brief formalities dis­ considerably and in 1886 went even posed of, the president, with more than lower. Many Montana cattlemen felt that prices had reached rock bottom and could not go lower and that they would improve the following year. Near­ ly every stock grower held over as many cattle as he could and some even shipped cattle In for winter feeding in spite of the fact that forage was I I m low and there was a plague of grass- I A 1 hoppers in some sections of( eastern Montana. The situation was made even Natural Gas more serious by the tardiness of the fall rains which, when they did come, O PUMP, to drill, to spin, to in October, were too late to do any good to the range. In the wake of such Ttransport ... no matter what the a combination of 111 luck, range fires H job, it is the responsibility of Socony- occurred in several sections to further B9 Vacuum lubrication engineers to deplete the supply of forage. Wolves and coyotes were exceptionally plenti­ H help management keep the wheels Service ful that year and began to prey on P turning profitably. And to ope ral­ the herds early to the fall. Thus did nature marshal her forces to present ly ing profit, correct lubrication al- the most unlovely side of her character, H ways adds ... a Lubrication Profit. EFFICIENT I and as October faded Into November, 1886, every cattleman on the range ECONOMICAL I prayed that the winter would be a mud There are one. The snows began to mW-November money-saving DEPENDABLE! and were the worst that even the old­ Gargoyle In­ est old timers had ever seen, going on dustrial Lu­ r« ««fi- unabated for weeks on end. The tem­ f Out company is furnishing this splendid fuel to 50 perature dropped to zero and below bricants for and remained there. In the words of every need. I communities in four northwestern states through Granville Stuart, “It was as though the Put them to more than 1,000 Miles of High-Pressure Pipeline. Arctic regions had moved down and h i - enveloped us.” Snow fell almost every work for you I A; day during the months of December, January and February. The severe cold ÿ"anm made riding the range a physical im­ mm possibility and the cowboys wer ma- rooned for months In isolated cabtas. often without sufficient supplies. Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. Tragedy loomed cm every side as the cattle gave up the search for food and % huddled together to die by the thous­ GREAT FALLS, MONTANA ands to coulees and river-bottom shelters. Some even wandered into Lührkaists towns, attracted by the hay In livery barm. Their pitiful wailings made the f days and nights hideous for humans

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