Vol 3, # 33

   Wednesday, March 24, 1999

YELLOWSTONE
WEATHER
Highs 50s, Lows 20s
Mostly Sunny
 

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WEST YELLOWSTONE, Mont. -- Last Thursday, over 20 officials including Department of Livestock agents in cooperation with Gallatin County Sheriff, Highway Patrol, and Forest Service law enforcement closed the area around the base of the tripod structures on the Gallatin National Forest, outside of West Yellowstone, MT. The blockade has been occupied by Buffalo Field Camp volunteers since January 25, 1999.  One volunteer, Donald Fontenot, age 35 of Portland, Oregon, was arrested when he tried to climb into one of the platforms. Summer Nelson, 22, of Missoula, was arrested at 3:00 p.m. after she was removed by a cherrypicker from a platform suspended from the back end of the 150 foot long blockade of 5 interlocking tripods. She was locked to the structure from her platform 30 feet in the air in order to prevent the removal of the blockade until her arms were removed from the locking device and she was taken into custody by Gallatin County Sheriffs. She was charged with maintaining an unauthorized structure and resisting arrest.

On March 16, the Department of Livestock signed their permit to construct a new bison trap on the Gallatin National Forest on Horse Butte, which they had delayed signing for a month and a half because they did not want to assume legal liability for removal of the tripod blockade. Plowing of the road has begun. Construction of the facility has not begun yet.

Recently the Gallatin National Forest amended their grazing permits for all ranchers with allotments surrounding Yellowstone. All ranchers have agreed to comply with the new terms, which will prohibit the return of cattle until 30 to 60 days after buffalo return to the park, and no earlier than June 15. The summer grazing on Horse Butte amounts to 172 cow/calf pairs. This grazing allotment brings in less than $800 to the U.S. Treasury.

"There is no reason for the DOL to pursue such an aggressive course of action towards the buffalo on Horse Butte, in light of the recent grazing modifications and the growing public opinion supporting the buffalo. The DOL is just flexing their political muscles in a war that defies all logic where the buffalo are the victims. Why does the DOL insist upon using $500,000 of our tax dollars for killing more of Yellowstone's buffalo, all in the name of cattle who return less than $800 to the U.S. Treasury?" stated Sue Nackoney, Buffalo Field Campaign spokesperson.

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND COLUMNISTS

Ralph Maughan
Kim Steinbacher
Kevin Sanders
Steve Brashear
Clint Wilkes
Tim Gourley
Hon. Bob Gammage
Ruth Colter-Frick
Lee Whittlesey
Tom Mazzarisi
Russ Finley
David Monteith
Denise Elmer
Dr. Robert Bara

BELGRADE, Mont. (YNET) -- If you are going through Gardiner, Montana at Yellowstone's North entrance at either lunch or dinner time then I strongly recommend OUTLAWS Pizza. Outlaws has great pizza plus this was the very first place I have ever had a calzone.  The first time I had a calzone was in 1994 when I spent the summer in Yellowstone writing my book. Since then I have had calzones all over the country and none of them have compared to that very first one I had way back then.

Look for Outlaw's Pizza on the east side of the main street when you arrive in Gardiner this summer!

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NOTE:   We have received numerous inquiries in recent months regarding the "Army Years" of Yellowstone's history.  This is the first of a multi-part series documenting the Army Years, 1886-1917.  The text of this series is that of  the National Park Service.  This is Part Two.

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (NPS) --  When Company M arrived in August 1886, they lived in temporary frame buildings at Camp Sheridan, established at the foot of the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces. After enduring five cold, harsh winters, the cavalry realized there was no end in sight to this assignment. Therefore, in 1890, Congress appropriated $50,000 for a permanent post. So the days of Fort Yellowstone began.

The first buildings of Fort Yellowstone were finished by late 1891. As more troops were needed, more buildings were constructed: officers' quarters, guard house, headquarters, barracks for enlisted men, stables for their horses and non-commissioned officers' quarters. In 1909, Scottish masons began constructing sandstone buildings here - among them the Albright Visitor Center (then the Bachelor Officers' Quarters) and the administration building (then a two-troop barracks for 200 men). The Chapel, the final building constructed during the Army's tenure, was also constructed of native sandstone. The stone from these buildings was obtained from a local quarry between the Gardner River and the Mammoth Campground.

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Billings, Mont. (YNET) -- Yellowstone Net, nominee for RealNetwork's Streamer's Award, is seeking the support of Yellowstone fans worldwide.  Public voting for the Streamer's Award has been extended through tomorrow, Thursday, March 25..   The Streamer's Award is the internet equivalent of the academy awards.  A group of high profile judges, including Amazon.com's Jeff Bezos, will make the final award decisions, as they will judge from the top three vote-getters in each category, as voted upon by the internet public.

If you have not yet cast your vote, you may do so by going to Russ Finley's site at www.yellowstone.net/russfinley.    Choose "Yellowstone National Park" on the Streamer's ballot.

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