The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-01-31
THE BUFFALO.
HOW THEY CHASE MN OVER TIE
PLATNS IN KANSAS

HOW THEY CHASE MN OVER THE
PLAINS IN KANSAS.
The ordinary weight eff a full
grown bull buffalo is about I.50O or
], 600 pounds. They do not. however.
yield the same proportion of availa1
bic meat as the tame bovine. their
skins being heavier, their bones
larger. and feFequarters more mas
size and Weighty. / have seen bulls,
old fellow with horns full of wrink-
les, that would incline the scale at
nearly $500 pounds, but they were
unusually large. and eould readily
be distinguished ~ large herd.
The buffalo are now rapidly NOV
ing south fer the warmer airs of
Texas aud Arkansas. In conse-
quence the Wichita market is doing
but little shipping compared with
what was done six weeks ago.
About that time remember ofnotie-
ing piece of ground containing
over six acres covered with LAYERS OF
dry hides awaiting shipment. These
wsre r!l brought in by the towns
people and q few neighboring home
steaders. BY the first OF Nav the
hunting season will be open again.
As the weather in this part OF the
State is most delightful at that ea :
on of the year, a great rush OF pleas
ure parties is expected. The rail-
roads viii accordingly get up ex-
cursions to the buffalo grounds from
ali parts OF the east at real triffing
eNpen So 10 The excursionist. Hunt
ing. OF course, can be made as ex-
| pensive as one may please 1t de-
ponds entirely on the definition the
| hunter may put on the words 'sne-
| cessities' and '.Iuxuries." ~ party
| of ten persons with moderate means,
making Wichita starting point,
can obtain full outfit OF arms, am
! munltion, provisions, bedding wag-
ons, saddle horses and all, at an ex-
pens 10 the party OF no: over $50
| per day, or say $40 for five days
| trip. And each one of the party
| will have time enough 10 get as tired
and rugged as he may please, lie can
experience the stirring excitement
of chase on horseback, aud again
crawling on hands and knees almos ST
| into the midst of an unsuspeetino
| herd. The arms most in use are
needle-guns and Spencer rifles. The
former are to be preferred for "still'
hunting, on account of their long
range and heavy ball, and the latter
Tor hunting on horseback because oil
their holding several cartridges al
once, and being easily handled.
i was my good fortune the other
day TO witnesses the pas sage of a
herd OF buffaloes larger, perhaps
than any seen for years past iii Kan
sas. l was then on my way to the
front" that Is to the extreme west
ern end of the Atchisen, Topeka
and Santa Fe Railroad. as a con.
strucJion train carried US, consisting
| of nothing bur fiat cars, we had 9
perfect view OF all sides. The raj.
RE was perfectly level, and our ele,
waited position on the piles OF lum,
Der and boxes, with which the cal
twas loaded enabled Us to see tht
slightest moving object for miles
around. We had gradually been
nearing what at iirsts seemed nott-
ing but a long, Way, black line
moving in a southerly direction, bat
as the miles flew rapidly by-for W.
had made q late start and were max.
! LIS q y AliitS~-Ab- dcSuiil%Nl 4I1OEe us
tinct proportions and finally took the
shape o. AN immense drove of buf.
talo packed together in so dense q
mass that their gait was no fast.
| or than that OF u man walking leis.
urly along.
Approaching 20 within 100 yards
/ of the flank offiIc column the engine
l whistled down breaks and we stop.
ped. y few old bulls, the flankcrs OF
The herd g!ared sayagcly at US as VIC
moved sloRly by them. One hugo
fellow with Inenstrous head near
ly hidden under masses OF thick
/ sapd-matted hair, We thought would
! charge lis. His tail cuTled like that
of q pig. He savagely paved the
| ground ard, with head lowered
tinally. moved toward the Iocomo-
tive. The engineer,s always ready
for little finn, purposely closed the
| steam escape pipes SO that no sound
could beheard. Suddenly when the
| shaggy monsterdrew himself mp as
il ~ select the exact point for the
attack, The valves were opened TO
| their fullest extent, the whistle sent
! forth most an mccarthy screech, the
! bell Violently ruHgs and cloud OF
smoke went mp through the smoke
STACK The effect was Understandable.
Down went the buffalo on his
launches, literally scared Off his
| feet, and into such n maze of be-
wilderment did he seem TO have
been thrown thai before he could re-
! cover himself one OF The track-lay-
ers had had time to approach sufiic-
iently near 10 give him fatal shot.
a great many bHIal0es were killed
during tbs houf it took the herd TO
pass. 1t was only necessary to fire
gun IN the direction Of the mass TO
secure victim, for Sc not killed out
right the Wounled victim was quick
ly trampled under foot by his my
Rad companions. How many buff
falo passed over the line OF rail iii
this herd il wis iapossibIe TO esii-
mhie. The herd at least
tenemiles long and two wide, and
must Lave numbered millions.
TrE ACCOUNT SQUARED. Rail
road companies clafIn.t TO hayc peo-
pledu S.aies,. bnitt UP cities and
towns, advanced the price of lands,
developed agriculture, manufactures
and commerce, given employment
To- vast armies OF -l8b0rers, meclian-
les and Gle ks, rendered inter-eom-
mHnieatioa easy and rapid, and in
thousand ways 10 have .ministered
to- The prosperity and comfort of
the whole people. They have done