, 1873-06-28
BISON IN CHICAGO.
Wherc The Wag0n-Loals Of Buffalo
Hides Como From.
Where They Go To, and What Is Done
witt, Them.
The Commercial Value Of Last Yoar's
Slaughtered Bison.

Almost oVofy Week in tho year heavy loads OF
buffalo hidos may bo seen passing through tho
streots Of Chicago, and shippod honco for all
points Eaat and for: Europe. Few people know
whence they como. whittier nloy go, or for what
oaea thoy hre destined; yot tloy form not In
considerable item Of the infant commerce Of tho
great plains Of tho West.
Is estimated that some 20o, 600 bufralo wcrc
shos !aas your lup to tho end Of tho yoar),, For
aome years previously tho supply of skins had
poen amaa' very little moro, in faos, than those
u nnlnhls slaughtered by Indians and wlto
nun'ofs tor subsistence. Tho price was; thoro-
'ore' fcmuneratlvo, ranging from 81 to s5 for q
CO" ak1h, and sc to e7for bull skin. MANY ran
sons eon1faoatoa to an incroaaod supply. Hunters
found It profitable to kill tho animals an rnoana
OF livelihood at these pricos: tho hords corfino4
Dy railroads to comparatively small ranging
ground, became easier Of accoss. and t,,o Jas
mand was at all times greator than tho sunnlv.
Hence buffalo-hunting became q pursuit. Of con-
siderable Valuo, and hunters formed parties. or
Limited companies and wantforthin in roeu]arhnnt.
Ing oxpeditfona Of much groator magnitudo than
had over boon conceived boforo. ,Tho,r euc.
cos8os bocamo the thomo of tho new towna TINT
began to dot and fringe tho plains moro hunt
ers Joined In tho enterprise, and tho vork ~
RlauRhtering buffalo for tho asko of tloir skins
boeamo an established busineas. The roadora
nro familiar with the plant that came from thu
plains over tho Hires last spring Of tho
frightfM obstruction that had boon accom-
pnshed, and the donland that WAS made
On Congross to pnaH law prohibiting tbn Iii.
ing OF buffalo. oxcopt at stated BesBong and i'm.
aSf ae6 regulations The fact that moro than 200,-
months, for so small sum of money aa thc,r
skina m produced. created no 1tto excitemont and
indignation In tho citioa OF the plaius. and in
tho hide marketa Of this country md Europe Il
necessarily led M to the ohoaponing Of tho article
hayo obtained e5 for . year ago, ho would bo
glad to soil at $3.50. The markets oyorywf,aro
aro gluttod, and it will DO some months, at leaat
until the far, boforo tho stocks on hand arc
Several European aovorntnonta, taking advan-
manufacturing thom into knapaaols for
soldiers. They arc largely used in tho
Frenon and belgian armies, and army contract
Of making them up into all kinds OF rogimontal
material, ouch as straps, cordB, fartloes oto.
They arc used, IN this country, principally for
making cheap aor. Of boot and for horao-col
only n matter Of time. The' tanned
Skin is said to turn out but inferior leather, IN
consequence Of its porous character; but deafora
WIZ pAtA6ca W huO" HH9 LIluk Ll1u 4AHlk IL not
with tho hido, but with tho hunters and tanners ,
Tho huntora sometimes kill the buffalo at q
soason whom his hide is almost vaueleBa Tor
manufacturing purposes and mako no nttompt
as M preparing or even preserving 1t. All
wash and doe I 4 tho beoa%ot bsaSs f sSn, and %
In that Btato 1t is brought to tic nearoht rail-
road station and shipped OH by tho agents to
Chicago and elsewhere. Tho tanners, as rule,
have neyor experimental on buffalo hides, md
they follow tho same treatment So for tho lidoa
OF the farm bull and COW. There is no doubt,
whatever that buffalo skins can DO used for
almost all purposes to which drosaed loather ia
applied, and that improvements can md will bo
becoming valuable article OF commerce..
Moat Of tue skins shipped to Chicago aro con-
signed to Wolff & Epstoln, Kinzio Rtreot, md by
them forwartle to their customers East and il
station on tho KanBaB Pacific Railroad. The
balance Of tho hides aro principally handled
:at LoaVonworth, Kan, and are sent thonco
by the local dealers to tho different
skin is from 18 to 20 pounds, aud of d dried
bull-skln, 40 to to pounds. OF courao tho price
varies, but 1t averages s250.for bull-s}dn and
e1.50 for oow-slin, delivered III dhioago. Af-
and al e3pennos Of handling have been tnkona
out, tho hunter may calculate on IN average Of
From tho Bholves Of tho modern library ideas
IA haye been gathered. respecting the killing Of
fnota. Tho hunter, symmetrical being, gem
orally in loose-cut undressed deornkin leggginB
and tunic, adorned with dyod quills and fringed,
loapa on hiB painting steed, and, ohases tho
ssn'a sad s s''a eonvesoys aoy stsnsss tsas a3s VIII
bis strong right arm, throws tho sinuous lasao,
bringing the monster to earth in tho midst OF its
wild career. Calmly no takoa unorring aim with
Ills goodly backwoode rifle, and lodges tho Load
snt, ip>