New-York tribune., 1874-03-21
TIE BUFFALO COUNTRY.

TERRITORY LARGER THAN THE STATE oP INV
YoRK-ITs BOUNDARIES AND STREAMS-DESTRUC-
rIoN or TaE BUFFALO-TIMES AND WAYS ~
HUNTNG-EATIaG Tux MEAT AND CURING rHn
ROBES.
fyRoM A, oocA oP rHs raiBuspl
GREELEY. Col. Ter, March The region now
most known AZ e. buffalo country lies botween
kansas and South Platte and IA 200 miles sdo from
north 20 sou h and 800 miles east mskIng
territory considerably larger than the State OF Nav
York. 1t incIudos part OF Colorado and Ksnsls Al
though there heavy settlements and large t0Fns
along the base OF the mountains, and although two
roads run through this buffalo land only ao extremely
small portion been explored. or even visited Ths
buffalo are most numerous this Winter along the South
Plate and particularly along the Republican. the course
Of which is TO the southeast on diagonal line. Tue
buffalo como up from tho south In the F.ll. along
Borther,y and southerly line, which. esst Of
Denver, IL considerably further from tbs
mountains than fifty miles to the north.
because there are cattle ranches and soine Etin,
on various tributaries Of the Republican that run
nearly north What kind OF country II Is for M miles
on the upper waters OF the Republican 10 unknown fer
It is unex pored but it has been gathered by sor. Of
tradition that for part OF the distance water stands
in pools aud timber IA scaroo while lower down. l0
miles east of the mountains, the stream :, large aud
t,mber ia plentiful. Here hickory oak. maple and ssh
are found and wild turkeys abundant II Il oertsA
that tho buffalo die here 10 untold thousands. possibly
millions, and that Sioux. Arrapahoes, ana Cheyenn.
and some PawDees. live here the year roun' the chs
attraction being the buffalo IL Is 10 be sa,d In fsyord
the Indiana that they never kill moro than they neet
and that whatever animals they kill they dspos
entirely.
PRRsEsr RANGE rHR HERDS.
Before the Union Pacific built the buffalo roau,l
az FAR az the North Platte and even to the Missouri o
now only fow cross this road. and their range term
mates i'm the valley of the South Platte and OF ts tog
taries which are small streams coming through tn
grassy meadows and craggy csons from the north BIZ
there another vast buffalo range further norn ana m
limits are between the North.Pis aud the MISSOURI
space from northto south at least 800 mes Woe L"
settlements on the west of this scarcely worth nam
ing II begins nearly 200 miles Of Omaha and Ksn'n
City and extends TO the mountains 400 miles, snd IN t
to the Pacific The buffalo region, however. Is east ott
Rocky Mountains, for scarcely any arc found within
tbe mountains The Salt Lake people have. II %
true received tradition from tho Indians that one
buffalo we're plentiful IN that country, and that they
persisted ono cold Winter; but this ia doubtful fr
everywhere In the mountains are sheltered valleys snl
slopes furnishing grass that no severity OF cold could
hayo destroyed buffalo If living in that country TIE
grass Of the plains east OF tho mountains dtersa'
from any found West East. aud IL is preeminenay
well suited to the buffalo hence 1t may also be doubted
the praries of and Illinois and even IN the foresn
OF Kentucky alleged and for the sufficient reason thai
the grass OF these regions loses its nutritious quanu
by the Fall rains and Winter fr0sts and becomes WDoq
unfit for sustaining life. Hence 1t may be sara vi"
almost positive certainty that the buffalo region
now exists has been unchanged In character ana hmb
for centuries and that far the itsof cof
cerned It will remain unchanged; those on the east AN
only found Eastern Dakota. 30 that here Is bds'
xltAra m
upon millions to-day feeding. and whore they an
likely long to remain. Beyond tho Missouri Is st.
another range longer and broader reaching into Bn"
America and extending far toward Mckenzles h'e
LESS DESTRUCTION OF BUFFALO THAN FoRAsRLr
But when the valleys OF the Arkansas, the Republi,m
the Platte and tho Missouri shall be settled tho oR
faloes will bo deprived Of water and tneir eKuncp@
will be inevitabenot for want Of food, for thus slv
must remain but for want of water. unless come esp
cia provision shall be made There however m'u
springs and small streams between these rivers. vA
always must be remote from sottements and here ~
buffalo may linger long. unless ranchmen seek hes
out they likely to do, headquarters for ea'h
ranches.
Considerable is said about tho wanton destruction
the buffalo, but this Is probably much less now than
was ten years ago, when thousands upon thoussnd'a
teams traversed the valleys OF the Platte, the Smou
Hill, aud the Arkansas. aud when the siau2hIer. y.
great. Now that all travel Is done by rail- Two ha
hunters comparatively enter upon the feeding sroune
and the increase OF buffalo must be greater thsn
been since the DAYS when the Indians Oecupsa pssaal
all that part of Colorado settled. and vide oo
beside that Is. country 800 miles long ana ""
miles wide. .,.,.s
The great mass OF the buffalo between the Mn1ess
and the Platte are wintering these months ~ 's
publican Valley, but good sized herds Of from ~
1900 have come 10 the Platte, and some hawsss
crossed this stream in places in heavy force r, =,
half million head have come 10 the Platte VanJ -,
Winter but they shifted their feeding grounds esevso
days. because they were disturbed by hunt" ,.n.
have killed possibly. altogether, 1000 head. ~ a
starting point for hunters bound for the Plate VAN
the town OF Greeley on the east. aud from sue "a
stations on the railroads in the west but they E.
good points, rs IL Is hard To obtain supplies aaa
HOW co HUNTING
A two-horse team is required, whether tho pu''
men Is two OF more; they carry provisions suine"
last week ten days. with cooking utensils audr
OF blankets. and the feeding grounds reached"
full days OF steadydrivng. There some "E"
but accommodations are looked for. and the nwss
always camp out, sleeping on the ground or m,sw
wagons. There has been little snow, aud OF eou,Aa
rain, that the roads hard and dry. hut the n
are frosty and sharp, and those not used ~ es"e
shiyer In the cold and get blinded with the s~1
Those who understand the Will take fuc aoos q,
all timber ceases 50 miles below Gree'y. y,s.,pars
II wood has been neglected, the only r,a
ia buffalo chips. which burn quickly. but nsse
smoke. II Is BY no means easy ~ come near % .es
as fat calves dry COWS. Many OF the inehpen,Snd
mud that the meat costs them fully 10 cent sai
raastt
In gulches, and they have great success The ,os
brought to the towns IN quarters and s.1s .e. ns
three to four cents pound. At nrst the tsss
relished, and usually year passes before one All
like IL then 1t is preferred 20 beef. and chon'
mails are equal to the best stall-fcd. The ps'h hs
cooked IN great variety OF ways anu cars
bones make excellent soup Mixed WIZ ~. i
line sausage 10 produced. and In mince pr,te
reminds one OF New. England. Large qusnn,sd
OF hindQuarters are picked "a or IS hours huns abt
dried, and the result highly desirable food
cdy superior TO beef. Some men have made ns
special business, and they have dried several .ns-.
pounds The robes brought 20 she towns suu sb,E
sold at 81 each There tanneries or curing robc
lshmeuts AZ Greeley, which buy all tho srooS
offered. and after curing them snip them W ~alu
citles la bales Of tou each. IL 70 SAID tpa' ss tAn
mems curing IA Inferior 10 that of tho lndsns sac
Rht not for 10 Is tho fem $40 IuuIs