New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-11-27
THE BUFFALO AND HIS BONES.

TOPEKA, Kas., Nov. 20.-I have seen vague
and questioning a'uious in the Eastern press TO what
is called IN the Plains vernacular "a boncpcknG out
1T" appTehend that it nay not be generally known
what a bonepicking outhF' really is BE It my pleas
nre and ny pride to emil hen you of the East that
point.
"Bone-p!ckng." Term it ont here on the sell
wage of civilization IS regular Industrial pursuit, in
vOyng the collection assortment and sale Of the skee
tons OF deunct buoes These skeletons are plentiuly
scattered over the unculvated western Of Kansas
and parties Of half dozen more, with wagons 90 In
search OF them and bring them IN TO The railroad sta
tons ior shipment East These s-eleton-searching
parties are called "cutf.s." and hence the phrase
bone-plcirg outfit" The extent OF this singular pur-
suit Is really surprising. There are hundreds OF meu
engaged in it. and all the border railroad towns have
b3uc-middiemen who make a business OF buying and
shipping tae gath,ri1gs Of the p'cIers" You woall
hardly believe if, hut the books OF the AtcHson,
topeka and Santa F6 railroad show it 10 be a
stubborn fact, 10 to 20 tons OF bUo bones ere
slipped over that line alone every d3y. The boz are
worth delivered at the railway station, ~ average OF s.
ton Tie bulk Of them sold for tcrti ziGg purposes
in the soLenfeebed districts Of the Eastern and Middle
States Philadelphia being the prncip point Of conSSn-
mcnt Certain portions OF the buffalo skeleton however
axe adapted uobier than hc OF worn
ont earth and sold at handsome price to the man
uiacturors Of buttons, combs, AMI kaifeh1ndles Al
almost every frontier railroad depot con see great
piles Of these queer romans Of the bounding bison await
ing shipment; and the variations OF the value OF bones
are OF interest 10 he people than the tac.u'oAs
Of the grain markets. II asserting market strange
discoveries are sometimes made. l. Is 10 UNCOMMON
thing for instance TO 1ud Indian skulls legs ana arms
ana ia some tie skulls and vercoI1of WoAensand
children have been picked up. These latter axe usually
tossed aside gade sort Of reverence for The helpless
and innocent; Jut such respect is paid 30 the bones
OF the Indian. An Indian skull Is sad TO be worth q
q, sr ard quarter for combs, and the Indian thigh
makes Iuile-haud es that are beautiful 10 behold.
KILLING BUFFLOTs FOR TUTIR HIDES
TIE trl, IL bu 10 hides IS another II or things
here in Kansas. The hde-Auntcrs are even more MI
crous than the boucpckars, and tEer trade Is much
more exciting AID hazardous. They usually follow in
the wake OF bu1Ili.-Auuliug expeditions nd rowing
bands or Indian '.meat svkcrs" Tie Indians who Kill
buffalo take 0uy a small! portion OF the ANIMAL, and rs
Wine men vino Stay them for sTo.t rarely touch them
with knife; tlat the LI-hunter wLo goes aitF i
usually Of his spoil a. ;h3 hi-c remains ~ good
order for removal nearly week after the killing il The
wolves keep away When hides are not 10 be hac fast
enough or with personal SAFETY IN this way tie hide
hunters project little raids OF their out into the
bufio ranges. killing the animals simply for the hides
and leaving tue meat to decay selling II ut nominal
rate TO accompanying parties OF dealers. Tae hides
tanned and dressed by a much uore rapid, but
less perfect and effective process than tat
followed by the Indlans, aud oaly the hia"s
OF animals killed in cold weather make really
valuable robes. In a little more than three months
over 90 600 of these hides shipped from the stations
on the western division Cf tAe AtcG-On, I,pcaa al
Santa II Railroad; and i = esunateI tia, The 81 p
nents for this year over that Ioal ADD tie Kansas
Pacific will aggregate 1900 As each hide represents
a slain buffalo. these figures convey fair, though not
full idea OF the magnificent hatchery witch has been
Going or among these L4CIarc.s OF the pans Tic
~, r,er h,f,, 3re.se1 re rolled ND in as small il
- - III .t..,od -, ti' l,-.o 7, ~ ,r,
compass as Pc's'''e' anu a-Pp'" 10 '"o i' I's IA
cites, where they are sIojsc'eH % process ~ t.
cleansing and dry az, and pU INTO the market for sale
~, ,7I ,,.,,,y, ~ tra hide, get. auo,t - much
4"e O'4si''" pu- - - " -, - - :, -, - -
for them as the &c We Sana or e" DIX farmer re-
c,fos FOR the lies o. lis cattle: but The prof Tie
80. ,lr 80, ,,, Inc soon 81 , Glance, X c,rsid.ra-
- - ~, 40 ,fr,, ,i,,.. f., Avn. q,
lie. Attempts nave bceh maze 'l4oh uh' 10 '''-e ID
convert the buffalo hide INTO leather bI. without mrcl
success; ~IU d i-o.'"' ''' 40 ''. - F
ior Use as robe. roo pI -'''4 u' A's '7 40" ~
sc.:ce q thing 10 be r3 CURIOSITY, ia. frontier
,.. .., mon. HAVING, o1iz,. the business
~ - - 49, -,,.,....,. , ,,,.r
THE Trade ~ Dli-N"' "i-Nl'
OF still greater inqyttaIc. than bo--1. ls or hide
,,.i,- .. rho tr ea In l-) meat ia tgsis II ha.
''"I''"-' 49, - - 80. - -. -,
employed during TIE I+SI year or TWO IN amount OF
bor and capital thai would rrrc lO!e 20 person
,t-..t ,,,., Tho f,.ts T,o mont market a,ors
- -. -,o,, tho ,-.o.ror to,,o,. - .ool ero,-,,
for It's trans Jst4ol, ali c5aun-es uaal IT, - o.
April b'l2z ne ,- , ' - as . s. ~ ~, y ~,
If i.c r.lltir II lie Vim, r months . uI.o-s,e4..
can be o'uiue! .'.u. rs ' h1l "t-.i.s, ~
q i-Sp', ~ '' 49,. a, "a .,i.t-',o-, AMI IN b, ,-sas
I w.. !, ~ Ll mont V-n. I,r II'.s .r. In "a f.r
~. ms, no h1.!. ana ..0u,els ara ur,rlt H.
mi .,,fr.n.s re u.- y made TINT s.au., tl. Lde
Iva be- ma lrf. on o tse end az Tie iourur.
tri adm, tI-.,e.. .. .fI l u.as I'D the rough. aie
s. louis. Cui.a@o, am l2G'an 1853, whence l' b, re-
--aG IN c.ll p ami more artistic co IditIOl ID cities
- H. s.abo.r! 81 N.u-l- CITY TOO, llTco qaIatlticJ
o~a crlreI AMI packed for J. -t.gu use, aAI so.."
,-- c.-,rgl ,xuCrI4..1Js have b-o1 made IN sap
NM drcct O. NeT-Y rk ami IG..tel r-it from
-aue u ef,vn Ka.s4S H. frir-rIlHr Gals. The pricc
I'M EtFs rlugOs rom - 10 go j. :r IT, bI.a ;.Hl the
i.l dleis retail /. at 81, ~ ci.lt cents leI poy-I.
The settlers IN tlai pai, % tlt 7-it .alt, d. 10 'He
stamp. -rourd Of tie b-Al.o piOeuL meat t.3-H "a
q days nunung 10 Ll-I ln - ~ y ~ o.. I'M, 'II
Lia4Y poos h"iits oausl ~. y, ',l % "a ,.