The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-04-25
THE BUFFAL0ES.


Prof. Hornaday's History OF the DIsap-
psarAnce OF the Herds Efiors- ~
Domestication.
Prof. w. T. Hornaday, of the Smithso-
nian Institution, at Washington, is prepar-
Ing for the next annual report OF that insti-
tuition paper on the determination OF the
American bison. 1t will be a rather elab-
orate document, including the observations
Of Prof Hornaday on his tripto the Texas
Pan Handle In 1895 In search of the then
supposed sole remaining herd OF the buffalo
In existence In wild state and information
gathered by extensive correspondence on
the subject for the past four years. IL will
treat of the habits and range OF the animal
In It's native state. and be illustrated by
maps showing the gradually decreasing ex-
tent Of territory In which 1t was 70 be
found.
The history Of the famous slaughter from
| 1868 10 1872, when three and half millions
| OF the buffalo wers slain IN the country
west OF the Mississippi and south Of the
Missouri, forms one OF the most Interesting
| chapters. Another is devoted 10 descrip-
ton of the herds remaining In existence,
both domesticated and wild. with their
number and location. This shows that
/ u
animal, one OF the most valuable that in
habited the country, from being one OF the
most numerous has become practically ex-
tincL
Prof. Hornaday says that s. l.. Bedson,
OF Stony Mountain, Montana, was the first,
30 far as can be- learned, 10 enter upon the
breeding and cross breeding OF the buffaIo
| on anything like an extensive scale. He
began In 1877 with herd OF one bull and
| four heifers. In November, 1893, he had
| eighty-three head, full-bloods and half
breeds, and these were then sold for s2s,.
900 TO q. J. Jones, OF Garden City, Kan,
/ known also as Buffalo Jones, for the same
reason that w. Y. Cody Is known as Buffa-
10 BIZ. lie is now trying 10 atone, In a
measure, for his slaughter of the buffalo
| Ia Its wild state 10 Increase Its number In
d0mestication. Previous to the purchase
of Beds0n's herd Jones had thirty-three
cows and twenty-four bulls, nearly ali cap.
tured In the Texas Panhandle.
Besides this herd there are In confine.
ment the following: At Silver Heights, the
country residence OF Sir Donald Smith, OF
the Canadian Pacific railroad, five miles
from Winnipeg. Man, FIVE head; with
Buffalo Bills Wild West show, eighteen
head; on the Flathead Indian reservation,
Montana, belonging 10 Charles Allard,
thirty five head; on Charles Goodnight's
ranch near Clarendon, Texas, thirteen head
There are several small herds Of two oI
three head, making total Of 2i3 head In a
dOmesticated state.
Running wild, Prof. H0rnaday has been
able 10 locate the following herds: In the
Panhandle of Texas on the Canadian river
thirty head; on the Red Desert, southern
Wyoming, twenty head; seen as late as
Feb. ~ OF this year In the Yellowstone Ma
tloDal Park, according TO the count ol
Capt. Harris, 200 head; In the Mussell
Shell country, Montana, ten head; in
southwestern Dakota, five head.
Half breeds and trappers from the Peace
River valley, Canada, Just east OF the Rock y
mountains, and several hundred miles
north OF the border Of the United States,
report the existence of herd whose mum.
bers range from 200 TO 1000. according 70
the different estimates. Prof. HOrnaday
inclines 10 the belief that the smaller mum.
Der Is the more likely TO be correct.
| This then makes a grand total OF less
than seven hundred and fifty buffalo In all
the American continent, where less than a
quarter OF century ago he ranged the
plains In countless thousands, q rate of ex.
termination that Is almost incalculable and
one of which the mind can have no just
conception.