Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-28

The most important object for the existence
of the National Geological Park here at Wash
iuston is to furnish a retreat for the breeding
and restoration of animals indigenous to- this
country which threaten to become extinct.
so SAYS Prot. Langley. secretary of the Smith
sonian Institution in his annual report about to
be issued.
In the early part of this century" he con-
tinues "a naturalist travelling in Siberia stood
by the mutilated body of a mammoth, still I'M
siecaved. which the melting of the frozen gravel
had revealed. and to the skeleton Of which
large portions of flesh. hair and skin still chung.
The remains were disinterred and transferred
MANY hundreds OF miles across frozen wastes.
at last reaching the Imperial Museum of st.
Petersburg. where the mounted skeleton Is to
this day regarded as the greatest treasure of
that magnificent collection
With this discovery of the mammoth in ice as
its text Prof. Langley says, has come into ex-
istence a whole literature, not only scientific
memoirs but popular books, theological
works and even poems he goes on to say:
The American OF the next generation. when
Questioned about the animals once character
istic of his country, will be forced to confess
that with the exception of a few insignificant
creatures ranking 'vermin,' this broad con-
tinent POSSESSES none of those species which at
one time covered it. inasmuch as the present
generation will have completed the destruction
of them all Is il realized that nearly all the
principal animals indigenous to the United
States are either substantially extinct or in I'M
mediate danger of becoming so, and IL IT suff-
ciently comprehended that once extinct no
expenditure of treasure will be able to restore
what can even today be preserved by prompt
action of very definite kind!
CHANGES IN OUR FAUNA.
Changes have already occurred or are OIL the
point of taking place in our own characteristic
fauna. compared with which the disappearance
of the mammoth was an insignificant circum-
stance The animals peculiarly identified with
America have either gone or are fast going
among others chiefly the bison. the prong-hOTn
antelope. the elk the Rocky Mountain goat
the moose the grizzly bear. the beaver. the
fur seal the Pacific walTus the California sea
elephant and the manatee. With one or two
exceptions in this list men now living can re-
member when each of the animals have men,
toned was abundant within its natural terri
tory Already a census of some of them can be
expressed in three figures The buffalo. called
BY Audubon the most important of American
quadrupeds. both as an object for the chase and
as an article of food for man. is practically gone.
few hundred survivors represent the millions
of the last century. No unimportant object
will be accomplished by the National Geological
Park in the preservation of this beast
The moose is a rare animal now: the grizzly
IL approaching extinction outside OF the Yellow
stone Park where both il and the elk are pre-
served with assiduous care; the mountain sheep
and goat. which inh&bit less accessible regions
are becoming more and more scarce. while the
beaver has retreated ito vast former area to the
mos: secluded haunts. The manatee IL nearlr
extinct. and the sea elephant. which grew To
greater bulk than the ordinary elephant. has
altogether vanished. Rapidly following the sea
elephant Is the walrus, and so with other
species.
TIE PARK II THIS CRY.
The Yellowstone Park Is doing excellent
work. but il is most desirable that if thee
vanishing forms are to be preserved. there
shpuld be some Geological garden rear the cap
itsIi. where representatives not Only of land.
but of water animals NAV be ca-ed for. unGer
the supervision of Ileu who have special pro-
fessiOnal knowledge Of their habits and needs,
and who may ac' scientific. advisers when
ever their con eel Is deemed desirable by Con-
gress OF IT, be t1, al del artmeutS.,
1t l. such considerations - these thai have
1n'luced me To Az the earnest attention of the |
regents of the institution. of Congress AID 0I |
the country to the immediate necessity for ac-
ton in this matt. The trust j. Unquestion- |
ably for the AL '-lcemeut OF science as well ~ !
Tor the recreation OF the people and it thus be-
comes rittn.g object for the OF the Smith |
sonlan l:ssiiGtiCH. The utmost pains have been !
exercised to Keep within TIE limits Of the an
preparation oI ZOO 900 made E.st wear for the
purchase of iaEd fOT the park. ami the commits
sion has even been able to turn into the treasury
a small balance on the completion of its work |
To accomplish this. however. il necessary
10 leave out strip of land of about eight acres
IN extent ON the east side of Rock creek. which
seemed to the commission very desirable to Sc
cure venture u express the hope that Con-
gress will see lit to make special provision for
the purchase of this property at an early day.
Prom the commercial point Of view the enter
the land having risen in value since its pur-
Chase from two hundred To three hundred per
Cent For l3l acres of the tract an agreement
was effected with che owners, the remaining
81 acres being condemned.
ADVANTAGES OF THE LOCATION.
The park. at convenient distance from the
city. Possesses remarkable natural beauties and
has surface of great variety, Offering unusual
advantages of varied exposure for animals re-
curing different methods OF treatment. While
some portions still retain the original forest
Others are cleared OF covered by dense second
growth OF pine. excellent for cover ard produc-
ing conditions similar to those of the natural
haants o: many of the animals TO be preserved
he supply OF water Is abundant. the water shed
oi Rock creek having an area of some eighty
hree square miles. Having secured the pictur-
esque features of the land from obliteration by
The rapid encrOachment of the city il has been
the policy Of The commission To- proceed slowly
"iNh III improvements anu To utilize the natural
advantages OF the location. interfering a. lit
ne as possible with its original aspects. Even
VITA these economical principles the cost OF
converting the tract 10 the uses of a park Is far
beyond what might b. imagined for it should
be remembered that the exp -nse of improving
central Park. in New York. has already been
h"t less that $4,000 per acre. and that of Pros
PecI fark, Brooklyn. $4,000 per acre.
THE PRESENT PLANS.
FOR the present il is deemed desirable to set
Aside nearly forty acres. selected partly on
account Of their being adapted to the purposes
81 park withOu: great expense while a
.Irther tract of fifteen acres will be so arranged
'Li' u can be opened to the public. though it
~, may not have a strictly park-like cultivation.
mere VIII thus be free to the public, il is
AoPeu bS next year. between fifty and sixty
acres an area E:-ger than that of the geological
gardens at Regents Park. or than the Jardin
. .e flahtes IN Paris. distinct area of ten or
h,.eeh acres will be reserved in another portion
VI uhe parA Tor administrative and other pur-
poses requiring seclusOn and il will contain a
ISiSe Tor the resident superintendent Offices a
1I, an Inhrmary for animals. and proposed
death of Benjamin y. Shillaber.
LEM. L. Shlliaber. familiarity known in the
literary world as Mrs. Darlington" il dead.
benjamin PenhallOw Shillaber was born in
portsmouth, y. H.. July IL, 1s14. After a dis
hEg