St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-12
The American Buffalo Will Not Become
Extinct.
BUFFALO JONES' HOBBY.
Effect of Cross Breeding on the Quail
hes Of the Animal---Skin of the
ffSeal- Buffalo,"

natural foes he was able to maintain his
ground. The too richly endowed pale
face came in, however, to sweep him
rudely from the scene. No part of the
haunts which had known him so long
remained sacred to an Intruder before
whose blind, Unsuitable attacks sue
cumbed the noblest beast of chase
which the whole American continent
possessed. Even his name (Which is all
that remains Of him in territory
wherein he was so long supreme) cannot
now be said to be really his. If the
classification of the men of science is
to be respected, 'bison" he should be
called. But buffalo" was the term ap-
piled TO him by the hunters and traders
who first became aware of his existence;
and with this application his memory
Will be associated through all time.
The horrible record OF his destruction
is still to be read upon the praires Of
the West in the bleaching skeletons
with which they were once thickly
strewed. But even these sad monu-
mentS are being removed, for they are
being collected (huddled together pro-
mlscuOusly with other bones and sent
by the carload to be carried East, and
made the basis Of artificial fertilizers.
1t is estimated that in one winter 100, 900
mead OF buffalOeS were slaughtered
along the line of the Union and Kansas
Pacific railroads. This wholesale de-
struction is, now that it is too late, uni
versally deplored. And the story re-
mains as terrible evidence of human
cruelty and short-Sighted folly when
under the Influence of Unsuitable greed.
But the object of this paper is not to
sound the dirge of vanished race: it is
rather to proclaim new destiny which
seems to be in store for this peerless
species. Out of its ashes it seems prob
able that the buffalo may arise into
position hardly less unique than that
which its ancestors held so long. By
the help of its destroyer it may run a
career such as only year or two ago
none of its friends and admirers land it
has always had both) could ever have
dreamed of as possible.
There are now, as has been SAID, prac-
tlcally no buffalo to be found in a wild
state. Occasionally one reads accounts
OF small herd having been seen in
some Out-Of-the-way localities; but
these reports are invariably found 10 be
erroneous, much to the regret of the
an SSsiooeOi' HCiC lew DuucIO
preserved in Semi-feral condition i'm
the Yellowstone National park; and
most of the geological gardens all
over the world still contain
specimen or two. 1t is curious
that the Red Indians never seemed to
have been able to domesticate this ami
NAL; and for many years it was sup
posed that it would resist every effort
in that direction. But in fact it is now
known that the buffalo is really most
amenable to the demonstrating will of
the white man; and that the Subjuga-
ton OF this species is mans latest en-
croachment into the domain of nature.
And, however incredible it may seem,
the buffalo becomes as gentle and ap-
preciatiye of mans protective care as
do any of the races bovine. In fact,
from the accounts we have of them IN
this connection, they appear 70 be more
domesticable than what are called the
white cattle of Britain. or their Euro
pean representatives preserved by the
car OF Russia, the aurochs Of the Lith-
uanlan forests, the hos prlscus of
science. 1t is with this aspect of the
subject, j. e.. the results which may
follow from the removal of the buffalo
from state of freedom to the condition
OF ordinary cattle, that this article will
practically deal.
11lere are two men whose names have
become Identified with the endeavor to
resuscltate an interest in the buffalo;
lts name having, indeed, been added to
theirs as familiarizlng sobriquet.
Every one has heard of Buffalo Bill"
but comparatively few of the general
public have heard of Buffalo JONES'"
Yet whereas the former may be looked
upon more as the representative of the
destroyerS of the bison, the latter must,
and will be regarded as its veritable
preserver. Buffalo Bill may be regarded
as carrying on the traditions of the
grand period of romance and chivalry
with the American chase.
Buffalo Jones should be held in mind as
having been the man to initiate the en-
terprise of introducing the wild prairie
to the practical uses of civiliza-
ton. Buffalo Bill regarded the shaggy
animals as only fair prey for his rifle.
and lin the days of the countless hOrdes)
as the objects of sport of the high
est possible kind; one calling for
skill, precision and endurance in those
who engaged in it, and affording the
necessary excitement: in fact, he looked
upon the buffalo as affOrding material
in these degenerate times for latter
day Roman holiday, and sought to
amuse the descendants of our ancient
barbarian forefathers by introducing
them to the bull fight of the prairie.
This was, in those days, and those not
very remote either. the status of the
buffalo, but different career has been
opened for him by Buffalo Jones. His
aim on the animals behalf is to make it
the producer in the highest possible
perfection OF coveted article of winter
dress for the faireSt companions Of the
Sterner SeX-and for them alsO-in
berian severity prevails for large pro-
portion of the year. Buffalo Bill with
a halo of Western romance about
him) has brought the old country
to his feet. But with
all that added reputation, he must. we
think. be filled with remorse at the
utter impossibllity of entertaining again,
in his own Western dominion, his dis
tinguished guests from that world across
the sea with even one grand buffalo
hunt. He formerly had the distinction
of providing this with almost regal pro-
fusenesS for the Grand Duke Alexis of
Russia; and should itagain be necessary
to provide battalions bearing the inspir-
Ing Stars and Stripes with supplies of
strong meat. the heads of the govern
ment commissariat will bitterly lament
the wholesale destruction of those once
innumerable prairie herds. 1.-The full
blood Texan they might then inquire
after; but it would be only. alas! to
find that purest of all American domes-
ticated cattle to have been also eXter.
Manufactured out and refined down
by the infusion of the dreaded and too
gentling blood of the Durham, the Alb
erdeen, or the Hereford.
n. L. Hornaday, of the United States
National museum, mentions the Stony
Mountain herd of buffalo, lately be-
longing to Maj. Bedson, of Winnipeg.
He does not mention the Garden City,
Kan, herd OF Col. Jones, not so we'll
known, but which is now the only herd
of the kind in the world, for Col. Jones,
Buffalo JONES'" has just become pos
sessed of the entire herd of Maj. Bed
son. 1t will also be seen that individ-
ual interest. IN this case. is ahead of
and that there is every
prospect assured of the preservation. in