The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-03-26
DESTRUCTION oE BISON.
An Industry that Might Have Earned
100000 Annually Stupidly
Wiped Out-A Stern Lesson.


Wiped Out-A Stern Lesson.
In the settlement of the West much
was done to which, let us hope, the
historians of the future will be little
blind. The brave and somewhat terri
bic men who crossed the Alleghanies
into then apparently illimitable will
derness developed and transmitted to
their children I certain disregard for
the rights of the natives, brute and hui
man, with whom they came into con-
tact which has only now begun to dis
appear. A sad and bitter lesson had
to be learned by the Western people
before they were able to appreciate the
sentiment which should have availed to
make the progress of civilization less
uncivilized. This lesson was sternly
five years ago that of the uncounted
millions of buffalo which had roamed
the prairies at any time prior to 1870 in
dense herds, covering acres on acres
of land, scarcely Il thousand were left
An industry that might easily have
earned $50, 600, 600 annually to the
Northwestern and Southwestern sec
tions had been literally destroyed, and
destroyed in a way rs stupid as it was
brutal. No event resulting from West
ern settlement is more shocking OF
more unfortunate than the eXtermina-
tion OF the American bison.
In recent publication issued from
the Government Printing Office, Super
intendent Hornaday, Of the Geological
Park, has given an exhaustive account
of this magnificent animal, certainly
the noblest ruminant that has ever trod
the earth, of his habits, his haunts, his
place in American zoology, and of the
wicked manner of his taking off. 1t is
highly interesting book, but it can
only be read with an ever-increasing
sense of pain and shame. 1t is a rea-
sonable estimate that the great south
ern herd of buffalo contained in 1876
5000, 600 animals. and the northern
herd about twice as many. In fifteen
years all these majestic beasts have
been killed, and by methods the cpl
tome of meanness. The Indian bUf-
falo chase was great sport, full of eN-
citement, sufficiently touched with risk
and danger, and open to no objection.
SO long us the white hunter confined
himself to the Indian methods. even
though he used far deadlier and more
certain weapon, he could have made
no such impression on the species as
menaced its destruction. The chase
gave its object at least Il chance OF
escape But the white hunters were
| too desperately greedy to be satisfied
with honorable sport.
1t was the '.still-hunt' that exter-
minated the buffalo. 1t was taken at
complete disadvantage and murdered
by tens of thousands. The buffalo was
stupid. He could not understand q
riie-shot. He was dependent, too, up,
on the leader of his baRd,-H+ra did moth
| ing except what the old COW suggested.
The hunter erapproaching the herd to lee,
ward, had only to get stand where
| he was out of sight, and he could @c
| ahead and slaughter the cattle as fast
as he could drop cartridges into his
rifle. The buffalo would hear noise
| they could not locate. see Il little puff
| of white smoke they could not under.
stand, and would watch each other
! drop to the earth without the slightest
! appreciation of the cause. In this
! way few thousand hunters in a dozen
years were enabled to destroy forever
an animal Of the highest economic
value to the country. To-day there
are less than 700 wild buffalo in exist.
! ence.
Mr.. Hornaday makes some very val.
liable suggestions. He points out the
danger OF the utter extinction of the
species by crossing and in-breedings,
and urges that steps should be imme,
diately taken for the protection and
care of the little band Of 200 cows now
in the Yellowstone Park. Experiments
i'll breeding buffalo bulls to domestic
COWS have been highly successful, anG
are now going on to an extent which
justiiies the fear that in another score
OF years the genuine buffalo will not
exist at all. Congress should keep eyel
in view the lesson of the great crime
which has made it necessary. Sim
liar sport has reduced the bands o
elk, moose, caribou and other bie
game that was once so plentiful in ON
forests mountains and plains to pitt
full few. 1t now threatens our seal
walrus and other marine and bear
ing animals. It's result is inevitable
| unless Congress strikes such blow a
it as will break it up forever.-M J
Tribune.