Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-25


not worthytof particular comment until it is
stated that this gentlemen is known through
out the entire west. and indeed, the country
over, as Buffalo" Jones, the man who has
killed in his time a greater number of buffalo
than any other man who ever lived and who is
today the owner Of the only large herd Of
these animals in existence. This herd he keeps
on his large estates in Kansas and
Is the herd about which so much talk has been
raised of late by the successful experiments
that have been made to cross the buffalo with
ordinary cattle. Mr.. Jones is considered the
greatest hunter who ever rode after these big
animals OF the prairies whose practical extinc-
ton was so quick and so complete.
WHAT THE GREAT HUNTER LOOKS LIKE.
STAR reporter called on him last night at
the hotel and found just the sort Of man one
would hope to see under the circumstances.
Tall, and straight as an arrow. apparently with
out an ounce Of superfuous flesh about him, he
Is a splendid specimen of manhood and an ideal
western frontlersman. He does not wear long
black hair nor q big diamond pin stuck in a
flannel shirt, and one might easily take him
simply for prosperous citizen or what he
could at any time easily be if he wished
namely, member of Congress from the west
he Is an interesting talker on any subject
though not inclined to discuss himself nor his
experiences, and it was with difficulty he could
be gotten to talk of them at all
KILLING HUNDRED BUFFALO DAY.
'You ask me if have killed many buffalo
while there were such animals in existence
to kill" said Buffalo Jones' "why, my little
man, / have killed any number of them
before you thought of sharpening
pencil or taking notes. Ihave not the slight
est idea of how many have killed, but know
they would have to be numbered by the thou
sand. For years earned living, and good
one too, by killing buffalo at 80 and rs cents even
apiece for their skins and flesh. Any number
OF times l have killed hundred in day, and
l could have killed many more but l was not
shooting for record and did not like to kill
more THANH could dispose of. Ihave known men
to shoot simply to see how many they could
KILL although they did not even stop to remove
the skins. but that was not my way. l once shot
seventy-two from one stand; that is to say,
without moving from one position l pumped
bullets into that number Of animals OF course
that was not sport. 1t simply my business
And used to hate to do it, too for it seemed to
me an awful thing the way they were slaught-
cred, and many a time
FELT LIKE THROWING AWAY MY RIFLE
and quitting the whole business. But then
thought if 1 did not kill them some one else
would, and might as we'll be earning a good
living at 1t an any one else. And so stayed
with them until they were practically all gone.
l used to do all my killing in the neighbour
hood of the railroad however, for there an
animal would bring twenty-five or fifty cents
more for his flesh, and when you think of the
vast numbers that were killed that sum made a
great difference In ones receipts you can
| easily understand. In the fall, when the herds
were moving south, used to go about 10 miles
north of the railroad, in the neighborhood of
the Colorado line, and follow herd to about
the same distance on the other side of the rail-
| road and then. when l had disposed of the
| skins and flesh of the animals had shot would
another toll inf
| days was tough and strong and could walk or
run like horse. A life like that sleeping out
| in the open air at all seasons and living on
nothing but buffalo meat, gives one muscles
like iron and health to Withstand almost any
thing"
EASIER TO KILL GAME THAN WRITE ABOUT 1T.
When asked by the reporter if he had never
thought Of writing an account of his expert
| ences in the far west Mr. Jones said: II have
just come on from New York and while was
there was asked by at least dozen publishers
and magazine editors to write something for
them, but that is no easy task. 1t is simple
enough to kill big game when once you get the
knack OF It, but 1t is different matter to tell
about it afterward. 1t used to be as easy for
me to Kill IL buffalo as it would be for you to
takes notes on any passing event. but your kind
OF work l never could 90. 1t is not in my
line"
RAISING BUFFALO A PROFITABLE INDUSTRY
What first led you to think of starting a
herd of buffalo?" said The STAR reporter
Some six or eight years ago, when they were
already beginning to become very scarce ~
said Mr.. JONES' lit occurred to me that in a
few years they might be really valuable. as the
complete extinction of all the wild herds was
evidently matter of but short time So |
set to work to procure as many live ANIMALS as
possible and as a result now have
HERD OF NEARLY A HUNDRED.
At that time was considered a crank and the
nickname l still bear was tackled on to me as a
joke, but 1t now would seem that was even
wiser than thought was. Ny animals breed
quite rapidly and they valuable. too. Last
spring L had twenty-one calves, which
would readily bring $500 apiece Some time
ago l sold twelve for $4,000 and | now
wish had not sold them. was recently offered
$4,000 for thirty head, but declined the offer
Other cattlemen in my neighborhood are rails
Ing ordinary calves, which are worth from So
to so apiece, 80 you see might be doing
worse than am. Young bull buffalo find a
ready market withtattlemen and could easily
sell all wanted to- Buffalo cross readily with
ordinary cattle, and animal that Is half
buffalo is better than thoroughbred, though
the best of all is a three-quarters. 1t is large
and the skin is far the finest"
AN IMPROVED BUFFALO ROBE,
Mr.. Jones showed the reporter a robe-the
bore out his statements. 1t was not at all like
the ordinary buffalo robes one usually Sees
The hair was dark and silky and as soft as seal
skin. In fact it most resembled beaver before
the long silvery hairs have been plucked out
MIR. Jones said that he had frequently been
offered for skins of that sort as much as the
finest sealskins were worth, but it did not pay
to dispose OF them in that way. The animals
are too valuable for breeding purposes He
| went on to say that his buffalo were managed
| in much the same way as ordinary cattle They
are herded out on the prairie ana are corralled
| at night. They give but little trouble and are
| on the whole rather cheaper to raise than ordi-
nary cattle.
HIS LAST HUNT.
When asked when he had last hunted wild
buffalo Mr.. Jones said: about year and a half
or two years ago got after band of twenty
seven in Texas. OF this number seven were
calves. l wanted them all alive and SO it was
necessary to tire them out before attempting
| to capture them. For forty-two DAYS and
nights followed them without giving them
| time to rest. Then made a rush at them
and managed to capture them all alive and
| hobble them. The calves all lived and have
them now, but the old ones apparently made
| up their minds to die. They stiffened their
muscles, refused to move and seemed de-
termined not to live, and, in fact not single
one of them did live. 1t was strange per-
| Torrance and never understood it at all. :"
| MARROW ESCAPE.
''Have you had many narrow escapes in your
hunting experiences" said the reporter.
"Any number of them" Mr.. Jones said. IAN
| enraged buffalo is ANYTHING but pleasant chs