The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-04-05
BUFFALOS, WOLVES, EAGLES
j. L. Mead Tells How the Beasts Of the
Plains Were Killed, Trapped
and Deoimated.
Ihls Country's First Industry---How
Bunaloes Were Kined--A Big
Catch of Wolves by
Strychnins.

I
twenty-five years ago the chief industry
VI TINS country was the fur business, and
the leaders of our commerce the fur trad
ers. The great mine in this line opened up
by the original Aston saw the limit come
| to dissolution on the western border in
this part of Kansas For time fur trad
ing was business with the greatest profits
on the globe. 1t followed the St. Law
renee river in Canada to the southwest, all
| the time gaining in numbers. while, of
course, the profits became smaller. Less
than hundred years ago it was an entire
~ new field. The vast fortunes made by
the French traders and Astor offered in
Vlting prospects to youthful adventures,
VINO were also spurred Oh by the flavor of
errantry that Is always attendant on a
NE In the wilds and uninhabited regions.
New men entered the chase, followed
up by the trading posts. and each fresh
ambition pushed still further into
the unexplored parts and broke into new
haunts, new jumbles and untrodden salt
Hicks and wadies. The tide, never pausing,
never refuent spread itself to the north
west territory in Canada in one branch
ana to the southwest in the other
LIMIT TO TRADING
The tail-end of the second offshoot was
located IN this part of Kansas 1t had
taken over forty years for the industry to
press Its Held of labor as far west as this
part of Kansas. 1t had gradually driven
the Wild beasts Of the forest and the plain
westward, the number of animals gradu-
ally becoming less, plentitude turned into
scarcity and finally innumerbility into
extinction. The profits of fur trading
were OF course great, but finally sue.
cumbed In a great degree, to the wear of
competitor. Still up to the last years that
the trade was carried on, in these parts.
the prices obtained for furs and hides were
ample remuneration for the labor ex-
pended The trade would still have been
pursued by the votaries, had the supply
not given out.
TWO LEADING TRAPPERS.
At this end of the fur trading on the
plains were two representative leading
traders. They are both citizens of Wichita.
They are Williap Grieffenstein and J. r.
Mead Both these gentlemen have not
only seen the end of that industry in this
country, but they were witnesses and fac
tors in the active years preceding the
grand finale. Mr.. Mead was in commu-
NEGATIVE mood yesterday, and ne gave an
EAGLE representative some ideas of the
work and methods of trapper. Il went
into the trading business in 1856, said Mr.
Mead up in the Saline country, and re-
manned there mil 1864, when the Indians
began to be troublesome and would pick
OIL traders and hunters whenever an OPP
portunity was presented. 1t was too warm
for me, so | came south and started trad
ing point at Towanda, a little town now be-
tween here and FL Dorado, on the Missouri
Pacific road. / found that the settlers
already here did not know much about
killing or trapping. They soon took their
cue from me, however, and followed my
methods.
Il noticed that they would creep up on
herd of buffalo and standing upright,
would fire into them. They would proba-
bly, kill one, but away would 90 the others
like shot. OF course this didu't pay.
HOW TO KILL BUFFALO.
"Buffaloes have their pecularities like all
wild beasts and they have to be handled
accordingly. / showed the verdanU
pioneers how to do it. l would creep up
ravine, keeping out of sight of the buff
falo until [ was tolerably close and then
would select fat cow and fire and down
she would come. The others would hear
the report of the rife, raise their heads,
sniff The air, and seeing nothing would go
quietly on grazing. If the hunter stood
81 @ol-o
fright and the hunter would get no more. |
remember once that l crept up into a
herd that was lying down. l went right |
up into their midst, and selecting the cow |
wanted, I would gain her attention by |
waving my hand. This COW would see the |
and would get up to investi- |
gate. would shoot and down she would |
come. / repeated this performance again |
and again, to the great astonishment of |
some novices. who accused me of witch
craft. But it was only tact.
1.-The settlers in this part of the country
soon became trappers. After had taken
several loads of furs to Leavenworth
md realized a good round sum, their
,upidity was whetted and they all went
nto the business.
4eavenworth myself They were loaded
Ugh up on big wagon, like load of hay,
held down by a boom-pole and covered
,ver with wagon sheets to keep the rain
IF. 1t took four oxen to haul this to
4eavenworth and disposed of it for s., 500
I took month in those days to make the
ound trip These furs | took to Leaven-
worth had already been dressed by the In
lians. The Indians you know, dress a
buffalo skin with the beasts brains One
nimal's brains is sufficient to dress each
kin. The Indians first stretch the skin
N the ground and then the squaw takes
mall bone-adz and hacks the flesh re-
aimed on the inner part of the hide. After
his a boiled solution of the brains and
yateris poured on it which dissolves the
lutinous parts of the hide and after some
dditional treatment IL becomes wonder
ully soft and pliable.
THE EXTINCTION.
81 have heard ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS in re-
ard to the cause of the disappear
nee of the buffalo. One of these
xplains that it is because most of the
alves are males and but small part of
hem females. This is not true. It is q
act that the males and females herd sep
rately, but there was no difference in the
lumber born have travelled for whole
ay in one herd of buffalo and never seen
ne cow, but the next day we would meet
herd of cows following. The real reason
extinction is the butchering of the cows
Ut meat. as the bulls are strong and less
esira ble"
Mr. Mead also explained the buffalo
thousands of which can still be
zen here There is common accepta- .