The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-02-20
Riding Behind . Kangaroo Likely
TO Be tho Thing Of the
Future.
For Cowboys His Gait Would 30
. Change From That OF
tho Broncho.
While the Cab "Kan' Could Sit ON His
Tail and Rest While Awaiting
. "Fare."
From Harpers Weekly.

industry 10 on the point OF being introduced
into this country. We refer to the growing
OF ksngaroos. A number Of far western
and southwestern newspapers have been
discussing the idea lately, and the conolu-
sion seems 10 be that kangaroo raising in
that region would be highly profitable.
We may a. we'll confess that va do not
know 10 much about kangaroo growing for
profit a. w should like to. OF course va
are familiar with the scientific work on
the kangaroo of the late Prot. Ward, but
he wrote from the point OF view
Of the student Of natural history rather
than that of the farmer or ranchman.
His statement that the kangaroo is an
''amoosing cuss'' does not help US much in
our consideration of tho kangaroo az an
agricultural animal. The monkey 10 also
amoosinQ. but he cannot in this country be
profitsbly grown on q large scale. A west
sYn paper, however. assures Us that the
kangaroo will be valuable because of its
productiveness in flesh. fur and foot
wear" We had not supposed that the
kangaroo produced footwear in q finished
state. but We gather from this that no docs,
and We congratulate the prospective kang-
Rroo growers on their coming ability to take
. pair Of shssp-shears and clip boots.
shoes, and 80 forth in assorted sizes
OF their kanRaroos. The sport Of
hunting tho animal 10 also enRerly looked
this respect ''take the place Of the buffalo"
The pleasing combination Of = domestic
animal valuable for it, flesh. fur, and foot
wear and q game animal resembling the
buffalo will be novel. but no doubt posi-
BILE. Many ranch owners are said to be SER
S--.l- l. IL ~ III
disposinR Of their stock and going into
ksnRaroos. In view Of the fact that the
ordinary ranch steer produces practically
no for at all, and footwear only in q crude
state, We should say that ii would be q good
plan.
But these are not all tho advantages
which we can see In kanRaroo-Rrowing,
though the writer We have quoted seems to
detect no others. We are surprised that
he makes no reference to the possibilities
Of the kangaroo as q driving beast. OF
sourse, attached to the ordinary carriage
not be q success We fancy that he might
beat the dashboard TO pieses with his large
bridge-cable tail. Then. too. the gait Of
the kangaroo differs from thar Of the horse.
The kangaroo is no ~trotter, in the best sense
of the word. A kangaroo road-cart, for in
stance. which would do away entirely with
the kangaroo motion: would have to be
constructed On scientific principles. Cast
iron dashboards on kangaroo vehicles
would, We presume, be necessary. 1t seems
to us that something in the way of India
rubber traces would be helpful In
tbs kangaroo harness; then while he
IL on the ground preparing. for the
the carriage the ten or fifteen rods which it
has been left behind by the previous leap,
A span Of kangaroos driven abreast might
perhaps be taught to jump alternately.
thus proceeding easily and naturally, with
a motion resembling that of u felryboat
walking beam. We should say, also, that
they might be driven tandem, unless the
game of leapfrog should suggest Itself to
them in an unlucky moment. Their facil-
tiles for leapfroQQinR. If wo may use the
word. are not. we believe, surpassed by those
of 10Y other animal known to man. As
for the kangaroo f%our-in-hand. thut would
come later. For saddle purposes. however,
he could be utilized on the ranches from
the first il the cowboys could accustom
themselves to his easy. gliding motion after
their long association with the volcanic
contortions of tho bronoho.
In the city the kangaroo ought to be the
ideal animal for the cabs. as he could sit
down OF his tail and rest while his master
was waiting for a fare and make good
time in catching q train or ferry boat. In
deed, in the case Of a train, a good kan
CARGO should be able, even when il has left
tno etetAOus " oveEsahe ~ IN a milo or so.
and let the passenger jump on the ,ear
platform while the driver shoots his trunk
into the baggage car. We know not il the
kangaroo could habituate himself to nose
bags, but If he could. and to our stone
pavements, We think that h might very
likely solve the rapid transit Prob
lem here in New York. Covering. as
he would, . short block at every jump, and
taking ten Jumps q second, he would meet
every requirement. unless he should insist
on switching his triple-expansion tail about
too promisououRly, knocking over elevated
road pillars, policemen and other station
ary objects. In fact. we spprehend con-
siderable difficulty with the kangaroo's
absurd tail. But nc doubt it can be dooked,
after the pretty inc humane English fash
ion, and so do AVA with the danger from
a chance blow. and also reduce the animals
weight by %one-quarter or thsreabouts, and
inoraaaa hia anaad nronotfionnt alr