Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-22
FAST PASSING AWAY.
Proposed Capture of the Last Herd of
Buffalos Remaining on the Plains.

DR.. ]. b. Taylor, the wealthy stock
man of Tom Green county. has been
IA San Antonio during the past few
lays making the final preparations FOR
the rounding up of the herd of Wild
buffalo which have again found theIrl
way into Texas from the mountains
Of the state of chihuahua. Mexico.
Since his arrival here DIR. TAYLOR re-
ceiyed a telegram from Il stockman Of
Pecos county stating thar the herd
had just been seen in the lower part
Of that county, and that they are max !
ing their way UP the valley OF tue
Pecos river. This is encoura ging
news to those who are interested in
the capturing Of the animals and plac-
ing them in captivity.
This herd of buffalo was first dis
covered about five years ago ny
George Fulton, the wealthy land
owner of southwest Texas. Mr.. Ful-
ton is great hunter and with a
party of friends was spending a few
weeks in the mountains of Bucnel
county hunting deer, bear and other
large game which abound in that sec
ton. One morning he set off from his
camp alone, and had travelled over
the mountains for three hours, when
he came to a small valley. He was
thunderStruck to see feeding i'll the
valley a herd of buffalo. He was
within a few hundred yards OF them,
nd ii TO hnr,
ately There were eighteen Old ones
and two calves Mr.. Fulton had killed
many buffalo in the good old days
when the animals roamed at will i'll
large herds over the prairieS o. Texas,
and he was so pleased to tind that
that game was not extinct that he did
not take shot at this remnant of the
race Of animals which he supposed
was entirely extinct in Texas. After
feaSting his eyes upon the herd for
some time he made his way back to
camp and told the story to his COM
panions. His tale was received with
incredulity, but Mr.. Fulton. was deter
mined to prove his statements, and
started out with his party to view the
animals. He led them across the
mountains, but after two days search
no trace of the buffalo could be found
The story told by Mr.. Fulton of his
discovery of the herd of buffalo was
soon spread over the state, and he
received a reputation as a monu-
mental liar in that respect.
Mr. ENn1ton hnro this with
and self-possessed spirit, confident
that his vindication would come
sooner or later He made several
trips to the section where he had
seen the buffalo, but was unable to
get trace of them. A little over a
year ago, however, he had his first
inning. The report came from Val
Verde county that a Mexican sheep
herder had seen in a valley of that
county a herd of about thirty wild
buffalo The animals were quietly
feeding when observed, and there
were four calves among them.
DR.. Taylor at once proceeded to
organize an expedition for the pur-
pose of going after and capturing the
herd. He communicated with the
Smithsonian institution at Washing
ton, and invited it to send a represent
tative with the expedition. A favor
able reply was received.
In order to expedite matters Dr.
Taylor sent out a party of Mexican
cowboys in the latter part of Septem-
Der to find the exact location of the
herd. This party of scouts or trailers
made their way to the little valley
where the herd had last been SEEN
Thy found that they were no longer
there, but they were trailed without
difficulty up the Rio Grande valley for
a distance of 100 miles to point
where they had crossed the river into
Mexico, a short distance below the
town of Preside del Norte. The herd
had been seen by a number of Mex
leans as it travelled upon the valley,
and one of the calves had been shot
by a Mexican named Flores. The
trail was followed into Mexico for
about twenty-five miles and then
given up, as it was seen that the
herd had taken refuge in the noun
tains that line the border in the state
of Chihuahua. The trailerS reported
the result of their work to DR.. Taylor,
and the latter had to postpone the
proposed expedition until the consent
Of the Mexican government could be
obtained for the removal Of the herd
from that country. He took the mat
ter up with uhe proper authorities Of
Mexico several months ago, and had
not yet received a decision when the
good news came to him the other Iday
that the herd had again crossed over
into Texas.
He will Immediately notify all the
members of the party who were to
capture the herd, and he hopes to
have everything in readiness for
rounding up the animals and placing
them upon his ranch within a month
or two. He has informed Mr.. Fuller,
who is now in New York, of the situa-
ton and will go to ST. Louis in a few
days on business connected with nhe
proposed eXpediUion.-St. Louis Globe
Democrat.