Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-11
UNCLE SANS PARK
The Dangers Which Threaten the Yellow
stone Reservation.
The Inadequacy of the Lnws-SOme O.
the Early Explorers in That
Picturesque Region.

Will the new Congress do something for
the preservation of the Yellowstone Park?
critical point in the history of that ma
ticnal reservation has been reached Rail-
roads represented in this city by agents
with plenty of money to back them are in
favor of procuring legislative authority for
the invasion Of its sacred precincts Mean
while, poachers. against whom no ade-
quate protection is provided by law, are
killing the buffalo. bear and elk. openly
selling the meat Of those animals in the
settlements on the outskirts of the park.
No jury can be got to convict them, be-
cause it Is a first principle with the from
tiersman that wild game is public property
and belongs to the hunter wherever II
may be found. The whole question is to be
brought up before Congress at Its next
session.
Not the least important use of the yell
lowstone Park Is to preserve certain spe-
cies Of mammals, which are rapidly be-
coming extinct elsewhere in the United
States. Through its valleys roams a herd
of about 400 buffalo. They represent the
only hope of the survival of the American
bison. If left undisturbed by man, they
would suffice in time to repopulate the
great plains with these mighty beasts
They are as tame as cattle and are per-
mitted to wander as they list, their choice
of headquarters being In the Hayden val
ley. They have plenty of room for the
square miles. OF elk, which are nearly
extinct elsewhere, the number in the park
Is estimated at from 5000 to 25.oOo. There
are plenty OF bears, grizzly, brown, CHINA
mon and black, the last named being most
common. In winter they hibernate In
caves and hollow trunks Of trees. Ante
iopes there are also, and porcupines. as
well as beaver. which have been Weli-nigh
exterminated in other parts Of the country.
The poachers who prey on the animals
at the park are absolutely ruthless. hav-
i've IL, rv{N.x 4v,ll diva 70
slaughter. They massacre the elk for their
horns, which are worth from $40 to SIS a
pair. Amateur hunters buy them for the
purpose Of exhibiting them as alleged
trophies Of their own prowess in the chase.
The antlers being shed once year, many
of them are picked up and are stained ana
polished to render them marketable. but
It Is difficult to procure in this way a pair
that will match. Buffalo hides, formerly
SO cheap. now fetch a good price. and q
good head of a buffalo stuffed and mount
given rise to the industry of making ar
t1f1cial buffalo heads out Of papier mache,
the dyed fur Of other animals. etc.
How the Park II Guarded.
Two companies of cavalry are stationed
at the park. under command of Capt. Geo.
s. Anderson and Capt. George L. Scott.
Capt. Anderson is superintendent. It
would hardly be possible to find another
man SO capable as he to perform the diff
cult QutleS Oh AlS pOSltlOOs LOT ne is ODuSe0
to enforce order without adequate author
ity Of law. The government Of the reser-
walton Is vested In the Secretary Of the
Interior, who makes such regulations as
he sees hit. But Congress has refused
again and again to make the laws re-
Quired for protection against poaching and
for the punishment Of depredators. When
ever measures to this end are brought up
at Washington they are opposed and de-
feated by those interested
Under present conditions all that can be
done is to lock the poachers up for few
days. when caught, and confiscate their
weapons and outfit. A law does provide
that nobody shall bring firearms into the
reservation. The tourist, however, may
obtain special permission to carry q gun
through the park by submitting the wea-
pom to the superintendent. and having
wax seal put upon the lock and trigger.
This seal is only to be moved by the9au-
thorities subsequently, and for the owner
10 disturb it Is an offense rendering him
liable to arrest and to the confiscation of
his outfit Meanwhile the poaching goes
publicly sold in the neighboring settlement
Fish are permitted to be caught but not
for sale. A body Of water in the reser-
walton was named Lake Abundance be-
cause 1t contained such quantities of trout.
Along came some people who thought it
would be fun to explode some dynamite In
the lake, just to see what would happen
to the fish. All Of the trout were killed,
and there have been none there since.
Vandals are fond Of writing their name
in lead pencil on the geyser deposits. Sub
sequeEt layers of the deposit cover up the
names and preserve them.