The sun., 1897-10-10
A BIG RAID OF P0ACHERS.
PLANS FOR A SLAUGHTER OF CAME
IN THE YELLOHSTONE PARK.

a I,oophoIe In the Laws or Whicn tne Foarh-
cra Propose 10 Take neutrality-suspicious.
Asked to Cooperate with 'ho government
10 Protect the t.nmo-Goncrni Laws Needed.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9.-In bis ennuai report
Secretary OF tho Interior bliss "ln N ID uh'
derstood, make special feature ot inc linpor-
tancc of tho preservation OF the game IN the ma
tional parks. llo will call attenIioh W inc no'
ccssity of stringent regulations covering tho
forest rcsorvcs adjacent TO the PARKS, and par.
tlculary those about tho Yellowstone Nauon"
park. This action ON tho part OF the Secretary
has been made necessary by the auuaclty WIN
which the poachers In and about the lelow-
stone Park have announced their intention 10
slaughter the big game now NJ larBe III 'no
park and the forest reserve.
The greater part OF the Yellowstone Nationei
Park lies In Wyoming, To the east anu sou'n
are forest reserves. The one next Io Ine parA
itself has been set aside for some years. ou'
further south Is Il large strip known US Vno ~
ton reserve which was set aside by order OF
President Cleveland This order was suspend
cd by the last Congress FOR one year. ino
PARK Is under special care oil congress- anu Iho
game laws are very strict. All poaching is ior'
bidden and the authorities nave tne power W
eject all persons known AS poachers. buI 'he
forest reserves come under tho laws OF Wyo-
nk,
lated by tho state law. 1t is this fact that In
the opinion of Secretary Bliss and others,
threatens the extermiuation OF tho Dig game
now at large in the park
The attention of Mr.. Bliss was called to the
danger threatening the game by Col. Young
tho acting superintendent Of the park. In
letter written in tho latter part OF August no
referred to the plans OF the ponchers ana IN
closed nn advertisement inserted IN u spor'ihs
paper The advertisers said that their ranth
in Wyoming would DO made the headquarters Tor
hunters in the coming season of tho Jacksons
Hole country, and that elk, deer, bears, and
trout could DO found there. The advertisers
guaranteed that they would furnish the game
or no charge would be made. They also OF.
fered New YORK references. Col. Young said
that from many sources came the Information
that preparations wcro In progress for poaching
on a large scale during the present SEASON.
which opened in Wyoming on Oct. l.
by tho knowledge that all MY soldiers are new
and unframed in the duties necessary 10 pro
tect the park properly. ,,
vice u detective, whom ho sent on tour OF IN
vestigation into the settlements adjacent 70
the park boundaries and especially the JaSSs0n a sons
ent occupations of well-known poachers and
their associates. The poachers have apparently
wholesale ] raid. i'd According to Col, Young. they
planned to cache supply OF provisions in out.
ofthe-way hooks in the nGa mountains, near ai inc
This was to be done during the summer months
when access to the park 10 easy, and on account
addition OF the poachers would not be noticed.
Their idea was TO take advantage of the first
fall of snow and make their way to these caches s
would be hidden under the snow. FROM In
formation received from the detective Col;
Youngs scouts hope to locate these caches anu
destroy the provisions before the snow falls.
Afterward they will watch them closely IN
order TO arrest the poachers when they SS h are en-
These arrests will be accomplished II ut az,
on snowshoes. with the assistance OF inteili'
On receipt Of Col. Young's letter Mr.. Bliss
addressed personal communication 10 the ti
Governor of WyomnG in wi which he spoke & Of Of the
operate with the Government in preventing
poaching where possible, and punishinS II
quent letter from Col. Young asked Mr.. Bliss
il he had the right to protect game In me ior-
est To this & the SSIei"5S rfpiba P the 'ha or
est reserve OF tho rules governing Yellowstone
Park could not be punished under the act @! Of
birds In the park. He notified him tlat the
State OF Wyoming had laws governing the
hGs ha e1 s@Te oe Wyomns II M Bliss Asked him
to prosecute vigorously all offenders who
were caught in the reserve In reply he re-
Ccived from tho Governor assurances that thlS
would be done. In compliance with MIR. BLISS
request the Governor directed the Game War.
den of the State to cooperate with 1oi. opnS.
who are to provide the big game Tor the East
ern hunters are very 81 mp.e. They intend 10
effect an entrance into the park, as Col. Young
SAYS. when the first snow falls. They will
then beat through the mountains driving DC
fore them all the elk, deer, and bears they can,
until they have driven them into the forest re.
serve. After that their task will be an easy
one, for their assistants will pilot the hunters
to spot to which tho game has been driven.
and the slaughter will begin. 1t practically
means that unprincipled men are turning the
great national park into private game pre-
serve. One OF the main features of the park
other game within Its limits. Recognizing the
fact that some day these animals would be
threatened with practical extinction, 1t was de-
here. AS u result of the fostering care of the
Government, tho original stock has increased
and the animals have grown quite tame But
they cannot he wholly confined within the lim-
its OF the park, as there Is no fence about II and
the force OF soldiers stationed there is entirely
inadequate to prevent the strayins Of the ami
Qucnce they roam at Will; spending part OF
their time In the park and tho remainder In the
forests This S well GnoIgab 96grbd N ,hN ine tng
the game during these months. But when win.
ter sets I'm the restrictions are removed and
hey Ia prey to Inc errsnas sna /,
forest reserves Is TO remove them outside the
lmits. Such persons cannot be prosecuted UNI
less they are found cutting timber. In the Tc-
ton reserve affairs are even worse for the park
management, as the laws governing the other
reserves arc suspended here, owing to the ac-
ton OF Congress in holding up the order or the
Pre- ident setting aside the land as a reserve.
Tho poacherS are materially aid In their
plans by the fact that directly south OF the park
Is salt lick, largely frcqucnied by the ami
mails in the park. After they, reach here it is
comparatively easy thing to drive them beyond
tho boundaries Of the reserve to place where
they can be easily slaughtered.