The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-12
BuFFA1o JONES OF KANSAS.

dered by Indians In the Northwest Territory.
Kansas dispatches express the fear that
Buffalo Jones has been murdered by Indians in
the Northwest Territory. For years Jones
was engaged in the propagation of the Ameri-
can bison near Garden City. Kan, and his
work in this direction made him famous. Dur.
ing the last session of the Oklahoma Legislature
he was its Seryoant-at-Arms. Last June he
fitted out an expedition to 30 the great North
west Territory to capture specimens of tho
musk OK. His party consisted of four persons
besides himself. cowboys who were with him all
the years in which he was experimenting with
his buffalo herd in Western Kansas. The party
also intended to bring back rare specimens OF
fur-bcaring animals. Jones was enthusiastic
over the enterprise.
"Thcrc is no sentiment in tho scheme he
told The SUNS correspondent. I'VE are out
for the dust. We will establish game preserves
in Alaska and on several of the Pacific islands.
l have orders from Carl Hagenbeck, tho famous
animal trainer in Berlin, who wants several
specimens of Arctic animals. We intend to go
into the fur business, and to supply geological
gardens with rare specimens. l can capture any
wild animal in existence"
The pr9posed route of the party ~ along the
Churchill and Cariboo rivers. and thence on to
Fort MoMurrny. The expedition carried pro-
visions enough to last through the winter.
H., forty.Sight years ago. He was tso educeted At
the illinois State Normal School; but the State
was too tame for one Of his ADVENTUROUS dispo;;
OF boomers. lie turned his attention to irriga.
practically this means of raising crops without
rain. He built miles of Irritating bitches, Dor
along his enterprises. He was n shrewd fellow,
and he had all the persuasivencss Of Col. Sellers
in explaining his schemes to men with money.
Jones was a famous buffalo hunter. His first
hunting WIS done on the South fork of the
SS0 so Gs IoGs R MTcr ! Ior region %on ths at was black ~ Win IN
low ed the herds for their hides, and made the
business annsdtn,oeisss H ron able He si% n y, Sl.Gshtered the
Jones's name in 1896. In he early months OF that
year he organized "a buffalo hunt at Garden. City
In which fifteen men participated. The hunt
lasted for five days, and the hunters captured
fourteen calves and killed six buffaloes.. The
he began to make experiments in the propagn-
tion of the American bison.
atcd.' he said. land l resolved to atone for my
REast cussedness by saving as many as could:
River, in Texas, and got on the trail OF buffalo
NJ ar 'Tuscosa. There were about "a thousand
hcad, in the herd and I got sixteen calves, On
They We're being rapidly Killed by the hide
had explored on my second trip and captured
thirty-seven calves, My last trip was in 1889.
the s sHt!"1G Plains! gone It far wa. down " ho on
Wearisome journey over the sand hills.
! had 4 band camera and got several fno pic,
captured and saved. l determined to secure as
many old ones as possible, They were ranged
in n tract OF land about 100 miles square. We
approached them gradually and got them used
70 seeing us: They never bad an opportunity to
teen good horses. and the herd was followed for
forty.two days and nights. They became 80
tame herd to. toll tho wild ones Of
SDDnpr would wn ret them off the range finn
they would wheel and rush back again like tho
wind Finally; IN DESPAIR, we r9ped twenty-five
it wns simply time lost. as all Of them went mad
and died. This is a strange thing about buffalo
act"all ~ viii Vii I tGem Sc aap' to die '" and VIII Will f iaii
oEs: as d lie as a doornail; On this trip | en-,
ana bronco buster; He captured one calf which
brought me $500"
1870. There were sixteen in tho herd; They
were travelling south toward the Panhandle,
and passed Just north Of his ranch. He pursued
them, but his horse fell into n prairie dog hole
ana they escaped. He put his captive animals
on his ranch, and his fame an a buffalo breeder
s save the S' name SnsF Of ne se sG%ht"'y 10 the II Was half. be shS
u cross between the buffalo and tho domestic
that Of the buffalo, being smoother and glossier.
and Is OF q rich seal brown color. The herd on
animal Is, was a source of much trouble. some
Of the pulls never i3st their native nv teTeeness
u specially constructed cart. lie frequently
drove them to town. as no would n team OF
horses. The lines were made OF wire cable and
the bits were forged by n blacksmith ont OF
wrought iron. The driver never touched the
lines. They were wound around upright wind
lnsses, on the cart. The team was guided
by the turning of the windlGsses. Al
attempt was made at first to drive the
team without n w%indlass, but the bulls RAJ
away with six men. who were tugg!ng with al
their strength TO hold them. Butfaloes in
stinctiyGly fight when tied together: The frs
time Jones's team were Earncssed they turnet
head to head and tried to gore each other. ]
took all hands ON the ranch e. gei, them apart
The trial trip was made on a half milo race tract
on the ranch. TO use Jones's exprcssion, "thcN
ran like the devil was after them Mile af,t'
mile was rcoiod off. and IL was eight hours to
fore they were tired enough 10 be brought to
standstill. But it was not long before the mon
T sier team became trsctable.
) Jones said that lie had made nearly 10000
selling buffnloes. Unsuccessful business ven
lures compelled him to sell his herd. SiNt,
head were bought by The Flathead Indians, nea
, Missonla, Mont, for 100000. This herd ha
increased rapidly, as the Indians guard the an
7 mails carefully. Killing one only occasionally a
! part OF their religious ceremonies. HIS 6ltfaloe
I are scattered throughout the world, from Sal
: francisco to the hunting forests OF the Car q
I. Russia; and all that renmins TO show his proves
1 as a buffalo hunter are a dozen photographs Q
q the herd taken when they were on his ranc
q near Garden City.