The evening times., 1899-01-17
CAMELS IN AMERICA.
Brought to Arizona for Use in the
Mines.
From the Denver Republican,

Qrom the Denver Republican,
The last wild camel in America was kill
ed and eaten by the Indians in Yuma a few
days ago. The venerable beast was one Of
the herd of camels brought from Asia MI
nor many years ago to carry ore from the
Comstock mines. So ends the greatest at
tempt at acclimating foreign animals ever
made in the United States. II seems sad
that the noble beast, the last of his tribe.
should have such an inglorious end. And
yet some sympathy must be given the poor
Indians, for they must have been awful
hungry to be able to mastcate the tough.
seventy -five-year- camel. Besides, the
poor camel would most likely have died of
slow starvation in a short time, for when
last seen alive by white men il was very
feeble.
Just who the man was who thought OF
bringing camels TO this country seems TO
be a matter of some doubt Several men
are credited with having done so, but even
the old-timers themselves seem TO be a lit
tie tangled up on this bit of Western his
tory. p. T. Barnum. Of Prescott, Ariz.
who was in the Comstocl at sle time said
he was positive that the late Adolph Su-
tro was largely instrumental in bringing
the camels here. This, however has been
strenuously denied Dozens of similar sto-
ries are told about other prominent Cali
fornians, but little credence can be given
TO any of them.
But the fact remains that the camels
were brought here. On all points connect
ed with this part Of the story the old-tim-
ers are agreed.
1t was in the old days. when the Com
stock was in its glory. the days before the
railroad, when Virginia City was almost
as important as San Francisco. II so hap
pened that certain group OF mines about
twenty five or thirty miles out OF Virginia
City was panning out piles of rich ore. II
was impossible to put up mill close to
the mines on account of lack of water.
Mules were put to the work, and during
the winter months did fairly WELL although
10 feed and care for them was terrorizine
expense. 1t must be understood that as
dry, rocky and barren a desert as there
is on the face of the earth lay between
Virginia City and the mines. To use a We.
hicle OF any kind was out Of the question
and so the ore was carried in bags slune
over the backs of the animals.
From the first ii was apparent that tn,
mule plan was not a success. In the sum.
mer il took about two mules TO carry water
for the one that carried ore. And all n,
while the animals kept dying. The intens,
heat and dry, sandy air were too much fol
them, and they fell by the wayside so fas
that new band was required almost week
ly. But the ore had TO be carried TO tn,
mill, for there was millions in it,
At this juncture some genius suggested
that the miners buy camels for the work
So the camels were bought at great ex.
pense. Some OF them were obtained from
the veteran Snowman, p. T. Barnum. ant
about twenty came direct from Asia Minor
under the care of an agent dispatched from
Virginia City.
From the first the camels did all tha
was expected of them. Each morning the,
nT-F
weed that happened in their way, drink
few gallons of water and were ready TO
business. Two bags of ore, each contain
ing between 200 and 300 pounds. wer
strapped TO the back over the hump o
each camel.
When the train was ready all starte
off at once, striking a good swinging gai
that was kept up until the mill wa
reached. The driver had nothing to d
but follow the train. No stopping TO
water, no urging, no beatings. The faith
ful beasts did their work willingly.