The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-03-15
Last Native Camel Killed.

A4St NuUltC Vt1llCl AkliCus
The last wild camel in America was
killed and eaten by the Indians in
Yuma few days ago. The venerable
beast was one of the herd of camels
brought from Asia Minor many years
ago to carry ore from the Comstock
mines. So ends the greatest attempt
at acclimating foreign animals ever
made in the United States. It=scems
sad that the noble beast-the last Of
his tribe-should have had such an
ing]orious end. And yet some sym
pathy must be given the poorIndians,
for they must have been awfully hun
cry to be able to masticate the tough
seventy year-old camel. Besides.
the poor camel would most likely have
died of slow starvation in short time,
for when last seen alive by white men
it was very feeble.
Just who the man was that thought
Of bringing camels to this country
seems to bea matter of some doubt.
Several men are credited with having
done so, but even the old-timers
themselves seem to be little tangled
4 up on this bit of Western history.
p. T. Barton, of Prescott, Ariz., who
was in the Comstock at the time, said
he was positive that the late Adolph
Sutro was largely instrumental in
bringing the camels here This, how
ever, has been strenuously denied.
Dozens Of similar stories are told
about other prominent Californians,
but little credence can be given to any
of them. But the fact remains that
the camels were brought here On all
the Other points connected with this
part Of the story the oldtimers agree.
It was in the old days when the Com
stock was in its glory The days be.
fore the railroad when Virginia City
was almost as Important a town as
San Francisco. 1t SO happened that a
certain group or mines about twenty
i've or thirty miles out Of Virginia
City was panning out piles Of rich ore.
1t was impossible to put=a mill close
to the mines on account Of lack Of
water. Mules we're put to the Work,
and during the winter months did
fairly we'll, although to feed and care
for them was terrorizing expense.
It must be understood that as dry,
rocky and barren desert as there is
on the face Of the earth lay between
Virginia City and the mines. To use
vehicle of any kind was out Of the
question. and so the ore was carried in
bags slung over the backs of the ami
mails. From the first it was apparent
that the mule plan was not a success.
In the summer it took about two mules
to carry water for the one that carried
ore. And all the while the animals
kept dying. The intense heat and
dry, sandy air was too much for them,
and they fell by the wayside so fast
that new band was required almost
weekly. But the ore had to be car
ried to the mill, for there was mil
lions u it.
At this juncture some genius sug-
gested that the miners buy camels for
the work. So the camcls were bought
at great expense. Some of them were
obtained from the veteran Snowman,
=. T. Barnum, and about twenty caurc
direct from Asia Minor under the care
Of an agent dispatched from Virginia
City. From the first the camels did
ali that was expected of them. Each
morning they would eat mcaprc
breakfast of any old weed that hap
q pened iii their way, drink a few gal
Ions of water and were ready for bust
ness. Two bags Of ore. each contain
ing between 200 and 300 pounds, were
strapped to the back over the hump
of each camel.
When the train was ready allstrrtcd
. off at once, striking good swinging
: gait that was kept up until the mill
was reached. The drivers hal moth
. ing to do but follow the train. No
stopping for water, no urging, no
bcatings. The faithful beasts did
their work willingly. When the orc
}, was dumped the canlcls took another
s big drink and were turned loose, being
, permitted to make their way back to
s the mine at their own pleasure. cry
rarely did one of them fail to be on
s hand the next morning, ready to take
/, another loadto the mill. The camel
train was strange sight while ell
route across the desert. From a=dis-
!, tancc the general effect was that of Il