The times., 1899-01-15
AMERICAS LAST CAMEL.
He Went to Feed the Indians After
Long Career.


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 Ccmstock mines. So ends the
greatest attempt at acclimating foreign
animals ever made in the United States.
1t seems sad that the noble beast the last
of his tribe. should have such an IL
glorious end. And yet some sympathy
must be given the poor Indians, for they
must have been awful hungry TO be able
to masticate the tough. seventy-fve-year-
old 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 it was very feeble.
Just who the man who thought of
bringing camels to this country seems to
be matter of some doubt. Several men
are credited with having done so. but even
the old-timers themselves seem to be a
little tangled 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 Sutre
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
forniaIs but little credence can be given
TO any OF them.
But the fact remains that the camels
were brought here On all the points con-
nected with this part of the story the old
timers agree.
1t was in the old days. when the Com
stock was in its glory. the days before the
railroad, when irVginia City was almost
as important 4 town as San Francisco. II
so happened that certain group of mines
about twenty-five or thirty miles out of
Virginia City was panning cut piles of
rich ore. 1t was impossible to put up
mill close to the mines on account of lack
of water.
the Winter months did fairly WE'LL
although to feed and care for them was
a terrorizing expense. Ii must be under
stood that as dry. rocky and barren Il
desert as there is on the face OF the earth
lay between Virginia City and the mines.
To use a vehicle 81 any kind was out of
the question. and so the ore was carried
in bags slung over the backs OF tine ami
mails.
From the first il 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 ana dry sandy air We're
too much for them. and they fell by the
quired almost weekly. But the ore had
to be carried to the 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 Il great eN-
pcnse. Some of them were obtained from
the veteran Snowman l.. 7. Barnum, and
about twenty came direct from Asia Minor
under the care of an agent disnl oN1' from
Virginia City.
From the first the camels did all that
was expected of them. Each morning they
would eat a meagre breakfast OF any old
weed that happened in their way, drink a
few gallons of water ana We're ready for
business Two bags of ore, each containing
between 200 and 800 pounds. were strapped
to the back over the hump OF each camel.
When the train was ready all started off
at once striking good swinging gait that
was kept up until the mill was reached.
The drivers had nothing to do but follow
the train. No stopping for water, 10 urg-
ing, no beatings. The faithful beasts did
their work Willingly.