The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-12-25

impossible to compute.
Hunters have heard the roaring Of
buffaloes at a distance Of from three to
i've miles, and that the earth trembled
when they charged we can well imag.
Inc when the large bulls are known to
weigh 1000 pounds, the COWS 1900
pounds, The question of interest to-
day is how was 1t possible to destroy so
many animals in SO short a time and
what methods were employed? The
natural fatalities were few compared
to the enormous numbers. The COW
bison displays little affection for her
young, and many calves were lost every
year; but. all in all, the conditions were
extremely favorable to them. and their
Increase was enormous. Many were
destroyed by stampedlng over precl-
plces. In 1867. 1000 buffaloes. or half a
herd, became entangled in the quick
sands Of the Platte river. AT another
time a herd was lost by breaking
through the ice Of Lac Qui Parle in
Minnesota The cold winters some
times killed many that remained in the
far north; but these dangers were moth
ing compared to man. Man soon found
that the buffaloes had value. The In
dIans slaughtered them by the thou
sands for their skins, bone and for
food; they killed 100 ofteutlmes to se-
cure Ave, and waste and prodigality
were the rule. Yet 20 vast were their
numbers that doubtless the Indian In
roads upon them had little effect SO far
as determination is concerned, But
with the white man 1t was different.
Some wished to make records. and kill
ed for sport; some killed for the hides
and heads; some became professional
buffalo butchers to provide the gangs
Of railroad men with meat, slaughter
ing a magnificent animal for its
tongue alone. 1t has been estimated
that previous to 1870 nearly three-quar-
tiers Of a million buffaloes could have
been killed yearly and the herds kept
Intact: how many were killed and vast e.
ed will never be known. Each animal.
however. had value at this time estl-
mated by Hornaday at IS: the robe,
50 so; the tongue. rs cents; hindquarter
meat. 81; bones. horn and hoofs, rs
cents; and this was the greatest feat
ure, and one firm in New York between
1876 and 1884 paid the killers nearly
100000, or, to be exact. $s2s,O7O for the
rlbes and hides, which represents the
final determination OF the animal. The
government never interfered, owing to
protests of interested Legislators and
the neglect of higher officials. Another
firm paid $4,000 for robes and skins,
and there we're scores Of private traders
in the field. The word went out to kill
everything in sight. and from 1876 there
was a price on the head Of every buff
falo.
1t is a dark and disagreeable subject
to probe, hut 1t is interesting to note
some of the methods of these national
calamity makers A band Of half
breeds in two hunts. according to Ross,
killed 1870 butfaloes, go men being en-
gagged In the sport, out Of which about
10000 animals were wasted or partly
eaten. Hornaday estimates that from
1920 to 1926 five buffalo expeditions went
out, composed Of go carts each. killing
1IS O5O buffnloes. From 1926 to 1880 five
expeditions, Of $50 carts each, killed
1926 buffaloes. From 1880 to 1875 six
expeditions Of S95 carts, killed 174.52s
animals. From 1885 to 1870 fifty-four
expeditions of 1890 carts each, killed
212, $50 buffaloes. Total number killed
by the Red river half-breeds alone in
twenty years. 652.275. valued at &3,26l.
375. An interesting table has been fur
nlshed the government by the firm
previously mentioned. ]. & I. Bosko-
WITT, showing the decline Of the buffalo
Us an article of commerce. 1t shows
that in nine years this firm handled
246,l75 skins, costing S92479O. In 1875
they received Ages robes; in 1883, 5000;
in 1884, none. The end had come, and
the buffalo was a memory. Another
dealer, Joseph Ullman, states that in
1881 he handled $1,000 robes. valued al
50 50, and Il, 900 at 81 so. In 1882 he pur.
chased 10000 hides at 50 50 and 10000
robes at IS 80. The prices hunters re-
ceIved were: Cow hide, 50; bull hide
50 80; yearling. 81 so; calves, 50 cents
The expense OF transportation brought
the hide up to 50 SO in New York. This
dealer in four years paid out $4,000 tc
these men, who killed bufraloes by the
tens of thousands for 81 50 a head. Bott
OF the above mentioned dealers in eight
years paid out Sl,233,O7o to the exter'
mlnators.
That the real determination Of the
buffalo was caused by the demands Of
trade there can be no doubt, aided ant
nbetted by sportsmcn, Indians anC
others. but the blame really lies witt
the government that In all these years
permitted few Ignorant congressman
TO block the legislation in favor Of th'
protection of the bison, 80 that all thu
efforts of humanitarIans were defeated
and the bills when passed plgeonholed
There were many methods OF exter'
minatlon that are graphically Illustrated
by paintings and models in the Smith
sonIan Institute. The stIll hunter was
the most InsIdlous enemy of the buffalo
and a single man by snenklng upon
herd has been known to kill 1000 in {