The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-07-27
TONS OF BUFFALO BONES.
AColIector Describes How They Were
Gathered and Utilised In
the Northwest.


Charles Milwaukee Sivyer lately
read a paper before the Old
Settlers club, in which he described
his operations In North Dakota and
Montana between 1886 and 1888, col
lecting buffalo bones for market Mr..
Siyyer was known as the bone king
in those regions, and employed half
breeds from the Turtle mountain
country to collect them. In the two
years, says the Milwaukee Sentinel,
he gathered $500 tons Of buffalo
bones, representing 100000 buffaloes.
Mr.. Sivyer had learned something
about the value Of buffalo bones in
Kansas years before he went to Da-
kota.
"When / first went to Dakota to
collect buffalo bones," said he, "the
Great Northern had reached Devils
lake. l went ahead and collected the
bones, piling them as near as could
to where the road would come. It
was difficult to be right every time,
since the Great Northern surveyed
three different lines ut the same time.
II hired $50 half breeds in the work
of collecting. At one time I had
over $4,000 invested in bones, piled
in different parts of the territory.
The half-breeds were willing to work,
as they had no help from the govern
ment. They jumped at the oppor-
tunity to go back over the trail with
me. These Turtle Mountain half
breeds had taken part in the last
great buffalo run seven years before,
and knew where the bones were
thickest. They could work for me
seven months in the year, returning
home late In the fall before the snow
had covered the bones. I wintered
at little town on Devils lake. In
the spring they came back with 200
cars. several wagons and their tents
and camp equipage, ready for the
summer campaign. I led the way,
riding In a buggy, and have often
wondered whether such another mot
ley procession was ever seen. When
we arrived ut the field of action /
bought the goods by weight and piled
them in great heaps. We pressed on
to new fields when the scattered
bones were all gathered and estab-
lished new piles.
''The largest pile ever built was at
the. point now known as the first
crossing of Mouse river by the Great
Northern. There were 100000 pounds
of buffalo bones in that pile. 1t glis-
tened in the sunlight. and to a stran-
ger in the distance it must have
looked like fairy castle.
1.-THE collectors followed the trail
of the fierce hunter. The buffaloes
always came by circuitous paths to
the river to drink. Far away from
the river l came upon great smooth
stones, which were known rs rub
bling stones The buffaloes had used
them to rub themselves against. and
had worn them smooth. A half
dozen buffaloes would rub at a
time on one rock, one following an
other. Sometimes they turned and
walked the other way, to rub the
other side. If buffalo dropped out
of the path another took his place at
once.
''The half-breeds were expert in col
lecting, and when they had their carts
full OF bones they knew, instinct, APP
parently, the direction of the pile
where they could leave their load.
Sometimes in the fall the grass grew
SO high as to hide the bones. Then
the half-breeds lighted Il fire to burn
the grass The fire burned the grass
SO rapidly that the bones were I'M
injured"
Mr.. Sivyer said the bones sold for
four to six dollars a ton. and that
they were used for sugar refining. In
speaking of the slaughter Of the buff
faloes he said that the last two years
of the drives only half the hides were
taken from the buffaloes, and only
half of those removed were preserved.
zone year." said he, ''three car loads
of buffalo hides were tuken to Bis
marck to be transported cast on the
Northern Pacific. The hides were so
badly preserved that the railroad re-
fused to take them as freight, and
they were thrown into the river. The
greatest value from 10000 buffaloes
was taken by the bone collector, the
railroads which carried them and
Charles Milwaukee Sivyer."