Evening journal., 1900-04-10
THE NORTHWEST
HOW CIVILIZED MAN INCREASES
THE NORTHWESTS FOOD SUP
PLY.

HOW CIVILIZED MAN INCREASES
THE NORTHWESTS FOOD SUP
PLY.
The buffalo, elk and antelope we're
not found east of st. Louis at the be-
ginning Of this century At that date
llS05) Lewis and Clark found no buff
falo west of the Rocky Mountains, and
saw no elk and few antelope or deer in
passing from their SUBMITS to the Pa
cific Ocean. The best elk range they
found west of the Rockies was near the
present City Of Astoria. The Upper Co
lumbia Valley had, seemingly. by the
aid OF the salmon supply, carried d
population too heavy for the natural
game supply, who had apparently ex-
terminated the buffalo and elk, and
had for fifty years or more been in the
habit of crossing the Rocky Mountains
in order to kill the royal game on their
east slopes. We have no data as TO
when this became necessary, but it is
not unreasonable to assume that the
existence of the Oregon river was made
known to the natives of the Missouri
Valley and by them to Jonathan Carver
as one result Of these annual hunting
trips, which were continued into the
middle Of this century.
This same condition existed from the
Columbia Valley southwark to and in
elusive Of large portions of Texas and
Mexico. The native race had overkill-
ed the larger game, and in extensive
districts of Arizona and New Mexico
had resOrted TO agriculture as a means
Of subsistence. The proof that this was
Of necessity is sustained by the fact
h.n
of this kind in the Lower Columbia and
Sacramento Valleys-rich in fish and
edible roots. IL is a spurious sentiment
tality which charges this destruction of
wild game to the pioneer white mans
. propensity to murder and tends to a
. false view of cause and effect of the
changes the white race has effected in
. North America as a whole, wherein hui
manity, highly estimated at 100000
4 human beings in a wretched struggle
for existence 300 years ago, now num-
I bers nearly, ifnot quite 100, 600 900 dwell
ing in general peace and a measure OF
prosperity which at that date could not
possibly be comprehended; and the diff
ference in the number and condition OF
the lower animal life, though not so
great. is still very large.
Take the horses, cattle. sheep and
wine of civilized man as compared with
all wild game. and measure the pleas
ures of existence in itself. It is not
computable, Of course, and a study of
the life of what was once wild (now
kept in "zoos') is no criterion Of the
fears and sufferings of the wild state
subject to wild man. carnivorous en-
emies and "the seasons difference"
In 1905. when Lewis and Clark cross
ed near the centre of the greatest nat
ural game park of North America, they
found it about midway between the two
oceans and at its best il required the
constant activity of an excellent body
Of hunters to keep the party of thirty
six men in constant supply of food. Az
ter crossing the Rockies, the party
found it so difficult to meet its necessi.
ties by combined hunting. fishing an;
purchasing from the natives, that a re
sort to horse flesh and that of dogs wa!
an imperative necessity; and durin:
tho Winter spent in the best elk an,
water fowl district of the great Colum
bit Valley, they we're fain to purchasi
dogs and travel 80 miles to purchas'
? few hundred pounds of whale blub
ber. When in March. 1906, they set ou
to retrace their steps back to settlet
life. they were compelled to halt eigh
lays at the junction of Columbia an,
Willamette Valleys and send out thei