The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-02-12
BUFFALO JONES' SORROW.
His Slaughter of the Bison Hurts His
Conscience and He Would
Restore Them.

Washington, Feb. &c. ]. Jones, of
kansas, commonly known as Buffalo
Jones' was at the capitol today in the
interest of the bill recently introduced
by Senator Baker, granting to Mr..
Jones a large tract of land in New
Mexico for a park on which to raise
buffalo Mr.. Jones is an enthusiast on
the subject of preventing the extinction
of this animal.
Amy man with American blood in
his veins" he said, must be in SYM
pathy with a plan to preserve the only
American animal of domestic utility.
They were recklessly and remorselessly
slaughtered I helped to kill millions
of chem at fifty cents apiece. I prom
xsed myself that I would try to atone
Tor my wanton wicl1edness, and will
do It If the American people will assist
me in my efforts. The land which L
want congress to set apart for twenty
years for this purpose lies in the eX-
IRENE southwestern corner Of New
Mexico and is about the size of the
Yellowstone National park-that is,
about 1900 square miles. 1t is section
very well adapted for the purpose, ex-
cept that it is not so well Watered as
it might be, but we will drill arteSlan
wells and thus meet that difficulty
where it is necessary. 1t is a plateau
of the Staked Plains, composed OF some
of the widest country I have ever seen
on this continent, and have Travelled
over pretty much all of it. The lands
are unsurveyed and unaDpropriated,
and are useless except for a summer
cattle range, but it is a natural buffalo
range. The lack of water is not so
great a drawback in the raising of
buffalo as of cattle. The buffalo never
Euccumbs to storms, blizzard or drOuth.
They will travel forty miles to water,
and can go for three days without 1t.
Neither do they destroy the grass as
cattle do When they are on the march
they go it single file and travel in one
beaten path. They don't pollute the
streams. either. In fact, the buffalo is
a wonderful animal, and that makes all
the worse the fearful disgrace of their
extinction
Jones' about 400 buffalo left IN the Uni
tend States. I am interested in a herd
of about 100 part of them being in
Montana and the rest in Texas. Those
in Texas are the herd of Mrs. Mary
Goodnight. Several years ago Mrs
Goodnight had three buffalo calves cap
tured. and from these the herd has
grown until it now numbers, exclusive
of those which have been sold, about
seventy, of which fifty are grown ami
mails and the others calves. We will
put $50 head Of buffalo on this range,
and as they double about every four
years. there will be at the expiration
of tWenty-fOur years exclusive of the
sales allowed under this bill. about
5000 buffaloes on this range. Theo-
dore Roosevelt wrote me a letter of con-
graduation upon my project, and assur-
ing me of his hearty support in the
movement
People are writing me commencing
my scheme from all sections of the
country, and are also writing to their
congressman urging them to support the
bill. The League of American Sports
men has also taken the matter up, and
I feel encouraged to believe that con-
gress will act favorably in the matter"