The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-12-15
WILD HOGS IN ARIZONA.
THE PORK PACKERS HATE AN EYE
 ON THE HERDS
ROnmiug Along the Colorado Rivar.

Ronmiug Along the Colorado Rivsr.
 Representatives of meat packers in
 Kansas City and Chicago have been in
 southwestern Arizona in the last two
 weeks Investigating the advisablity of
 establishing there a large packing
 house at the head of the gulf of Mexi-
 GO, where wild pork and turtles will be
 prepared for the market. Over vast
 stretches of territory along the south
 ern part of the Colorado river wild hogs
 roam in herds, sometimes of great size.
 It is believed that the supply will be
 large enough to keep a large plant in
 constant operation for several years,
 at the same time ridding the country
 of a pest and making room for the es-
 tablishment of a big industry in the
 raising of the domestic hog in locali
 ty peculiarly adapted for that purpose.
 For about quarter of a century
 wild hogs have been found in south
 western Arizona, and their number has been constantly increasing. The ami mai grows to large size, feeding almost GHllIely dlOHS lue llNCi Oii d iool pSNN- liar to the Colorado and grass resem-
 bling a species of alfalfa or Chlllan clover Of all the game in this part or the west, there is none other which en- tails so much danger in the hunting. As a rule the hogs go in droves, and to attack one is to encourage fierce on- slaught from the others. Only on horseback is it safe to hunt the ami mals, and even then one must have a mount quick in action, as the hogs are incredibly swift and almost if not quite as fast as the average horse. They are powerful burtes, with long, lean limbs and heavy, muscular joints attached to bodies which are more like the "ra- Zoz-backs" of the south than anything else. Equipped with long tusks, they can cut down horse in twinkling, and a man on foot stands no chance for his life in an attack from herd. If one of a herd is killed the others seem to go wild with rage and will attack a party of almost any size. So danger ous is the practice of hunting them that only an occasional party ventures to try the sport.
 Several weeks ago a party from Den- ver here for the winter, went to Yuma, and from there went on a hog hunt. Accompanied by Mexican guide, they found herd of twenty quietly feed ing in marsh along the river bottom. Holding the dogs in check, they fired volley into the herd, killing four and wounding another. Turning like light ming and following the lead of great boar, the remainder of the herd charged in the direction of the firing. The hunters rushed to where their horses were standing, and all but one mount- ed and escaped. The man who was last to heach the horses was about to leap into the saddle when his mount broke her halter and dashed away. Dropping his rifle, the man climbed small will low tree, getting out of reach just as the herd rushed up and tore at the small trunk in an effort to dislodge him. Perched on limb he used his re- volver with good effect, while the dogs worried the herd, and his friends, re- turning to the rescue, picked off his be- siegers until only three or four were left. These hurried to the river bank | and tumbling down the steep sides dis | appeared in the brush. In three days the party killed nearly one hundred | hogs, and smoking and drying the | meat, sent it into Los Angeles
 There is difference of opinion as to | the origin of the Arizona wild hog. Ac- cording to one theory, Thomas Blythe, more than twenty years ago sought to | establish a colony at the head of the gulf of California and one of the indus +.,.- bod ,.io oie,in A large number of thoroughbred hogs were procured and when the colony failed the pigs were turned out, Eos tered by the abundance of wild feed the herd grew and spread over great ex- ! panse of river bottom, until now there are doubtless several hundred thousand | scattered along the river Contrary to this belief the Indians say that the wild hog has been a native of this ter ritory as far back as their traditions reach, but they say that the hogs have increased in size, a condition which brings out theory that the Blythe hogs were probably crossed with the wild pigs which were there before they were turned out to shift for themselves. Wild hog meat is of peculiarly fine flavor, that of the younger pigs being far superior to the pork from domestic swine.
 The packing of turtles is intended to be an important part of the proposed industry. The turtles in the lower Col orado grow to immense size and their flesh is in great demand in California, whence many of them are sent east. Heretofore the freight rates have been a bar to the industry, it having been necessary to ship the turtles alive, thus sending along many parts which are not available for food and making the price of the good parts out of the reach of the average epicure. By packing only the useful parts of the turtle for shipment east the promoters of the plant believe that profitable industry can be stablished.-Arizona Letter in the New York Sun.