The times., 1900-12-31
An ADIRONDACK PRQJECF
W. c. Whitney's Proposition for a
Great Game Preserve.
He Offers to Contribute Moose and
Elk - DR.. w. Seward webb and
Others to Join in the Undertaking
The New York State Commission
Has the Plan Under Adyisement.

NEW YORK, Dec. 30.-Ex- Secretary
William C. Whitney proposes 10 restock
the Adirondacks with moose and Ameri-
can elk, and lovers of wild animals and
hunters OF big game all over America
applaud him. They declare it will prove
one of the most important and interest
ing experiments OF it's kind ever made.
1t will take money and plenty of it; but
that is not considered. MIR. Whitney
promises to give literally from his game
preserves near Lenox and, if necessary
to make purchases in Maine and Canada
Moreover, Or. W. Seward Webb has
offered to contribute nine moose and
few elk, and other rich New Workers
owning big estates in the Adiroudacks
have requested the privilege of giving
fine specimens from their private herds
For hundreds of years these noble ami
mails roamed and browsed in New York's
famous mountains unmolested Occasion
ally they would wander across some trail
or into the open country amcng the low
hills and be slain by Indian hunters, but
in the wilds OF the Adirondacks they
were secure There they grew fat and
multiplied.
Then came civilization. The big, dull,
slow moose and elk were easy marks for
the frontiermans S fiilt:oek musket In
due time their most remote confines were
invaded. and they were slaughtered by
wholesale. For years there were no laws
to protect them, and when these were
enacted they were not enforced.
Accordingly the big animals were soon
exterminated and the deer became the
lord of the Adirondacks- He is so keen
OF scent and fleet of foot that he has
held his own against the hunters.
The last elk seen in the Adirondacks
was killed in 1s0O and the last of the
moose fell early in the thirties.
MIR. Whitney has submitted to the State
Game Commissioners-Austin Wadsworih
of Geneseo, Percy Lansdowne of Buffalo,
d. II. Mackey of Delaware County, Frank
Woods of Queens County, and James Van
DuZer Of Elnira-his proposition and
upon receiving from them a favorable
reply, will ship his first installment from
October Mountain, his Lenox estate.
II have long thought the moose and elk
ought once more to inhabit the Adiron-
dacks," said the ex-Secretary to re-
porter at his Fifth Avenue home yester-
day. and l am willing to do what can
to restore the old order of things.
You see they both live on brouse, and
our mountains afford the very finest sort
of this particular feed. Moreover, the cli-
mate is almost identical with that of
Maine and of much of the wooded and
mountainous portions of Canada.
The chief trouble seems to be the in
adequacy of the game laws. Under the
present condition one of those tig, slug
gish animals would last only few days
in the wilds of the Adirondacks. He
\ Il,
scrupulous hunter and none would be the
wiser. / have offered to turn over to the
State Game Commissioners a number of
animals to be distributed as they may
see fit. DR.. Webb has also offered to
donate a number of moose, and other men
owning game parks, l understand, will do
their part in giving the moose and elk
new start in the Adirondacks.
I'VE simply request tha; stringent laws
for their protection be enacted, and that
these laws be enforced. l am very fond
of big game, and hope something viii be
done toward helping it to increase"
will you remove elk and moose to your
owD preserves in the Adirondacks regard
less of what acticn the Game Commission
may take on your offer?" Mr.. Whitney
was asked.
Unquestionably," he replied. That is
polioed and protected by my own men and
know 1 shall have fair chance of sue
cess in raising them My proposal to the
commission applies to the Adirondaeks at
large and not private estates
How large is your property there?"
Let me see," turning TO his private |
secretary, Mr.. Reagan, how much land |
have in the Adirondacks? Seventy thou |
sand acres at least, haven't I?''
More than that" replied the secretary.
Fully eighty thousand acres
Is this the tract that you have just |
purchased" said the reporter.
"Oh. no, i have owned it for a long |
time. The stories that l have bought |
anything in the Adirondacks recently are |
Tae Commissioners have not formulated |
their reply TO Mr. Whitney, but they are !
pleased with his offer. They are now con-
suitlng with members of the Legislature |
about new protection laws, and will accept |
the moose and elk at an early date.
President G. o. Shields, Of the League OF !
American Sportsmen, is opposed 10 the
scheme, because he says it will only mean
7he slaughter and theft of a lot of beauti-
ful and valuable animals. He does not be-
lieve the policing Of the Adirondacks will
ever be such as 10 give even small protac-
tion to such big. slow game
Mr. Whitney's preserve at October
Mountain is fourishing. He has twenty
bufialoes, including six calves born this
season, eighty-four moose and elk, and
nine Rocky Mountain deer. All are thor
oughly acclimated and increasing rapidly
except the deer. They seem to be just
holding their own. and to have no fond
ness for their Eastern environment
Soon aftar Mg. Whitney's ball to his
niece Miss Helen Barney. on January 4,
be Will sail for Egypt and spend the winter
on the Nile. He has leased a special boat
for a trip up the famous river.
Mr.. Whitney Will take a long vacation,
and the 1901 racing season will be well un-
der way before he returns. He has large
stables in England and America now and
Is President Of the Saratoga Association
In addition he is a member Of the Jockey
Club.