Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-08-26
CAMPAIGN ON WILD BEASTS.
To Be lnausurated by cattlemen i,
the Mooollon Mountains,

the Mogollon Mountains.
Phoenix, Ariz., Aug. 26.-Up under the
rim of the Mogollon mountains that
great upheaval of nature that forms the
northern end of the Tonic basin, and is
covered by part of the largest pine
forest in the world, cattlemen are MAX
ing arrangements for a great war of eX-
termination of the bears, mountain lions
and wolves that have been 80 destruc-
tive to their focks during the past few
years.
The Mogollon range Is a great wall of
rock stretching half across Arizona,
from east to west, and from 1000 to 1000
feet in height. From the Colorado riY-
er, over 100 miles to the northward, the
desert gradually rises in an unbroken
plain until the rim or southern edge Of
the mountains is about 1000 feet above
sea level. Here it suddenly drops away,
leaving innumerable deep; rocky can
yons, the homes of countless bear,
wolves and mountain lions during the
fall and winter months. During the
summer these beasts nearly all go up on
top of the mountains to escape the heat
and to be near herds and droves of deer
and turkeys that make their homes in
the broad, unbroken pine forests that
stretch for miles along the almost flat
top of the mountain range.
In the past five years the Ellison fam
lily has killed over 200 bears and third
as many lions. Four were killed one
morning last fall out of ten started dur
ing the day. Last spring Dena, the
youngest girl. roped and dragged to
death a black bear weighing over 200
dc rf, har n,,1N oil
bringing him to the ranch tied behind
her saddle.
The great scope Of country to the
south of the rim forms the range for
thousands of cattle, the owners making
their homes among the canyons or foot
hills. wherever sufficient water supply
can be had. Being located in many in
stances over 100 miles from the nearest
peace officers, might is right among
these people, and there is probably not a
place within the confines of the United
States where men are as skillful in the
use of the six- shooter and the ever pres
ent lariat as here. From the age of 10
they are as much at home in the saddle
az an easterner in a rocking chair, and
boys and girls too, perform feats of
horsemanship and roping which are
truly astonishing.
1t is such people as this who will make
up what will be the greatest roundup of
wild beasts that has ever been known in
this country. The Elisons have the
matter in charge. 1t is their intention
to gather together as many cowboys as
possible, and with a party of 200 or 300
of these rough riders. many of the
punchers in the Mogollons being rough
riders in name as well az in reality, hay
ing served with Roosevelts regiment
surround a district fifteen or twenty
miles square. With trained dogs they
will drive their quarry into a local point
selecting one of the deep canons. where
they can kill their game at will. They
expect to round up several hundred OF
the beasts and as the bounty on lior
and bear scalps is $40 each and wolf
scalps $40, the outcome will be produc-
tive of more substantial and immedi-
ate result than the slaughter of pests
\ and the mere sport.