The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1902-06-20
THE AMERICAN BUFFALO.
a SOUTH DAKOTA CATTPEMAN TALKS
ABOUT THE ALMOST EXTINCT ANIMAL.

ltOf III Kansas ClIy from HIS great
cattle ranch in South Dakota. Mr.
Philip is the genuine buffalo man oi
the United States Of America. Kan.
sas has an imitator in the person OF
one "Buffalo jones'" but Jones is only
an applicant at the outer door, while
"Scotty" is postmaster. "Scotty" is
owner of large herd of domesticated
buffalo, and he has made the rearing
of these animals profitable industry.
Mr.. Philip came to Ellis county
Kan, with the G>oist Grant colony
in 1878. Much has been written Of
this colony, composed as it was in the
larger part of the younger sons of rich
English and Scottish families. For a
few years this colony burned money
and time on the plains of Western
Kansas. One might ransack his mem
ory in vain for parallels to the hilari-
Gus proceedings of these young gen
tlemen. They were "thoroughbreds'
in the sense that riding to hounds, con-
suming large quantities Of whisky, ETC.,
constitute high breeding. Yet along
with them came number Of thorough
ly good men, a few of whom still re-
main in Ellis county, and among the
good men were the three Philip broth
ers-George, Alex and James.
George is now leading merchant
Of Hays City, and has held many offices
of trust and responsibility, including
that of county treasurer. Alex is cas-
lily the foremost cattleman of the coun-
ty, and his ranch is famed for its open
handed hospitality. James remained
in the colony but two years; the be-
ginning of 1915 found hun in the Black
Hills. In the palmy days of the wag-
on frrishting trade he became freight
er between Sidney and Red Cloud.
Later he became scout in the com
mand CT General Crook when that Of
ficer was campaigning against the
Sioux in Montana and Dakota. Still
later he took up ranch on White
Womon Greek, where he remained un-
til 1882, when he removed to his pres.
cnt location, near Port Pierre, where
he commands one OF the greatest cattle
ranges in the country.
A number of years ago Mr.. Philip
conceived the idea of rearing buffalo
in captivity. On his ranch, eight miles
from Fort Pierre, he fenced a large
pasture with woven wire strung on
posts only five f'"t apart In this pas
ture he now has 81 fuil-biooded buffa-
10 and about the same number of half
breeds, which Buffalo Jones calls sea
talo." "The half-breeds," said Mr..
Philip, in conversation, care good for
nothing whatever. They combine the
bad points of our native cattle and the
wild buffalo. The talk of making a
valuable breed of the cross is all non
sense. They arc spoiled for robes and
they are little good for meat, and am
through with the business of raising
them.
Mr.. Philip finds ready market for
all the buffalo he has to sell. He does
not put the bulls on the market as a
rule, for the reason that he can make
more out of them,by keeping them un-
til they have grown big heads with
plenty of name. A we'll mounted bull
head will bring $500 to 81 900 in New
York city. Mr.. Philip has sold bull
head at the latter figure, and he has
call Tor all that he can spare from his
herd.
Before coming to Kansas City Mr..
Philip went to St. Louis and arranged
with the management of the Worlds
Exposition to exhibit so of his buffalo
at the great show. And it may be
said confidently that nothing at the
exposition will attract more general
attention than this display of pretty
nearly the last herd of bison left out of
the millions which 80 years ago were
roaming the Western prairics.
IL have watched buffalo under all
the conditions of their life,' said Mr..
Philip, "and | have discovered many
interesting things about the animal.
| used to wonder how the compare
lively delicate calves could withstand
the terrible billiards. which oct asionally
ally sweep over our country, but now
how it is done. When a storm comes
the buffalo form themselves into tri-
angle, with the bulls along the sides
the boss bull standing at the apex fac
ing the storm. Then the, cows range
themselves inside the lines of bulls,
and the well-protccted center the calves
and yearlings find their place. The
mass is crowded we'll together into a
warm and living whole, and even in
the case of the outline of bulls only
one side of any animal is presented to
the blizzard. The herd will maintain
this triangle so long as the storm lasts,
and they are able to safely weather
a storm that would kill our native cat
tie. There is something heroic in the
stoiclsm with which the bulls will
keep their places no matter how the