The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1903-11-11
PARK FOR BBr FAL0ES.
Proposal to Use the Wichita
Forest Reserve.
GREAT GAME PRESERVE PLANNED

Extensive Tract OF sIountain Land II
oISIahoma said TO Furnish Excel
lent Haunts For Animals Unaccus-
toned to civiIization-cIimate Wei
suited to BuRaIoes-smaiier Same
10 he Introduced.
To make the Wichita forest reserve
in the Wichita mountains Of northwest
ern Comanche county. Okla. great
game preserve for the purpose pri-
marily of perpetuating the almost ex-
tinct American buffalo, once so numer-
GUS over this western country. is an in
teresting project upon which num-
Der Of southwestern sportsmen have
interested themselves, says the Kansas
City Journal. Little is being said about
the plans. The people interested, how
ever, are quietly getting in whatever
work they can, creating sentiment
IN that direction, and they seem to
have hopes Of ultimately securing sue
cess for the undertaking.
Briefly it may be explained that III
the Wichita hills of southwestern Ok
lahoma a forest reserve of $4,000 acres
was set apart BY congress years ago.
Since that time this reservation has
been utilized only by d few stockmen.
whose stock has been running wild
over the rough and timbered tract. II
furnishes excellent haunts for those
animals not accustomed 10 civilization.
and for that reason, If nothing more,
II Is eminently adapted to become the
permanent home Of the last remnant
Of the buffalo. The climate Is exactly
suited to the animal Then there is
the vegetable growth sufficient TO sus-
tain easily large herd Of them. For
centuries before The country was set
tied by whites. no doubt Il was the
abode along with other parts Of west
ern America Of tic buffalo. The
sportgmen use this in arguing that
there would be no question 81 The for
est reserves fitness on the score q
climatic conditions
Again, this tract Of mountainous land
IS surrounded b. The land possessions
Of the kioWas, Comanches. Apaches
and Caddoes. They and the buffalo are
old friends. The Indians long ago came
to regard the buffalo as almost a part
of the Divinity, and it would rejoice
the tribes Of southwestern Oklahoma
TO have him returned to that part Of
the country where only they could, for
the sake of olden times, get d glimpse
OF his rawboned frame, covered by
the growth Of shaggy hair 1t would
be scarcely necessary for the whites,
according tothe belief Of those back
ing the project, to exercise any great
vigilance for the protection Of the buf-
faloes In this reserve, The animal.
with his almost sacred position among
the aborigines, would be safely guard
ed from tile ruthless search Of white
hunters
II Is a matter of common knowledge
that the buffalo is doomed to complete
extinction unless The government and
a few wealthy stockmen interested in
the upbuilding Of this animal race take /
the matter up iii proper form In the |
Yellowstone park there ire a number |
Of buffalo nobody seems to understand |
just how many Buffalo Jones Of I
Kan, who was made game I
warden Of that park, is supposed to
have the figures somewhere about his
system. but If So they have not been
given any publicity. The conditions in
the Yellowstone render easy the pos
sibiEty Of an incursion into the great
reserve from adjacent mountains and
escape after shooting as many Of the
animals as desired. But in southwest
ern Oklahoma. the reservation hanked
on every side by the Indian allot-
memts. whose occupants are ever ready
to fight for the preservation Of the buf
'alo, this feature would be removed.
Besides the few in the Yellowstone
bark there is the herd at the Goodnight
'aneh, Texas, one in Montana another
n Minnesota, possibly a few head Ii
me OF two large geological gardens ana
he herds Of Buffalo Bill ana Of Paw
ice Bill at pawnee, Okla. These. could
* ENAAGt9$t ibAtAtAtl IuA WAtIA AJA bAl
those animals belonging to
he show people could be placed in the
Wichita reserve for wintering and at
uch other times as might be arranged
or the purpose of increasing the mum
Ter Of buffalo.
The Oklahoma sportsmen have inves-
igated the conditions thoroughly and
ind that Of the same time other game
ould be introduced into this great for
st. a few years ago about a dozen
airs Of Monaghan pheasants were lib
rated In Oregon. The birds were Of d
God type Of game fowl Now they
AVE multiplied to such an extent that
II over that section Of the state these
heasants are found and are shot, when
yer allowable, for food, being much
ought IN this respect The pheasant
scheme for the Wichita re-
erve il to be encouraged Already
here are deer and antelope, and occa-
ionally a black bear appears In that
ection Of the territory.
The Automobile In MANILA
Within the last two years Manila
nd two OF three other cities have been