Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-03-16
HIS wHlM NOW HIS MONUMENT
corbln's Game Park Shows That Buff
falo VIII Live Unhoused,

falo VIII Live Unhouseu,
More than twenty years ago, when
Austin Corbin bought a township Of
wild land on the banks OF the Con-
necticut river, near Newport, N. H.,
and fenced IL with barbed wire and
stocked 1t with wild game animals,
he had no idea of doing any public
favor. He was rich. Having full con
troll OF the Reading system OF rail-
roads and coal mines and iron fur.
naces in eastern Pennsylvania and
earning money faster than he could
invest It to advantage he took 1t into
his head that he would like to have a
hunting park all to himself.
SO he bought and fenced $4,000
acres OF almost worthless wild lands
and stocked them with moose, deer,
elk, wild boars and buffalo. The barb
ed wire fence IVES ten feet high and
there were twenty-four miles Of It.
He built a few lodges to nold his
keepers and left the rest to luck,
But that chopped over and abandon,
cd Of wild timberland has been a
most wonderful investment. II has
grown up to forest trees which are
yielding n big income on the invest
ment from doing no more than to thin
out the standing trees so that those
which remain may grow faster, The
wild boars have multiplied so rapidly
that hundreds Of them are shot every
year by the hunters. The moose and
elk are doing nicely and Increasing
until the herds will soon have 10 be
thinned out to give food to the SUI
ylvors.
Herd OF Buffalo Thrives.
Best OF all, the Corbin experiment
has proved that buffalo may be made
to thrive as far north as Augusta,
Me-, and no doubt still further The
original herd was composed Of about
twenty animals. They We're much
exhausted from their long Journey by
rail when brought to Newport and for
a few years the rate Of Increase was
not encouraging, Some six years ago
the herd took start, since which
time the increase has been remark,
able. Two years ago, when he had in,
GItuhtU inc ntlu W HDOUJ lUN, IIt
son Of Mr. Corbn gave twenty-five
Of them to tho geological park In New
York city, but the experiment did not
succeed M well as II should have
done and the new herd has done no
more than hold its own
Meanwhile the animals in Corbln
park have continued TO multiply
lie
were 100 healthy and happy buffaloes
In the park, and II none are killed
meantime there will be 500 by 1906.
The buffaloes roam all over the pre-
serve during nine months in the year,
In the coolest months they are retain.
ed within an Enclosure OF 900 acres
and fed on hay, which is cut on the
swale lands Of the park
Not Housed In Winter.
They are provided with shelters OF
brush, but are not housed at all for
the winter The cost of winter feed,
ing Is slight As a living buffalo in
good condition Is worth $500 or more
and as single buffalo skin Is valued
ut 5000 the increase I'm this herd will
soon yield revenues enough to pay
the whole expense for keeping up the
park This can he done from the
surplus stock and as many animals
as the lands will support may be kept
In perpetuity,
outside OF the money features OF
the plan Mr. Corhin did great ser,
vice for humanity by proving that un,
der average care huffaloos may be
made to live out of doors In any OF
the New England States From now
on any naturalist VINO wishes to stud,
these animals In their native haunts
these animals In their native haunts
may do so without having to cross
the continent
Mr.. Corhin has been dead for
number Of years. The fact that he
was the head of a great railroad and
the other fact that he was the Great,
or OF a great system of hotels these
are almost forgotten. But a memory
OF Corbin park will endure ms monu
ment for all time