The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1905-03-11
BUFFALO LIVE UNHoUsED.
n;o Came Park Of Austin Corbin on
Connecticut River an Inn
mense Success.

More than 20 years ago, when Aus
tin Corbin bought township OF WIG
land on the banks of the Connecticut
river. near Newport, N. H., and fenced
il with barbed wire and stocked Il with
wild game animals, he had no IDEA OF
doing any public favor. He was ricn.
Having full control of the great Read
ing system of railroads and coal mines
and iron furnaces in eastern Pennsyi-
yania and earning money faster tnan
he could invest it to advantage, ne
took ii into his head that he wouio
like to have a hunting park all to him.
self.
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 barbed
wire fence was ten feet high, and
there were "a miles Of it. He built q
few lodges to hold his keepers ana ieit
| the rest to luck.
But that chopped over and aoan-
doned strip of wild timber land mas
been a most wonderful investment. IL
has grown UP to forest trees which are
yielding a big income on the invest
ment from doing no more than 10 tnin
out the standing trees SO that those
which remain may grow faster. Tne
wild boars have multiplied so rapidly
that hundreds of them are shot every
wear by the hunters. The moose ano
elk are doing nicely and increasing
until the herds will soon have to DC
thinned out to give food to the sur
vivors.
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 orig
inal herd was composed OF about y
animals. They were much exhausted
from their long journey by rail whe'
brought to Newport and for few year
the rate of increase was not encourag
ing. Some six years ago the herd too
a start. since which time the increas
has been remarkable. Two years age
when he had increased the herd I
about 100, the son of Mr.. Corbin CAV
% of them to the geological park
New York city, but the experiment di
not succeed as well as it should hav
done and the new herd has done n
more than hold its own.
Meanwhile the animals In Corbi
park have continued to multiply anna
ingly. This last summer there wei
100 healthy and happy buffaloes
the park, and if none are killed NEAR
time there will be 500 by 1906. III
buffaloes roam all over the presery
during nine months in the year.
the coolest months they are retaine
within an Enclosure of 1000 acres an
fed on hay. which is cut on the swa
lands of the park.
They are provided with shelters
brush. but are not housed at all Il
the winter. The cost of winter fee
:. ing is slight. As living buffalo
good condition is worth $500 or MOI
= and as single buffalo skin Is value
y at 5000. the increase in this herd W
!. soon yield revenues enough to pay Il
70 whole expense of keeping up the par
= This can be done from the surpl
= stock, and as many animals as Z
= lands will support may be kept in Pr
!, petuity.
~ Outside Of the money features OF
plan. Mr.. Corbin did a great servi
= for humanity by proving that und
u average care buffaloes may be made
NJ live out of doors in any of the NJ
England states. From now on a
naturalist who wishes to study the
animals in their native haunts may
t. SO without having to cross the con
III uent.
ID Mr.. Corbin has been dead for nu
Der of years. The fact that he was
a head of a great railroad and the OIL
90 fact that he was the creator Of gr'
10 system of hotels-these are almost +
gotten But the memory of Corl
IN park will endure as monument to
III memory for all time.
is