Arizona republican., 1905-02-27
THE OSTRICH IN AMERICA
Who Brought Him Here and Where
 He Has Settled.
Doctor Protheroe began it.

Doctor Protheroe began it.
 Who Doctor Protheroe was or is where Dr. Protheroe came from or where he is now, are facts unable to ascertain at present. Whether he was a NJ. D., D. D., l.. L. D.. or just plain Doc" a sort of dignifying courtesy to 2 man of enterprise and nerve, is also . matter of doubt. Still it must be set down as a point of history that we are indebted to this certain Pho theroe with an uncertain title for having established in 1882 the first ostrich colony in the United States.
 The story of the growing fortunes of ostrich farmers in South Africa had been affecting the pulse of American enterprise. The attention of a com missioner of agriculture was called to the matter and he endeavored to in- terest the government but the sugges- ton received no serious consideration.
 A similarity in the topogra phy and climatic conditions of our southwest to that Of South Africa led to the be- lief with many that the bird In ques- tion could be successfully cultivated here. But to put this theory to the test pencil and pad of paper soon demonstrated that it would require such an outlay of ready money that the proposition was brought to an abrupt termination. It Is evident however, that Doctor Protheroe was not frightened by figures. In the year mentioned he started a troop of os- triches from Cape Town. It has been authoritively stated that he began the voyage with two hundred birds. Im- agine two hundred of these gigantic creatures weighing from two hundred to four hundred pounds each, reared in the freedom of an almost boundless desert, cooped up in the stuffy hold Of a single ship during a voyage of many thousands of miles A pitiful remnant of the original number reach ed New York City. From there they were shipped overland to San Fran cisco where hut twenty-two arrived alive. Here the California Ostrich company was formed, the birds were located at Anaheim and placed under the supervision of a gentleman known as Dr. Sketchley. Thus was made the first step toward ostrich farming in America. IT not the most successful pr. Prothcroe was at least the first to pass the Rubicon and the others fol- lowed.
 During the next four years three others ventured into the field. The most successful of these was Edwin Cawston w!-o went to South Africa and brought over forty-four carefully selected birds. These after being ex- hibited for 2 time at Los Angeles were located at Norwalk. They were later divided, some being taken to South Pasadena where now Mir. Caws- ton maintains perhaps the finest show farm in the United States. Of those remaining 2 portion were moved to Whittier and a breeding farm estab- Iished, at present containing over three hundred birds. From this shipment of forty-four fully eighty per cent of all the ostrickes now in America have descended as well as those comprising Mir. Cawston's farm at Nice. France.
 It was sometime between 'S2 and 'SS thct tho American Ostrich com pany was organized in Maine with E. J. Johnson 0s manager. MT. Johnson went to Africa where he spent a year in studying the habits of the ostrich.
 On his return he brought with him twenty-three birds which he settled at Fall Brook in the valley of the San Luis Key. California. The majority of these were shipped for exhibition at the worlds fair. Chicago. Eventually they were sold in Europe and the com pa nv went out of business.
 In the meantime Dr. Sketchley of the California Ostrich company at An aheim. made trip to South Africa himself. brought back with him thirty birds, located them for a time near Los Angeles, and later sold them all to 9 circus.
 During the Pan American exposition at Buffalo the last lot of ostriches were brought into the United States. These were twelve Nubians, the most gigantic and magnificent of all the species. They were exhibited at the fair then sent west, half to Mr- Caws- ton. who arranged the importation for the place at South Pasadena, the remaining six going to the ranches of A. Y. Pearson, then recently estab- fish al in Arizona, and to be referred to later.
 ticle to settle the priority or sequence of the bird imDortations of Messrs. made between 1882 and 1886, as the data is not at hand to determine nor is it a matter of sufficient consequence to be necessarily considered here.
 The first appearance of the ostrich in the Salt river valley, Arizona, was in 1888. That fertile land of sun shine and flowers" whose abundant fields deny the libel connecting 1t with that fast receding myth, the great American desert seemed to offer a greater similitude to the South African home or t!.a bird than California.
 In the gear mentioned Cianton & Co- Josiah Harbert being the Co., purchased Of MT. Cawston one pair of breeding birds and eleven chicks, ship ping them to Phoenix where they ar rived in good order While transfer ring them to tkeir ranch they were covered to protect them from storm Arriving at their destination MT liar
 70 YVES in charge, discovered that ten of the chicks had been smothered. During the year following the hen belonging to the breeding pair WAS accidently killed. This lett put .I.. ,,nnIn hird and one chick which