The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-04-14
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L..song the many members of the animal erection whicn were at one time common fin the United States. and wSica have largely disappeared. there is no .more noted instance than that of the bision. generally called buffalo in tff1s country. When the whites first came the number of bisons was simply incalculable. While their numbers were comparatively few in the Eastern portion of what Is now the United States. in the West and middle west their flocks were countless. vast herds of them covered the great plains where they found plenty of subsistence, and where they roamed at will. Even within the memory of the present gem eration there were thousands and tens of thousands of them still to be found there.
 ITO the Indians the bison was almost the staff of life. Their flesh was fa- vorite food, the hides made their tents and wigwams, and the horns were put to some use But the Indians were not what we would call sportsmen. They killed game because they needed the flesh and hides and not for the mere pleasure of killing. It follow- ed that the bison supply would have lasted through all time if none but the Indians had hunted them. It was ar ferent with the whites. and especial ly those of the last half century or less. hxr thnuAandA and millions just for the mere pleas ure of killing, leaving the bodies to decay where they fell. Sometimes the hides and horns were taken, but often no attention was paid to them after they were killed.
 This reckless and indiscriminate slaughter could have no other effect than, the extinction of the entire faml- ly, and that result was practically reached years ago. A few have been preserved in private collections and reservations. but their numbers are pitifully few. And this reminds us or a recent editorial in The Manchester tN. HD Union, from which we copy this paragraph:
 It is stated on the authority of Howard Eaton of Wolf, Montana. who some time ago procured and presented to the United States government an option for the purchase of a herd of four hundred and fifty bison at three hundred dollars head, that the hero is now about to pass into the possess sion of the Canadian government to which Michael Pab1ow, the owner. re- gently gave the option after the United States congress had failed to make any appropriation for purchasing the reservation. thirty-five miles west or Missoula, Montana. MT. Eaton says President Roosevelt was desirous of preserving to the United States this half the bisen surviving in this coun- try.
 Now, it is not merely a matter of sen- timent that would cause a plea for the preservation and cultivation of the American bison. Experiments have Is valuable. and it is we'll known that there is great value in the hides. Doubtless 1t would be a good industrial movement to protect and increase their numbers. While their natural roam ing grounds are no longer available. except to very limited extent it might prove a valuable venture to domesticate and raise them as we do our common cattle. MT. Ernest liar old Baynes. of Meriden, N. H., has been Investigating the mater thoroughly and we learn from The Union that manufacturers who have examined samples of this wool and yarn pro- nounce 1t of excellent quality and agree that for awhile it would demand a high price as A novelty, and later very good price for purposes of gen. eral use where light ,colors are not re- quired. MT. Baynes has also found men who are interested in bison beef, and there are more than a few who believe that crossing of the bison with certain breeds of domestic cattle would. in time, evolve valuable new breed. The Idea of bison farms as a profitable industry has been broached by some men whose opinion in such matters Is highly valued. In short, it would not be surprising if a little further investigation should prove con- elusive to people of all shades of in- terest that the American bison is in- dispensible