Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-03-12
RANGE FOR BUFFALO
Plan to Save Remnant of AMI
mails From Extinction.
FEDERAL PRESERVE WANTED
Bill to Be introduced to Reserve Part
of FIathesd Indian Lands In Mons
tana-Amerioan Bison Association
Wants Animals Owned by an Indian
Purchased.

tana--Ameriean Bison Association
Wants Animals Owned by an Indian
Purchased.
A plan is under consideration by
President Roosevelt and several mem.
bers of congress to make certain the
future existence of the American
bison, popularity known as the Ameri-
can buffalo. William T. Hornaday, dt-
rector Of the Bronx Geological park in
New York city and president of the
American Bison association, is cooper
ating with the president to save the
remnant of tribe of beasts that once
numbered its members by the millions
Mr.. Hornaday went to Washington re-
Gently and had a long interview at the
! White House with Mr.. Roosevelt.
! There are buffalo in nearly all of the
ZOOS of the country, but the lives OF
the confined animals are at best pre-
carious, and no one knows when acct
dent or disease may wipe the captfves
out of existence. 1t is the wish of Mr..
Hornaday, says a Washington corre-
| spondent Of the New York Post, that
government range be provided for a
herd of buffalo in the northwestern
country where they may live in large
measure as they lived when their only
enemies were the red man and tho
VOLTA condition of life that made for
Ion tu nd i'm
A few years ago Flathead Indian
named Pablo, living in Montana, had
in his possession herd of 800 buffalo,
which he sold to the Canadian govern
ment. Most of the animals were turned
loose in Canada, where it is said they
are being held for the Canadian gov
eminent by the Indian. It is presumed
these buffalo will be given their free
dom within fence limNc tons in the
near future. Pablo will have remain
ing in his possession about fifty of the
animals, the increase since he agreed
to sell his herd and some animals that
he has picked up recently. The officers
of the American Bison association de-
sire that these animals shall be pur-
chased and turned loose on the Flat
head Indian reservation in Montana.
Senator Dixon of Montana has be-
come interested in the scheme and will
introduce a bill TO set aside twenty
square miles as a buffalo reserve. The
Flathead land holdings are soon to be
opened up to settlement, and the land
that the government is asked to re-
serve as a range is almost totally unfit
for agricultural purposes. Mr.. Horna-
day thinks that If such range is pro-
vided the buffalo will double their
numbers in three or four years and
that the question OF the preservation of
an animal which supposedly had been
doomed to extinction will be solved.
If the Dixon bill becomes law, the
range will be fenced and the buffalo
left TO themselves TO find living. Nat
uralists say that this splendid Ameri-
can animal is doomed TO extinction UNI
less the animals now In captivity are
given the freedom Of range and the
food and surroundings which were
Idkuldl W duNtstbIS tlC
white man began his war of extermina-
ton. The proposed range is said to
have every facility for buffalo pre-
serve. There Is an abundance of bunch
grass. plenty of running water. ravines
which will afford protection in winter
and timber enough for shelter under
other unfavorable weather conditions.
An appropriation was made by con-
gress last year for the fencing in of a
bison preserve in Oklahoma. Fifteen
buffalo were turned loose in the pre-
serve, and they are increasing In NUM-
Der and thriving physically. The
range is known as the Wichita pre-
serve and is situated in the heart of
the country where once great herds OF
buffalo roamed at their own free Will.
When tlI American Bison associa-
ton was formed the herd Of go ami
mails which has been sold to the Cana
dian government was still in possess
sion OF the Flathead Indian, Pablo. hut
the sale was completed before the as
ISOLATION had adopted its constitution
or was prepared TO begin its work.
Many western newspapers criticised
the organization for allowing the Cana
dian government 10 forcstall IL In the
purchase u these animals. Officers Of
the association say this criticism was
for the reason that at that
time the association was without
funds TO carry on its work. They say
that II the aid now asked Of the gov
eminent Is extended II VIII not be ton
late TO save the American buffalo from
II Is a fact not generally known
that there is still in existence a herd
% Wild bison. Up In the northern part
Of the province 81 Saskatchewan there
are left a few animals known to the
residents OF that country as wood buf-
falO. How many animals there are
and what their chances Of continued
existence are may be put down az
best as matters Of conjecture. II IL the
hope Of naturailsts that the Canadian
government may undertake ultimately
their projection and preservation The
Izyman's belief Il that the wood buf-
raio and the bufalo Of the plains are
different species. but they are not
They are identical except for the fact
hat the wood bu1slo are q little larger
than are their southern family mem
bers.