Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1909-03-04
ITO RE.ST0CK THE PLAINS
| WITH BUFFALOES.

will not become extinct. The noble
animal, which once roamed the West
ern prairies in innumerable herds
has been slaughtered with ruthless
hand until but few hundred remain
For years Indian and white mar
alike hunted the American buffalo
Staying not for meat or necessity, but
for the love of slaughter. And al
this time the Government raised nc
hand in protest or restraint. Fol
years sentimentalists have bemoaned
the fate of the sometime monarch oi
the plains.
The United States and Canada have
begun the actual work of transplant
ing to national preserves all the bison
that can be found.
There are three of these preserves
two in the United States. one in Can.
ada. A large number Of animals
have already been moved to them
others will be shifted there with all
possible speed.
These preserves are not little pens
in which the noble ANIMAL with its
shambling gait will have no room to
follow his natural inclinations. In
stead they are mighty forests, huge
tracts, where only after long jour-
ney can the buffalo come into contact
with the wire fences that prevent his
escape.
The bison range in the Flathead
Indian reservation in Montana was
authorized at the last session of Con-
gress when $4,000 was appropriated.
The location of the range was
recommended by Professor Morton j.
McElrod, of the University of Mon
tana, an authority on the subject,
who, after going over the country
carefully, picked on this tract as the
most desirable.
1t is directly north of the Jocko
River, near the towns of Ravalli and
Jocko
or the appropriation of $4,000,
$4,000 had to be paid to the own
ers of the land, large number OF
whom are Indians. Many Of the
white owners being interested in the
purpose of the purchase made low
prices for their holdings.
The first act of the commission was
to put substantial wire fence around
the preserve and this involved con-
siderable outlay, for the strength Of
the buffalo is such that it takes a
powerful barrier to keep him in
check.
Now water sheds must be con-
structed and other preparations made
for the complete comfort of the bison
guest.
The American Bison Society has al
ready purchased a number of bison,
and they are being sent to the re-
serve as quickly as the needed funds
can be raised.
This reservation as well as the
others that are now being installed,
owes its inception largely to the act
of the late Austin Corbin.
He was one of the first men OF
wealth who did not confine his regret
for the passing of the buffalo to mere
ilc pa q ShohSS w
save the species from extinction, and
like a practical man at once acted.
Six thousand acres belonging to
himself at Blue Mountain Park, New
Hampshire, he fenced off, and here
he maintained at his own expense
large herd of buffalo.
Not only did the herd become
quickly accustomed to the new home,
but it thrived and increased in num-
bers. The experiment demonstrated
the possibility of establishing pre-
serves, and was the animating i'm
pulse of the American Bison Society,
which came into existence four years
ago.
The United States has fixed the To-
cation of its preserve at Wichita, and
recently fifteen of the finest buffaloes
in the New York Zoo were shipped
there. The animals picked out were
of both sexes, and they were in the
best of health and vigor. The hope
Of the experimenters is that out in
their native West, in the midst of an
area so big as to mean almost free
dom, there will be an end to buffalo
race suicide and the species will null
tiply till there is no longer chance
to lament the passing of one of the
original owners of this continent.
The Wichita range comprises
twelve square miles of territory In
Oklahoma. This was formerly the
ground over which, in its wild state,
the buffalo ran most freely, and in
putting the reservation here, Uncle
Sam is merely performing an act of
restoration. The fencing in of this
vast inclosure has been taken care of
by government appropriation of
$4,000.
Elk Island Park, in Canada, is to
be the home of the Dominion buffalo,
and authorities have even gone furth-
er than the United States in their
plans for getting great herd of ami
mails.
The Pablo-Allard herd has been
bought outright. 1t consists of 62S
superb animals. Three hundred and
ninety-eight of these have already
been shipped to their new home, and
have shown every indication of being
happy in the new location. The 9TH
ers will be moved as rapidly as pos
sible The Canadian government has
appropriated $15O,000 for the work.
The American Bison Society had
experts prepare table of all the buff
faloes now surviving in the world.
1t was found that there were not
many of them, and that the work of
the society had just been inaugurated
at the right time If any were to be
saved. The total number is BOAT.
or these, 1922 are in captivity, and
,aply Qo6 ara wild