The Washington herald., 1909-07-27
THE AMERICAN BISON.
How the Herd of over 100000 Forty
Years Ago Hes Disappeared.

How the Herd or Over 0,OOO,OOO Forty
Years Ago He's Disappeared.
Ex-Governor John Schuyler Crosby in the New
York Sun
Owing to tie limited amount OF firearms,
powder and lead which reached the In
dians and a few pelt hunters in Texas.
Kansas and eastern Colorado and the In
dian Territory, Wyoming, Nebraska. Mon
tana. Idaho. and Dakota Territory during
che civil war, from 1861 TO 1896, the herds
Of buffaloes increased greatly. and their
number was estimated in January,
1S66. at over 5.0C00O0! In the late autumn
Nnsse great animals migrated in easy
STAGES <om the British possessions in the
NORTH feeding on the rich grasses even
as far south as Texas. and embracing in
their grazing grounds the county from
the eastern watershed OF the Faseky
Mountains on the west 20 the Missouri
and Republican rivers on the east.
The streams in this area run from
northwest TO southeast at an average Of
twelve 10 eighteen miles apart, so that
the buffalo was easily In reach Of water
in his travels north and south, and the
trails Of these immense herds were 80
deep and well defined that It IS only with
In the last few years that they have be-
come obliterated. Hundreds OF thousands
found nourishing grasses and shelter dur
ing the winter months along the foothills
and valleys OF the Arkansas. Red, Cana
dian and Cimarron rivers and their tribu-
taries In the spring after the SHOWS
melted these immense herds grazed north
ward again. I give an illustration OF the
number OF buffaloes seen on one day
between q. m. and ?. m, during the
Indian campaign Of 1858 and 1859 by
Gen. Sheridan and his staff. The Gen.
halted the command on tho top OF
Pa divide near the Canadian River As
we all dismounted for a short rest.
Gen. Sheridan called out. How many
buffalo have we seen to-day? Each per
son hand 20 FOrsvthe his estimate" ."
Gen. Custer and Buffalo BIZ (the lat
ter was one OF our best and most reliable
Of earlier scouts) also made an estimate
The number OF buffal0es seen as esti-
mated by our party or ten officers. inciud-
ing Gen. Sheridan and Scout Cody
Buffalo Bill, was $4,000, These herds
were constantly on the move and several
times our pack trains had 20 be halted
to let them rush by. We had that day
and the day previous heavy skirmishes
with the Indians. which had greatly dis
turbed the buffaloes and kept them on the
move about us. Think of these hundreds
OF thousands Of huffaloes within view
during only one days march. and to-day
do not believe there arc in the United
States a hundred buffaloes IN their
natural state.
In 1883. when governor Of Montana, 7
wrote TO the governors of Wyoming
Idaho. and Dakota asking them 20 meet
me at Helena for the purpose OF con-
ferring as 20 the best means for the
preservation OF the large game Of the
Northwest. at that time fast disappear
Ing caused by the wantOn slaughter by
not only pot hunters. but so-called
"sp0rtsmen." God forbid that such a term
should be applied 20 these butchers. who
shot buffaloos. elk. deer. antelope big
horn sheep and mountain goats by the
hundred and left the carcasses 20 rot or
be eaten by wolves and other animals.
soon after the meeting Of the governors
stringent laws for tho protection of game
were passed by the legislatures or the
Northwestern states and Territories. and
I'm the spring OF 1sS3 I called the atten-
ton OF the Secretary OF Interior and the
Senate Committee on Territories 10 the
killing OF large game IN the Yellowstone
Park. where I'm one winter over three
thousand elk had been slaughtered for
their hides and horns. Afterward NJ my
request. q company Of cavalry was sta
toned IN the park 20 protect the game
and natural wonders.
Unless some immediate action Is taken
TO protect the few antelope. bighOrn
sheep, mountain goats and elk I'm n short
time they VIII be CNterminated