New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1911-12-02
WH AMERICAN GOVERN
MINT CAUGHT
NAHYIN0.
How Tie United States Lost the
0AIy Remaining Herd Of
! Buffalo.

hseeRtly the Canadian Govern
Hsnt, by q striking coup d'etat,
secured the greatest herd of bison
IN captivity, and by returning
then to an immense preserved
tract in their native haunts on thu
plains Of the great West have
arrested natural extinction with
such complete success that with
in = few years they anticipate pos,
sessing 4 huge herd Of these ami
mails. The story Of how this deal
was contaminated. says a writer
In the December Wide World
Magazine, and how the United
States lost q great opportunity OF
becoming possessed of one of the
finest animal attractions in the
world, constitute an interesting
sOmales.
When the slaughter was at its
height, some thirty years ago q
Ylatheed Indian, known as
Walking Coyote" made raid
int the plains of Alberta, and as
. result 70 his buffalo-hunt secur-
"a aboat twenty prime beasts.
which he sold to another half
breed Indian Of his tribe for two
thousand dollars. Micheal Pablo,
~ new owner Of the animals, il
. shrewd business man, even for
IN Indian. Realizing that the
bison in ito natural state would
Soon become 4 thing Of the past,
As turned them loose upon the In
dian reservation in Montana.
leaving them to wander and
sosn Of their own free will over
en srea Of some fifty square miles.
By freeing them in this manner,
and protecting them against des-
>rustien, he concluded that they
would propagate freely, since the
conditions were highly conducive
10 suek Q result.
When tho United States Gov
eminent took the bison under its
protective wing it could not &C
auirs Psblo's herd. as it was the
private property Of an individual,
and the Flathead was at liberty
10 deal with his animals just as he
Felt disposed. He himself was
under the protection of the Gov.
eminent, but that did not apply
- HE stock, and so he felt per-
fsetly secure.
But one day Pablo received dis
quieting news. He was informed
shst the United States Govern
men had decided at an opportune
moment to throw the Indian res
srvstion open to settlement.
When that happened, what was
Re to do with his herdi He de-
sided to offer the whole stock,
just o. it was, to the authorities.
hurried TO Washington and ex-
pressed his readiness to sell. The
Government offered to relieve
him Of his stock at SIS per head.
Pablo refused hotly and laughed
at the psrsimonious offer.
At this juncture things took a |
sudden turn in his favor. Mr.. |
Howard Douglas, the Commission
er Of the Canadian Parks, had
heard about Pablo's wonderful
herd and was cognizant Of the
American negotiations. He worth
with FASTENED to Rsvalli to open
negotiations with the Indian for
sheir acquisition. 1t was a deli
cate task, q Pablo. who could not
speak . v odrof English, viewed
the English-speaking race with
ertreme suspicion, heightened by
the treatmen \ hehsd received
from the American authorities.
The pourpariers were very ted
lous. % the Indian was still in
krdhty With the United States
Government, but the deal was
einshed In three months, when
Mr.. Douglas offered to take the
whole herd Of sir hundred head
Il least. at 5000 apiece, making
)120, 900 for the whole consign-
nent. The bargain was struck
Ind Pablo signed a contract I'M
1ertsking to hand the animals
'afe and sound to Mr.. Howard at
he point Of shipment. Pablo
with delight, for he hal
accumulated wealth. suddenly.
ind his foresight in buying up
Walking Coyote 3" twenty Buff j
'alo, nearly thirty years before, .
lad paid him hansomely. To-day
'sblo II reckoned . veritabls
,roesss among Indians. Il