Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-05-13
ELK TEETH AS LODGE EMBLEMs
Results of InvestigntiOn Into the
source of supply of the Popular
IVOrtea.

Since the agitation against wearing the
elk tooth as an emblem of the order, mem
bers OF the Benevolent Protective Order
of Eiks have been pursuing Investigations
as to the supply OF these worries available
for emblems
The contention is made that the con-
tinued use of tho elk tooth as an emblem
creates a demand and establishes a value
for these teeth which is sure to be fol-
lowed by the humiliation of all the small
elk herds now in existence
The result Of the Investigations Of west
ern elks reveals the fact that there are
now in existence enough bull elk teeth
to supply twelve times the present num-
Der of members of the order It would
be easier and less expensive to acquire
100 OF these teeth than to secure the car
cass Of one bull elk. from which but two
teeth would be available.
1t is, or has been, assumed that elk have
been and are being slaughtered for their
teeth alone. 1t may be that this belief
prevails in the east, but any such asser-
ton is false. The writer ventures to say
that no elk ever was killed for it's teeth
alone The only teeth worth making into
an emblem is those from the bull elk.
The teeth OF the COW elk are small and
4
wants q fine charm will use one of these.
The bull elk has but two teeth which are
used as emblems. There are probably e. :
900 elk now in existence in the United
States. OF this number probably 5000 are
bull elk. These are nearly all in the
Yellowstone National park or tributary ter
ritory. In the park they are protected by
the government. These elk range and breed
in the park during the summer but In
the winter they go south for food. Food
is scarce In this section. Settlers are tax
I ing up the Land and the elk fare badly.
For four or five years elk have died from
starvation by hundreds. few are killed
by hunters. but these are Insignificant com
pared TO the number that die OF cold and
hunger.
Long before the b. P. o. E. came into ex-
| istence II was the custom Of the Crow
Indians TO gather the teeth OF the bull elk
| and for half a century before the order OF
Elks was organized these teeth were used
as a medium OF exchange with the Sioux
| the latter being as fond OF eagle feathers
/ Thirty or forty years ago there was a brisk
/ trade in these articles, the Crows buying
feathers of the Sioux and paying therefor
in elk teeth, horses. hides etc. Indian
traders took both feathers and teeth in
] exchange Tor merchandise, but they hac
no value with the trader except that he
exchanged them with the traders of the
| opposite Indian nation
In 1870 bull elk teeth could have beer
bought at 80 cents per peck. The eagle
feather supply had become exhausted. Tn,
Crows had all the elk teeth they wanted
Their women were adorned from head e
foot. The necklaces OF the men were full!
ornamented and there was no further de
mand hence the value fell TO almos
nothing.
While the most OF the elk from which
those teeth were taken were shot by In
dams. a large percentage OF them wer
frozen to death and the teeth taken from
the heads from one TO ten years after
With few exceptions the bull elk teeth nov
used as charms OF emblems for member
|, of the B, p. o. =. were taken from Ell