The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-03-14
BUFFALO CAN NOT
Be DOMEST|CATEO
Experiment of Michigan Man
Is Disappointment-ln- 7
ferior to Cattle.

Sunfield, Mich, March 14-"How
much is buffalo meat?' was the inter
rogativc heard at one of the local
meat markets few days ago, and
many for the first time in their life
gaZed at dressed buffalo. The buff
falo was one of the pair Buffalo Bill
Davis broke to drive. 1t dressed $50
pounds. the forward quarters weighing
420 and the hind quarters 300 From
the backbone to top of the hump was
twenty inches.
The buffaloes-or bison to be proper
just killed were claimed to be the
first driving buffalo in the world and.
so far as can be learned, the claim
is fact. Now, however, there are
number of driving buffalo teams.
The history of the team dates back
to nine years ago last spring, when
w. j. Davis went to the Panhandle
country in Texas and bought four buff
falo calves at the Goodnight ranch
They were shipped to this station. and
Mr. Davis took them out on his farm
near here, where the task of breaking
the buffaloes to drive was begun by
Bill Hank Boyer. the well known
horseman of this township, who was
hired for the purpose.
The task was complicated one and
required a great deal of patience.
There were many problems to solve
and 1t was necessary to consult var
ious books to learn the nature of the
animals and the best way to handle
81,
breaking horses were found not to be
practical. To rope" the buffaloes was
useless. as they would kill themselves
before they would give up, and ii was
dangerous TO work around their heads
and heels. Patience, caution and skill
were required.
A harness and yoke combination
was made for the buffalOcS, and in
about four weeks Mr. Boyer was sue
| cessful in driving a pair of the buffa-
| loes hitched to a two-whCeled vehicle.
The same fall they were driven at
fairs, carnivals, celebrations, etc.
They could be driven in IA walk or run,
backed up. turned to right or left
same as a horse. Rope lines were u.s.
ed instead of leather. 1t took a great
deal of skill to get them harnessed and
hitched to the cart.
| II was Mr. Davis original intention
to give chariot races with the two buff
falo teams at fairs and carnivals, and
possibly start out with show. This,
however, was given up later as one
buffalo broke his neck in runaway
and later one died of indigestion.
| Scheme is Abandoned.
The buffalo have never been "a pay
ing proposition to Mr.. Davis. For five
or six years they were driven every
season. but after taking out expenses
Mr.. Davis usually found himself out OF
pocket About two years ago "MeXic
an Bill" n character from the west
with long hair, came here and tried to
make a paying proposition out of the
buffaloes, but was unsuccessful. Since
that time Mr.. Davis has done nothing
with the team but ID them.
Davis has endeavored to sell the
buffalo team to shows and public
parks but could not make sale. and
at last decided to kill them. Buffa
loes grow only about one-half as fast
as cattle. and live to be about twice
as old.
Mr.. Davis thinks he could have
made IA financial success with his but
faloes had he wished to give up his
agricultural pursuits and devote all Of
his time to the buffalo business" as
he calls it.
Davis's interests in buffaloes has Civ
en- him the name of Buffalo Bill Da