Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1912-04-19
WAR ON THE WOLVES
Biological Survey Does Much to.
Exterminate Them.
VALUE OF BAILEY'S REPORT
Expert Found Where the Animals
Bred and Advised the Staying Of
Their Young-Plan Saved
Stockmen Vast Sums.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

WaeuinStOn.-l biological survey
OF the agricultural department is much
interested just now in the reports
which come from the far west OF the
Killing OF cattle and sheep by wolves
and coyotes. The wolf probably is
not now as vexing as 1t was, although
for years the stock raisers were tre-
mendously troubled by the forays of
the animals. The wolves in the jack
son Hole region, however, just now
are preying On the elk. Some years
ago there were few wolves in this sec
ton and the elk were the prey OF the
mountain lions, or, more properly
speaking, the pumas. Now this big
cat tribe has been pretty nearly killed
OF and the wolves have appeared to
take their place.
The wolf plague as 1t affected the
STOCK raisers was In part done away
with through the efforts of the bio
logical survey, which on one or two
occasions congress has attempted to
wipe out OF existence. Recently, how
ever, the lawmakers have taken more
kindly to the work Of the survey,
kindness which developed because of
the support which the survey receives
from the farmers and ranchmen OF the
country.
Some years ago Vernon w. Bailey
OF the survey went west with the sane
t1on of the biological officials and of
president Roosevelt. Mr.. Bailey un-
dertook to find a means by which the
wolves might be exterminated, or, at
any rate, decreased In numbers with
out making recourse to poison nee
essary. There had been a constant
warfare on the part OF some OF the
western senators and representatives
against the governments policy OF set
ting aside forest reserves. One OF the
arguments used against the preserves
was that they We're the breeding places
OF large numbers of wolves who, from
the forest recesses, forayed on the
stock.
Young Wolves Slain In Dens.
Mr.. Bailey made a thorough inves-
tigation and he found out the wolves
did not make their dens in the forest,
but that they raised their young in
the shelter Of rocky caves in the open
country. He suggested the searching
out of the dens and the killing of the
young wolves He told the sections OF
the country in which the dens were to
be found, and as a result of his report
thousands Of the young of the wolves
have been killed and hundreds OF
thousands of dollars worth OF stock
has been saved from destruction.
Speaking about wolves and pumas
makes one think of bears. Down in
the national museum they have the
skin and skull Of what is called the
Louisiana bear. 1t was shot by Col
onel Roosevelt some years ago and
sent to the national museum authori-
ties. Mr.. Roosevelt had an idea that
this bear represented a distinct spe-
cies. one which 1t was suspected only
existed in America. Nearly one hun
dred years ago an Englishman had
maintained that the cane brakes of
Louisiana had bear different from
the ordinary black bear of the eastern
the scientists Of America and the con-
troversy waged hot for a while and
then cooled off and virtually was for
gotten.
When Colonel Roosevelt sent his
bear to the national museum with his
word Of belief that 1t might be new
species there was an Immediate study
Of the subject, and finally 1t was dis
covered that the Englishman was
right and that the country east OF the
Mississippi river, instead Of having
only one species Of bear. has two, a
fact which may not seem to be impor-
tant to the laymen, but which Is OF
immense importance apparently to
the scientists.
Some time ago attention was
called to a bill introduced In the
senate providing for payment by
the government to certain officers Of
the Confederate service who had suf-
fered 1t was said many hardships
while prisoners, and had suffered them
contrary to the usages Of warfare. 1t
was also said that IL a bill of this kind
had been introduced years ago that
1t would have been made the subject
OF long and heated debates on the
floor OF congress. The war, however,
seems to be long time in the past.
1t was only recently. however, that
objection was raised by few subor.
dinate officials in the war department
to cutting into the monument over the
grave OF Gen. Joe Wheeler in Arling.
ton words which would show that he
had been major general in the
armed forces Of the Confederacy. II
these officials hoped to have their way
they soon found out that It was to be
denied them. for many federal sol.