The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-02-22
WAR ON THE WOLVES
Biological Survey Does Much to
Exterminate Them.
VALUE OF BAILEY'S REPORT
Expert Found Where the AnIma,a
Bred and Advised the Staying Of
Their Young-Plan Saved
Stockmen Vast Sums.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

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 rs yexing as II was, although
for years the stock ra.sers were tire.
lmendously troubled by the forays or
the animals. The wolves in the Jack
son Hole region, however. just now
are preying on the elk. Some years
ago there we're 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
on 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 10 the work of the survey, a
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.
ton of the biological officials and OF
President Roosevelt Mr.. Bailey IN.
'dertook to find means by which the
wolves might be exterminated. or. at
any rate. decreased In numbers with
out making recourse to poison nee.
cssary. There had been 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 were the breeding places
OF large numbers of wolves who. from
the forest recesses forayed on the
stock.
Young Wolves Slain In Dcns.
Mr.. Bailey made a thorough inves.
,igation 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. lie suggested the searching
out Of the dcns and the killing OF the
young wolves He told the sections OF
the country in which the dens were to
be found and as n 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. It was shot by Cot.
onel Roosevelt some years ago and
sent to the national museum authori.
ties. MIR. Roosevelt had an idea that
this bear represented a distinct spe.
cles, one which Il 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
United States, lie was disputed by
the scientists OF America and the con.
trovcrsy waged hot for 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 II might be a 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 10 the laymen. but which is OF
immense importance apparently to
he scientists.
Some time ago attention was
allied to a bill introduced in the
senate providing for payment BY
he government to certain officers OF
he Confederate service who had sur.
tered It was said many hardships
while prisoners. and had suffered them
contrary to the usaEes OF warfare. it
vas also said that II bill of this kind
had been introduced years ago that
I would have been made the subject
Of long and heated debates on the
door 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.
Innate officials in the war department
to cutting into the monument over the
grave OF Gen. Joe Wheeler in Airing.
ton words which would show that he
had been n major general in the
armed forces OF the Confederacy. II
.hese oillcials.hoped to have their way
they soon found out that It was to be
denied them, for many federal sol.
Hers. and all the high officials OF gov
srnmont protested against the objec.
ton. The inscription showing that
Wheeler was a major general OF the
Confederacy already had been cut into
The granite and the hope OF the sane
ones Is that It will remain there as
ong Us the granite endures.
went to Arlington and read the
Confederate service inscription. 1t