Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-02-22
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 Youne-Plan Saved
Stockmen Vast Sums.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

tue department is mucn
just 10y in the reports
come from the far west of the
of cattle and sheep by wolves
and coyotes. The wolf probably is
not now as vexing as it was, although
TOR years the stock raisers were ire
mendously troubled by the forays OF
the animals. The wolves in the Jack
son Hole region, however, just now
are preying en- 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
off 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 n 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, a
kindness which developed because of
the support which the survey receives
country.
Some years ago Vernon w. Bailey
of the survey went west with the sane.
tion Of the biological officials and OF
President Roosevelt. Mr.. Bailey un'
dertook to find a means by which the
wolves might be eXtermfnated. or, al
any rate, decreased In numbers with
out making a 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 were the breeding place:
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 II
the shelter of rocky caves in the opel
country. He suggested the searching
out of the dens and the killing OF tn
young wolves. He told the sections 0
the country in which the dens were t
be found, and as a result of his repor
thousands of the young of the wolve
have been killed and hundreds {
thousands of dollars worth OF stoc
has been saved from destruction.
Speaking about wolves and puma
makes one think Of bears. Down
the national museum they have til
skin and skull of what is called tn
Louisiana bear. 1t was shot by Co
onal Roosevelt ONE years ago an
sent to the national museum author
ties. Mr.. Roosevelt had an Idea tha
this bear represented a distinct sp'
cies, one which 1t was suspected onl
existed in America. Nearly one hui
dred years ago an Englishman ha
maintained that the cane brakes {
Louisiana had a bear different frol
the ordinary black bear of the easter
United States. He was disputed b
the scientists of America and the col
troversy waged hot for a while an
then cooled off and virtually was TO
gotten.
When Colonel Roosevelt sent h
bear to the national museum with h.
word of belief that 1t might be a ne
species there was an immediate stud
of the subject, and finally 1t was di
covered that the Englishman wf
right and that the country east of tt
Mississippi river, instead of havir
only one species of bear, has two,
fact which may not seem to be impo
tant to the laymen, but which Is
immense Importance apparently
the scientists.
Some time ago attention W;
called to a bill introduced in II
senate providing for payment |
the government to certain officers
the Confederate service who had 81
fered it was said many hardship
while prisoners, and had suffered the
contrary to the usages of warfare.
was also said that If a bill of this kir
had been introduced years ago tn
it would have been made the subie
Of long and heated debates on II
floor of congress. The war, howeve
seems to be a long time in the past.
1t was only recently, however, tn
objection was raised by a few subc
dinate officials in the war departing
to cutting into the monument over Il
grave of Gen. Joe Wheeler in Arlir
ton words which would show that
had been a major general in Il
armed forces Of the Confederacy.
these officials hoped to have their WI
they soon found out that 1t was to
denied them. for many federal s.