Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1914-07-11
THAT GAME PRESERVE
Views of One of the Settlers as to Possible
Result if Preserve is Stocked
With Buffalo.

past year observed in the columns OF
your paper exchange items relating to
the so-called ''state game preserve" l
should like with your kind permission
the use of brief space in the Chronicle
that may in measure express and
voice the sentiments of the various set
tiers and myself in regard to the greatest
menace and imposition ever forced upon
the people. A short time ago an item
appeared in the Chronicle that the bus-
ness men Of Deadwood was In favor of
the state purchasing the ''Scotty" Phil
lips herd of buffalo aggregating some
four hundred head. IT. am not errone-
ously informed, the heirs to the "Scotty"
Phillips estate ask $500 apiece for each
and every buffalo in this herd which
means useless expenditure of $4,000
of the taxpayers money which as a mat
ter of fact, means additional taxation to
the already over-taxed people.
| The cost of the elk now in possession
of the state, and the fabulous expense
incurred in erecting the fence around this
sc. called game preserve" will, without
doubt, we'll nigh exhaust the game
| fund on hand at the outset of this i'm
| position.
Such being the case, how is the state
to acquire this herd of trouble-makers?
The answer to this question is very
plain; the taxpayers must foot this bill
of expense if this thing is allowed to
proceed without vigorous protest on
the part of every one who pays taxes in
this state. am informed by resident
of this game preserve who, when in con-
versation with the bone head who was
responsible for the establishing of it,
said, there were only about ten settlers
in the same. When apprised of the fact
that there were some tifty-fve or more
settlers res iding within this game pre-
serve, the only excuse he could offer
was, ~ didn't know there were so
many" A fine senator to represent the
constituents Of the And district 1t is
plainly evident that he did not have
the interests of the people in mind else
he would have taken the trouble to as
certain the number of settlers residing
in this game preserve and also what this
fool thing would mean to them, or what
the possible results might be.
When those of us who reside in this
preserve made final proof upon our
ranches, Uncle Sam gave US deed and
title to the home that the most of us
have spent the best part of our lives in
attaining that we might have a place
whereon we could spend our declining
years in peace and serenity, but it seems
that the bone-heads who are responsible
for this menace and imposition have
wiled it different. The fencing in of
the area embraced in this game preserve
simply signifies the fencing in of just
that much trouble, for trouble and plenty
of it is bound to be the result as soon as
the elk and buffalo are turned loose to
permiscuously roam at large to where
their fancy leads them. The turning
loose of these pestiferous and vicious
animals is sure to terminate in serious
and fatal accidents. We will take as an
instance the travelling public, especially
women and school children who might
encounter one of these animals upon the
public highway what will be the result?
A serious and perchance fatal accident
will be the outcome of an encounter
with these animals upon the public
highway.
1t is clearly and plainly evident that
the numb-skulls who were instrumental
in the establishing of the game preserve,
and those who favor the placing of buf-
falo and elk therein, have not, as a
matter-of-fact, given the least thought as
to the probable and possible outcome of
this foo-thing to the settlers of the game
preserve or the travelling public or else
they class the buffalo and elk superior
to human beings. Should serious or
fatal accident, which is by far more pro-
bable than improbable, occur as direct
result of placing these animals within
the game preserve to peregrinate when
and where they please, these inadvertant
representatives of the people at the pas
sed session of the legislature ought to be
held responsible for any and all acci-
dents that occurs and suffer the conse-
quences thereof. Just as sure as fatality
occurs because of these animals, just
that sure will the people become 30 in
censed that war of determination will
be waged against the animals.
1t is only few weeks ago, so am in
formed, that the Keeper of the buffalo
at the Wind Cave National Park barely
escaped being killed by one of these
vicious, hideous looking four-legged
devils. 1t is quite true that this atten-
dant, in order to hold his job. must
necessarily run the risk and take chances
of being gored and trampled to death by
these animals. But will the settlers of
the game preserve and the travelling
public take these chances? believe 1
am safe in saying emphatically no. I
for one never was much of a hand to
shin tree in the past, and it is a safe
bet that for one as well as others. have
not the slightest intention of practicing
this stunt that / may become an adept
and proficient in the art of tree shining
in the future to avoid an encounter with i,
or being killed by these animals There
is safer, surer, quicker and easier