The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-02-23
THE EVENING BANNER
BENNINGTON VERMONT
Wednesday. February 20, 1915.
PRESERVE THE ELK
Effort to Increase Number Of Animals
In Adirondack.

EHoTk 10 iHCToaoe NuHper OF HHiHs's
In Adirondack.
Protection and increase of the elk
in the Adirondack mountains by the
members of the Benevolent and Pro-
tective Order of Elks has been insti-
tuted by William E. brisbane of AL
bany, president of the New York
State Association of Elks, through a
letter sent to every lodge in the state
asking the members to exert their In
fuence for the preservation of these
animals and to make contributions
for the purchase and liberation OF
additional elk.
Conservation Commissioner Geo.
d. Pratt" says Mr.. brisbane in his
letter, wishes to make the forty
thousand members OF the order in
New York state an active moral force
for the preservation OF these animals.
He has suggested that tho various
lodges of the Elks in the state adopt
resolutions condemning the killing
of the elk in the Adirondacks, and
expressing it as the sentiment of the
/, lodges that every citizen Of the state,
and particularly every member Of the
order who goes into the Adirondacks,
should exert his moral influence for
the protection and increase OF the elk
in the mountains.
[ "He has further suggested that
J the lodges raise sum of money to
purchase and liberate In the Adiron-
1 dack mountains enough elk to over.
come the tendency toward inbreed-
ing and to promote the natural in
crease Of the elk that are now in the
! woods. and further to provide alfalfa
/ for feeding during the critical period
of the winter, until the herd is more
strongly established,
Commissioner Pratt OF his part.
continues Mr.. brisbane. has stated
that when the snow is deep and the
elk are yarded this winter he will
have made as complete q count as
! possible of the elk now in the woods
and will have photographs and
motion pictures taken of them. II
the lodges purchase and liberate
number of elk, he will have their ar
! rival and liberation recorded in
| motion pictures. These motion pic
| lures and stereopticon slides will
| then be sent with a lecturer to as
| many lodges Of Elks in the state as
! dc sire to see them. The conserva.
ton commission will also show these
films and slides at suitable points in
| the Adirondacks, and will do further
educational work among the resi-
dents of that region with the object
| OF so impressng them with the value
OF the elk in the development of the
Adirondacks as recreation resort
that the residents themselves will CO
operate In the protection OF these
animals"
at has seemed to me-" says Mr..
brisbane, that one of the greatest
forces for the protection of these
animals must be public opinion. In
| addition TO the regular game protec-
| tive work, Commissioner Pratt is en-
deavoring to develop more favor
able sentiment regarding game pro-
lection in the Adirondacks and our
order is in excellent position to assist
in this campaign so far as it affects
the elk
The killing of any of these ami.
mails should be condemned as against
the interests OF the people of the
state at large. and especially as
against those of the residents of the
Adirondack park, whose welfare is
clearly bound up with the develop
ment of that park as great public
recreation ground"
The proposal to enlist the neral
influence Of the members of the
Order OF Elks, and also to liberate
and donate to the state additional
specimens. has met with the approval
Of James r. Nicholson, OF Boston,
grand exalted ruler of the Elks, in
letter OF communication which ac-
companies that OF Mr. brisbane to
each of the lodges