Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1922-03-23

the hides only being utilized. 1t is
estimated that 3,I58,7SO in all were
killed by white people and tine hides
sent over the Sante Fe. During the
same period the Indians killed but
100000. Besides these, settlers and
mountain Indian tribes are estimated 10
have killed 10000, so that the grand
total for these years was 3,69S, $50. In
the following year, 1875, the end came
TO the great southern herd, and at the
close OF the year it had been swept
from the face of the earth. One hunt
er in Ford county, Kansas, is credited
with having killed 100 buffalo at one
stand in forty minutes; and in thirty
five days to have slain 2,l73. Another
Dodge City man says he killed 800 in
seven days, and his greatest slaughter
was $50 in a single day! He employed
fifteen "skinners" whose sole duty was
to follow him and remove the hides as
fast as he killed the animals.
The great northern herd went the
same way. In 1882 it was estimated
there were 100000 alive in this
herd, but there were at least 5000
white hunters in the field, shooting and
Strengthening the great beasts at every
point. Then came 1888 Thousands
more grabbed rifles and took the field
and Sitting Bull and some whites had
the "honor" of killing the last 10000
Such merciless war Of determination
was never known in a civilized land
Among the Indians, and even among
many of the more superstitious of the
Old trappers and plainsmen, it was sol
emnly averred that the buffalo neveD
migrated south, but that the herd which
moved northward everyspring was COM
posed OF an entirely new band of buff
falo which had never made the journe.
before and would never return again to
the south. All would admit the north
ern migration but not the southern:
and because the buffalo did not return
south in one immense herd, as thew
did to the north, it was averred thew did
not go south at all. The Arapahoes,
Kiowas and others of the plains tribes
firmly believed that the buffalo were
produced in countless numbers JIM
great caves under the gound, and that
every spring the surplus swarmed
like bees from a hive, out of great
cave-like openings, and that these caves
were situated in the Staked Plains OF
Texas.
Ibis sudden and wanton destruction
OF the buffalo, which left the Indians
virtually on the point of starvation, was
unquest!onably the chief cause of the
later Indian wars on the plains. Their
hunting grounds, which the government
mad sworn by treaty to respect, were
overrun by white settlers, hunters
gold seekers and adventures, who
Killed OIL the game without regard TO
Its use or the consequences of such
slaughter to the Indians themselves.
The government permitted this inva-
sion of the Indians hunting grounds,
together with the destruction OF the
game therein, and then expected the
uniu:ored, ignorant savage to make
a sudden change from the chase and
the Wild, free life, to that of the farmer
/ ami stock-raiser AMI agriculturist-
change which the Indian was totally
unrrepared for and untitled to make.
The very life of the Indian was de-
siroyed, and he was thrown a pauper
on the hands of set Of cold -blooded
political parasites, who robbed him
first of his suStenance and then OF his
land. 1t was only fair to the Indian
that the United States government.
having destroyed the very life of the |
Indians, should have Immediately pre-
rarcd sustcnance for them, but it was
not until years later that the Indian |
received juStice-and let It's not boast
that his justice, even, has been fair
and right to poor Lo."