Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-31
j. s. CAMEL CORPS
FA|LSOF SUCCESS
Incident Recalls Effort Years
Ago to Establish Asia Minor
Animal Colony.

Escape of a circus elephant so miles
west of San Antonio. Tex. and his eff
fora . get back to nature by tearing
mp fences and striking across ranches
and farms recall the strange project
+, to establish a aforementioned
camel colony In the same region, says
a bulletin from the Washington head
quarters of the National Geographic
Society.
Egypt and Asia Minor were the
main sources Of supply for the Federal
Government" says the bulletin. Two
shiploads of CamelS We're brought over
I'm 1856 and 1857 for use in the great
American desert believed in those
early days to be sort of a Sahara Of
the Western Hemisphere. There were
then no transcontinental railways or
highways. and hundreds of thousands
of square miles of the West were total
fy unknown. The few trails across the
continent were difficult, and the lives
of those using them were in constant
danger from hostile Indians.
Visions of T. S Army Camel Corps.
at was believed that communica-
ton across the continent could be
greatly facilitated by the use of camels
who could carry much heavier loads
than mules and horses. cover greater
distances and go longer without water
The most enthusiastic supporters o.
the scheme also visualized a full
fiedged Camel Corps, United States
Army a devastating cavalry of the
dessert that would sweep over the bar
rem regions of the West and keep the
Indians in subsection.
'TThe PROJECT was in charge of the
War Depa rtment and Jefferson Davis.
go
ardent advocate. The strange bea @tS-
rs of them in all-were landed ct
Indiano'a about midway Of the coas|
Of Texas end r1o rched westward over
land. SiXrv mics west of San An
tonic at Camp Verde the Govern
ment's camel station was established
and for some wears the test marches
Of the canals gave the countryside
the appearance of Asia or Africa.
Mule.aers Da~ia-e Faud
- lie Sans camel experiment wa g
a .In.re rot because the beasts could
not live in America but chiefly be
cause os the human factor. After the
first year of the venture, when the
sicklier ANIMALS died certain breed
became acC,imated and increased in
numbers. But the Army r7uleteere
detailed to the camel station daclareS
a
from the irSt: onlv the few Greek
and Turki=h camel drivers brought
from Symrna had any patience with
them. The ranchren and other resi-
dents of the country sha red the feel
ings of the muleteers. for whenever
a camel ammo red horses and mules
bolted in terror.
TESTS showed that the cane's were
well fitted TO work in the Southwest.
On one expedition they crossed Texas
New Mexico and Arizona to the Coo
RADIO River and their successful per-
forrna nee was highly commended by
the Army officer in charge. Perhaps
even the prejudice of their attendants
might have been overcome AMI the
camel might have token an important
economic place in the Southwest as
he has in central Australia.
Civil War Disrupts Plan.
"The coming on of the Civil War
however put an end to the expert
ment. Some of the camels were sold
to circuses, some TO individuals and
some We're turned loose IN the rough
uninhabited country of Arizona.
"A few crumbing camel stables at
the old camp west Of San Antonio are
the only surviving evi 'ences of Unc'e
Sans fling at camel raising. Fo-
many years ca nln'~-grown wi d
were seen occasionally in the noun.
tains of Arizona the last report OF tie
sort being in 1909 There is a belief
among some Arizonians that the crea.
lures still wander about in the unin
babited wastes Of that State and that
there Is a herd not far from the
delta of the Colorado, In Mexico"