The Washington times., 1937-06-11
The Human Side of the News
Bv Edwin C. Hill

A FOREST ranger in Wyoming breaks into the first
"A pages with the that he sped herd of AZ wild
buffaoes wandering about the plains This report is
because of the rarity Of the native buffalo Yet there
are living who have killed many As buffaoes IN
a single day and who tell Of having looked upon
1000 times As Of them at one time
Army officers the Indian wars reported to Wash
ngon 1870 that they estimated the number of buffaoes
on our Western plains 100000. Within 20 from
that date DR.. W. T. Hornaday teses in his American
Natural History there remained only 256 head in captivity
and 835 running wild The Army estimate may have been
exaggerated but without doubt the bison numbered high in
the millions. -.
COL R. Dodge in May, 1871, drove 25 miles along the
Arkansas River through unbroken herd which DR..
Honady figured must have contained as many as 5OOOOO
of the creatures And they but part OF the South
ern herd which numbered some 100000 -~-
The slaughter of the buffalo for long time con
sdered to be one the shocking pages of history While
the years have condoned the uessness Of the de-
srucon they nevertheless brought about the realistic
viewpoint that in the end would have become question
of building the West or leaving it to the buffalo
Fortunately the extinction of the animal prevented
and while haven't buffaoes than human beings as
we would nature been permitted to take its course
have 1900 in the United States and 1900 in
Canada.
Ironically enough these twenty-odd thousand little
too many making it necessary thin out the herds from
time because of the grazing problem have listened
to plainsmen such Bat Masterson and Colonel Cody
Bufalo Bi) tell of the buffalo hunts Of the 7Os which
both sport and business for themselves and such
others as Jim Bridges Wild Bill Hckock and Wyatt carp.
The wholesale slaughter strangely enough began neither
for sport for moneymakng but the only means Of
rounding up the Indians and keeping them their
TONS The red just would not stay put and accept the
ratons which the agents handed grudgng
long there buffalo to be hunted for food and furs
Therefore the encouraged the killing OF the animals
occurred to the first hunters that the hides were
of value The hides became the real important part Of
the work when English tanners bought lot of 500 at
Leavenworth KAN for experimental purposes hunter
from Vermont j. Wright Mooar, with Yankee acumen, de-
ced that the English leather merchants saw possibilities
in buffalo hides might the trade back East He sent skins
to his brother in New York and they sold at $3.50 each
foowup order for another 1000 began the stampede of
hunters to the buffalo country.
The buffalo could survive the profits of from $50
5000 day which held out to the hunter Mooar alone
had guns in his possession with which he said he had
killed 10000 10 years time the buffalo and
the Great Plains region graveyard Uttered with the
bones of his species By the same TOKEN it home
indeed which did not boast of at least buffalo robe
Cattle and sheep took the place Of the bison Wheat
and rye took the place of the buffalo grass The Indians
were subdued the railroads pushed their way in from all
directions and the Wild West went the way of the
buffalo
Copyright. 1884, ~ In Syndicate. Inel