BUFFALO. 139 



plete and authentic official statistics of the number of 

 hides of buffalo transported over the different railroad 

 routes, and thus obtain a pretty accurate knowledge of the 

 numbers actually killed. To that end, I made application, 

 either direct or through friends, to the officers of the 

 various railroads which bring this product to market. 



To my very great surprise I soon found I was tread- 

 ing on most delicate ground ; the authorities of but one 

 prominent road giving me the information desired. 



The refusals, couched in most polite language, were 

 grounded on the alleged impossibility of giving the inform- 

 ation without going over all the loose bills of lading of 

 those years, involving time and a large amount of clerical 

 labour. 



It is impossible to conceive that two great railroads 

 like the Union Pacific and Kansas Pacific, with an enor- 

 mous carrying trade, should do their business without 

 books, and that the officers are really unable to give, 

 without such labour, the amount of any kind of freight 

 carried in any specified time. I am, therefore, constrained 

 to believe that the refusal is prompted by fears that 

 publicity in this matter might result in some legislation 

 which would interfere with profits. 



Such fears are without foundation. The buffalo are 

 virtually exterminated. No legislation, however stringent 

 or active, could now do anything either for or against 

 the trade in the ' buffalo product/ 



Most fortunately this general reticence found excep- 

 tions. The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Eailroad gave 

 me a prompt, full, and clear statement, from which, and 

 from personal knowledge of the business of other roads, 

 I am enabled to make a very satisfactory estimate of the 

 numbers of buffalo slaughtered for their hides since the 

 winter of 1871-2. 



The three great railroads mentioned the Union 

 Pacific, Kansas Pacific, and Atchison, Topeka, and Santa 

 Fe have done most of the carrying trade, and have 



