$15,000, or $32,000 altogether; the Society agreeing to 
furnish for the preserve a herd of not less than fifteen 
full blooded bison in good condition for breeding. 
On March 14 Secretary Wilson in acknowledging 
the receipt of these letters wrote as follows: 
In reply I beg to say that the department fully appreciates the 
generous offer of The American Bison Society, as well as the public 
spirit shown by the Society in formulating this project and in col- 
lecting the data necessary for submission to Congress. The National 
Bison Range in Montana, established at the suggestion of, and 
stocked with buffalo presented by, your Society, has been remark- 
ably successful, and has demonstrated the importance of having 
several such preserves at suitable points in the original buffalo 
country. The Wind Cave National Park seems to offer a location 
equal to that of any preserve thus far established; and if the plan 
which you outhne can be consummated, it will afford another range 
as desirable as that in Montana. 
The matter will be taken up at once, and your plan will be sub- 
mitted to the Secretary of the Interior and to Congress in the hope 
that the necessary legislation may be secured. 
Respectfully, 
JAMES WILSON, 
Secretary. 
Clauses were accordingly inserted in agricultural 
appropriation bills in both houses of Congress provid- 
ing for the establishment of the Wind Cave National 
Game Preserve as recommended, and providing for 
appropriations of $17,000 for fencing and $15,000 for 
land purchases. Members of your Committee on State 
Herds appeared before members of the Committees on 
Agriculture of both houses. The measure passed the 
Senate in March and went to the Conference Com- 
mittee of the two houses, and finally passed both houses 
in the early summer as prepared, except ‘that the 
appropriation made was $26,000 instead of $32,000. 
The Department of Agriculture has proceeded 
under the act to prepare the way for the establish- 
ment of this important game preserve, beautifully 
located, admirably adapted for the purpose intended, 
and including a portion of the winter feeding grounds 
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