S28 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
|Ai»BiL 24 1897. 
me. The illustrations came into my mind faster tlian you 
enned them: The yellow Indian, the prairie schooner and 
ogs, the woman with an axe killing Injuns, the hunting 
stories, the man on the cover with rifle beside an ox team 
and wagon, and a colored picture of the "Treachery of Pon- 
tiac Discovered." 
Everything else in connection with this book was suddenly 
Impressed into my memory years ago, to be refreshed by your 
allusion to it in the manner mentioned. It was the most 
wonderful book to me. There seemed to be in it a continu- 
ually flowing stream of satisfaction. I longed to be a hunt- 
er, to shoot Indians, kill buffalo, trap beaver, and scalp 
somebody, and after reading some of those stories about 
bowies and scalping knives as manipulated by Lewis Whet- 
zel, we — that is, a boy about my own age, called C, and my- 
self — ^would proceed to sharpen up our case knives, put them 
in our own belt with our hatchets, and at once be on the 
hunt and lookout for Indians. 
This boy friend m after years became one of the most ex- 
pert hunters in the Indian Territory and the West, and was 
the owner of quite an estate in this same bleeding Kansas 
of which he read when a boy; and he is now living in this 
village, as fond as ever of his annual hunt, a crack rifle shot, 
a complete Leatherstocking, having led a checkered yet suc- 
cessful life up to the present time. He is now two years 
under fifty. There is no guestion that he was better pre- 
pared for what befell him in after years, and that lie was 
better fitted to work his way among hostile tribes of Indians, 
as he actually did, by the reading of this book. Although it 
is years since he has seen the "Great West" book, frequent 
references are made by him to it when we meet, showing 
that at least three people were wonderfully influenced by it 
in earlier years. 
This friend and myself were born with the natural instinct 
of hunters, and we both have gratified ourselves in that line, 
although in diflerent ways, he preferring buffalo, moose and 
deer to the feathered tribe. This feeling of hunting was 
cultivated by the constant perusal of this book, and many is 
the time I would ask to take it home, and mother would say 
yes. Bless her heart, she is now eighty-three, and thinks we 
are yet boys! She made two happy. Two things I had — a 
glorious book and the best of mothers. 
But pardon me for wandering from the center line. There 
are so many things in connection with this book, branching 
out in so many different directions, that it is impossible for 
me to think of it except in line with the past. It is of the 
past I am writing. 
Although I am not an antediluvian, I feel that I have 
probably had better shooting than I shall ever have again, 
and may the time come when we may meet and feel thank- 
ful for the good things given us, among them "The Great 
West." HiEAM Sheeeill. 
I should like to express my personal thanks to the writers 
of the above kind and interesting letters. 
Illinois Warden Matters. 
Chicago, HI , April 17. — There is a very hot campaign on 
hand in the matter of the Illinois State wardenship this year, 
probably the most warmly contested one we have ever known. 
It is difficult to see why men seek so ardently for this unde- 
sirable eminence, but the fact remains that the office ap- 
pears to be a coveted one, possibly by reason of the fact that 
in politics any office at all is better than no office at all. And 
it is without doubt true that the appointment of the Illinois 
State warden is purely a political matter. There is no rhyme 
nor reason to it, and the valued sheepskin goes to the man 
who can put up the strongest front in regard to his push or 
pnll. The present Illinois Legislature is one which is becom- 
ing rapidly famous or infamous for its transactions in shady 
legislation. The State press openly charges bribery and cor- 
ruption against many members in regard to the passage of 
important bills affecting city franchises. However this may 
be, it is without doubt true that not for a long time has there 
been a session of the lllinoi? Legislature in which the South 
Water street lobby has had such absolute swing. It is 
alleged that the merchants of South Water street are hand- 
in-hand with the forces of the street car and other corpora- 
tion magnates, who are railrcading the above-mentioned 
undesirable bills through both branches of the Legislature. 
At this date there has been no legislation on game matters, 
and one may ae well say openly that there is not going to be 
any action in this Legislature which will not be entirely to 
the pleasure of the South Water street interests. The gentle 
art of politics will have a merry time with the sportsmen of 
this State in the year 1897. 
Among the diflerent candidates for State warden, Emmet 
Haight, of Chicago, was indorsed by the Illinois State 
Sportsmen's Association, the proper communications going 
to the Governor over the signatures of the president and ex- 
ecutive committee of that body. As an alternate to Mr. 
Haight came Mr. West, of Elgin, whose claims were 
strongly advocated by Vice-President Dole, of the Associa- 
tion, whose residence is at Elgin. Mi. West had a fair 
show, but this week Representative Hunter, who has been 
handling the sportsmen's interests, says that he hardly 
thinksitwise to press the claims of Mr. West. Mr. Harry Love- 
day, of Chicago, has been put forward by a number of 
friends for the office, as was stated in last week's Forest 
AKD Stbeam. Meantime there appears on the track a dark 
horse by the name of Mr. Albert L. Adam, of whom nobody 
ever heard before. Mr. Adam is a hardware dealer. The 
sportsmen do not know anything for or against Mr. Adam 
at this date, as he did not come before them as a candidate. 
He is said to have a good pull througb sucb men as Jimmy 
Reddick, Henry Hertz, Billy Lorrimer, Doc Jamieson, etc., 
who are of prominence in the present administration of State 
affairs, and if this be the case he is very likely to get the 
^nomination for warden. Should this be true, let us hope 
that he will prove to be a good one, and that his efforts will 
help the sportsmen where they most need aid. Mr. Adam's 
campaign seems to have been of the entirely silent sort, 
which often is the most successful. There maybe still 
others in the field who have not yet been heard from. 
Politics and Sports. 
Mr. R. B. Organ, of the State Sportsmen's Association 
executive committee, went to Mr. Fred Blount, West Side 
Park Commissioner of this city, and a politician of influence 
of this administration, seeking to advance the interests of the 
sportsmen's candidate for warden. Mr. Blount naively told 
Mr. Organ that he could not help him any, as he had already 
promised Mr. George Sloan that he would support his man 
for warden. Mr. Sloan has been earlier mentioned as the 
present reigning king of South Water street. 
Senator Campbell, of Chicago, chairman of the Senate 
committee on fish and game, to-day said to Mr. R. B. Organ 
of the executive committee of the Illinois State Sportsmen's 
Association, that he had recently been offered $500 for the 
appointment as State warden. This offer came from a West 
Side man whose name I cannot give. 
It would eeem that there is money in the office of State 
warden in the city of Chicago. It would take sometime, 
one would think, to make $500 in the collection of fines 
under the law, but there is not wanting at least one man who 
openly thinks he can make the office pay a living over and 
above $500 a year. This Chinese systern'of buying an office 
for the sake of its emoluments has perhaps never before 
come more openly into evidence. 
Meantime the game bird must take i's chances with the 
warden, the shooters, the politicians and the game dealers. 
Illinois Game and Fish Protective Association. 
An attendance of twenty-five turned out at the second 
meeting for the organization of the Illinois Game and Fish 
Protective Association, at the Sherman House, April 17, the 
above name being formally adopted by those present as the 
title of the new Association. The body of sportsmen thus 
formed expresses the hope of extending its membership be- 
yond the limits of Chicago, and sets out with the avowed 
purpose of doing all in its power to enforce the laws and to 
protect the game and fish of the State, nothing further than 
this being contemplated in its constitution. 
Col. M. H. Alberger, of Chicago, was in the chair, and 
gave a yery pretty example of railroad presiding, no motion 
getting so far along as to have the negative side of the ques- 
tion put at all. "The ayes have it," was the Chair's invari- 
able decision, without any useless delay. Thus the meeting 
was able to adjdurn at the early hour of 10:30, after adopt- 
ing constitution and by laws and electing officers, with the 
other usual routine work of organization, a record certainly 
not without its merits. Secretary Harry A. Sullivan was 
equally expeditious In his work, and the proceedings were 
rapid. 
It was decided under the by-laws to have a Board of Man- 
agers consisting of fifteen members, and to hold the annual 
meeting on the second Tuesday of each .lanuary, with the 
ordinary order of business as to committee reports, election 
of officers, etc. Provision was made for the calling of 
special and other meetings by the president by mailed notices 
five days in advance. The initiation fee was made $1, the 
annual dues also $1. Any man was declared eligible to mem- 
bership in the Association who has the instincts of a sports- 
man and a wish to protect the game. 
The following officers were elected: Pres., Col, M. H. 
Alberger, of Chicago; First Vice-Pres., Fish Commissioner 
S. R. Bartlett, of Quincy ; Second Vice-Pres. , laid over till 
next meeting; Sec'y, Harry A. Sullivan, of Chicago; Treas., 
J. V. Clark, of Chicago. It was agreed that the Chair 
should appoint eight of the fifteen members of the Board of 
Managers, he then to confer with these in regard to appoint- 
ing the remainder, these to be chosen outside of Chicago as 
much as possible. The president reported the following 
names as members of the Board : Hon. Alex. A. White, Rev. 
Edward A. Kelly, Gen, John McNulty, Messrs. C D. Gam- 
mon, J, E. Isgrigg, H. D. Nicholls and Thos. W. Saunders, 
all of Chicago; Mr. Tom N. Donnelly, of Lake county; and 
Hon. Geo. Lyon, of Waukegan. 
The meeting with formal motion indorsed Harry W. 
Loveday, of Chicago^ as its candidate for State game 
warden, and the secretary was instructed to so advise the 
Governor. 
The Spring Shooting Season. 
The Illinois spring duck shooting season closed day before 
yesterday, and was above the average in abundancp of wild- 
fowl killed. At Hennepin Club, on the Illinois River, the 
shooting was for some days yery fine, though it died out dur- 
ing the last few days of ths season. At Fox Lake, Illinois, 
several good bags of bluebillswere made, one bag of seventy, 
six to two guns. Along the Kankakee River the shooting 
was also good. Dick Turtle got sixty-one ducks at Water 
Valley in one day, and made one or two smaller' bags. At 
Calumet Heights Club Mr. A. C. Paterson was out several 
times, and made bags ranging from half a dozen to a dozen 
and a half. He was lucky enough also to kill a fine large 
Canada goose, Mr. Gillespie, however, having a hand in the 
undoing of this honker. Other bags of ducks of a dozen or 
two to the gun have been reported. It is stated that many 
of the birds, especially the bluebills, were in good order this 
spring. 
The jacksnipe season is now at hand, and before these lines 
are in print the birds wUl probably be in all over this part of 
the country in great numbers. At Kouts, Ind., Mr. 0. 
von Lengerke bagged thirty odd birds over a week ago. 
At Water Valley, Ind., IVIr. F. R. Bissell bagged thirty-one 
jacksnipe, yellowlegs and grass plover. 
On Tuesday the snipe were coming in very fast on the 
Kankakee bottoms near Shelby, Ind., the edge of the marsh 
near Skunk Knob already showing pretty fair shooting. 
Shooters can stop at Zea's farm there, a mile north of Shelby, 
on the Monon, and get good shooting. The Fuller's Island 
country is reported as having too much water. 
Mr. W. L. Wells, of this city. Joins a camping party of 
snipe shooters who will spend a week or more on the Kan- 
kakee bottoms above Momence. They go into camp Mon- 
day, and expect to have a very enjoyable time. Mr. W. P. 
Mussey left yesterday for the Maksawba Club, on the Kanka- 
kee, where he should find good snipe shooting this coming 
week. I have not yet heard from the prairie sloughs near 
Wheaton, and other points near at hand to the west of Chi- 
cago; but should expect to hear of some shooting in there 
before long. 
Spring Shooting Killed in Minnesota. 
Mr. John W. G. Dunn, of the Title Insurance and Trust 
Co., of St. Paul, Minn., called at this office two days ago, 
long enough to bring the first news of the passage in the 
Minnesota Legislature of a law prohibiting spring shooting in 
that State. Senator Hansen backed the measure, which was 
opposed by Senator Keller. 
Personal. 
Col. A. G. Courtney, who was for some fourteen years 
connected with the LeFever Arms Co., and is widely known 
among the shooters of America, will on May "l sever 
his connection with that firm and enter into the employ 
of Hartley & Graham, of New York city. He will hence- 
forth explain the merits of the Remington shotgun on the 
trap circuit and elsewhere. 
Mr. W. M. Durham, lately banker and boss bass fisher- 
man of Momence, 111., has moved to Chicago, where he will 
get more banking and less fishing. 
Dr. Z. T. Daniel, lately of Carlisle Indian School, has 
been stationed as assistant physician at the Blackfoot Agency, 
Montana. Dr. Daniel is not new in that covmtry, as he has 
made a successful big-game hunt or two in the mountains 
near the reservation in earlier years, E. HouaH. 
1306 Boxca Bviujtisa, Cbicafo, 
MY FIRST BREECHLOADER. 
What rich stores of reminiscences long dormant in 
memory's vague and misty cells must have been recalled to 
life by the exhibition of antiquated firearms at the Sportmen's 
Exposition in those old fellows who love the gun and the 
pleasure its use affords. 
In retrospection the curtains of memory are parted, and 
my thoughts travel down the vista of years to the days when, 
about twelve years old, I became the proud possessor of my first 
breechloading gun. I already owned a muzzleloading gun, 
and considered it perfection until one day there came to the 
village where my boyhood days were passed an old trapper 
and hunter, with whom I soon scraped an acquaintance, and 
who possessed among the rest of his arms a 20-gauge breech- 
loading Remington single-barrel shotgun, which no sooner 
had I seen than my whole aim and ambition in life were 
summed up in the desire to become the owner of this triumph 
of the gunmakei's art. 
My friend, seeing how intent I was on securing the gun, 
consented to sell it to me for the princely sum of $8, and to 
keep it for me until I was able to procure the ntcessary 
funds, more to relieve himself from my ceaseless importu- 
nities than for any other reason. My father was not blessi d 
with an over-abundance of this world's goods, and had he 
been would have considered it an unnecessary extravagance 
to invest in a gun whtn I already had one, so the task of 
raising the money devolved on me entirely. 
Boyhood's resources are many, however, and before many 
days had passed I had made a bargain with a neighboring 
junkman to buy from me all the old iron and bones I could 
obtain at^ cent per pound. Nothing daunted at the thought 
of the 600lbs of merchandise, I started to collect, and soon 
had a good-sized pile, which was materially augmented — I 
blush to say— by a surreptitious expedition one dark night in 
company with another boy to a farmer's barnyard, where we 
denuded an old oxcart of what iron could be removed with 
the aid of a wrench — no compunctions of conscience attend- 
ing the operation, as this farmer considered all boys his ene- 
mies, and the boys heartily reciprocated the sentiment. 
I finally had the requisite amount of material, and one red- 
letter day I trudged home bearing in triumph my well-earned 
gun, envied by my less fortunate companions. 
Every spare moment of time was utilized thereafter 
to scour the woods and fields in the vicinity with powder- 
flask, shot-pouch, newspaper for wadding and a reloading 
tool in my pockets; for I had but ten brass sbells, and when 
these had been fired I was compelled to reload them. 
One day I had fired my ten shots, and reloading the shells 
proceeded on my way, when on reaching home I discovered i 
that the reloading tool had been left on my improvised load- ! 
ing bench, a flat stone in the woods about two miles from ■ 
home. Now here was a quandary. It was dark, and I was 
afraid to go through the woods alone; but there was that tool, j 
suddenly grown to be the dearest object in my possession, j 
and the thoughts of the bones and iron necessary to procure I 
another decided me, and in fear and trembling I started on ' 
my quest, gradually becoming more frightened as 1 pro- j 
gressed, until I finally had possession of the reloader. i 
Starting homeward, the sighing of the winds in the tree tops ; 
sounding like the moaning of lost spirits, oppressed by a ' 
thousand nameless fears, my inflamed imagination peopling ' 
each bush with a lurking foe, a night bird sounded his note 
close at hand, and my courage forsook me entirely. Pur- 
sued by the unknown terrors of the darkness, I precipitately 
fled over fallen logs, across ditches, through the fields for 
two miles, until more dead than alive I stumbled into the < 
house, happy once more in the possession of my full equip- 1 
ment. 
The picture grows dim and fades. Present reality greets 
me with the sight of my Parker hammerless hanging in its 
place with my other up to date arms, but who will say its 
possession will ever thrill me with the pleasure experienced 
m the proprietorship of that old 20 gauge, with its ten shells 
and the unalloyed delight its use afforded? A, B. C. 
THE NEW YORK ASSOCIATION. ' 
lo all wJio are Interested in Protectiny the Fish and Oame of 
New York State: 
Something like thirty years ago the New York State As- 
sociation for the Protection of Fish and Game was organ- 
ized, having as its object the fish and game protective inter- 
ests of this State, and the improvement and advancement in 
trap shooting. For a time the Association was active in, 
protective matters, but this object began to be overlooked, 
and the Association came to devote its entire attention and 
energies to trap-shooting. 
In 1892 several clubs, members of the State Association, 
feehng the necessity for active work on the part of the 
organization in the effort to preserve the fish and game in- 
terests of this great commonwealth, assembled in Syracuse 
and perfected plans of organization, under which arrange- 
ment winter meetings of the Association were provided for, 
having as their object the furtherance of fish and game pro- 
tection. 
Under the revised constitution, the annual dues entitling 
clubs to representation at these meetings is $5, and a fur- 
ther provision allews individuals to become associate mem- 
bers upon the payment of 25 cents annual dues. 
We want all clubs, whether now members of the Associa- 
tion or not, who feel an interest in protecting the fish and 
game of the State, and all individuals who are thus inter- 
ested, to join us in our work. 
It is the policy of the State Association to simplify the 
present fish and game laws, remedying if possible the many 
evils that now exist, eliminating unjust local legislation and 
rendering to protective associations aid in the enforcement 
of the laws. It is the medium through which all right- 
minded oiganizations should seek and give counsel. Every 
county in the State should have a strong fish and game 
protective association, thus carrying to the Legislature a 
voice of power working for a common interest and ant 
honest purpose. 
The sportsmen of this State are requested to carefully 
consider this mat'er, to the end that they may identify them- 
selves and the clubs or associations to which they belong 
with us. Success will be dependent entirely upon the forces 
we can muster. 
The object of this appeal is to place the State Association 
upon a sound basis, having a large, enthusiastic enrollment of 
members, true sportsmen, willing to serve the organization, 
faithfully in its work. 
The cause is a worthy one, requiring hearty cooperation , 
on the part of all true lovers of legitimate sport with rod 
and gun- W. 8. Gavitt, President. J 
Vtwa, N. y, I 
