Answer to Question #166658 in History for shanequa

Question

Why did the railroad companies hire people to kill Buffalo

Answer 1

The extinction of the vast buffalo ( Bison) herds destroyed the power of the plains Indian tribes. The tribes were a force that threaten to block the advance of the railroads. The buffalo huntersh helped to weaken the warring tribes.

The buffalo hunters not only feed the workers saving the railroads money, they brought in revenue. The railroads were short of capital to fund the building the rails. The buffalo hunters paid the railroad to ship the hides of the buffalos they killed. The sale of the buffalo hides helped to pay for the cost of building the railroads.

The Buffalo hunters, feed the workers, helped pay for the construction of the railroads, and destroyed the power of the plains Indians.