The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-04-25

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button must fall.
The Horse Trade Of New Misunderstanding
Facts and statistics-Horse Racing, Horse
Dealing, &c., sc.
We have devoted large portion of our space
to-day to valuable article on the horse trade
of New York. The statistics presented therein
will doubtless excite the surprise of many who
are not conversant with the subject It is the
first time, we believe, that anything Of the kind
has ever been published and we have no doubt
it will be found interesting to large class of
our readers. The subjec. is an extensive one,
necessarily embracing an account of the vari-
GUS occupations in which horse labor is employ
ed This must be our excuse for the great
length Of the article. But, as will be seen it is
not confined to the dull dry details Of statistics.
the object being to make it matter Of general
interest to all who are either directly or indi
rectly dependent upon the labor of the horse for
a subsistence, and to those also who value his
services only by his performances on the turf
We find the number of horses at present
in the city is 22,540, and their value
$2,495, 0O0 The number in 1925 was 1854, when
the population Of New York was 1905 This
gave proportion of one horse to every thirty
inhabitants, while the proportion at present is
one to every twenty three, showing large in
crease. This proves that the application Of
steam to machinery and the different mechani-
cal inventions which have since been made
have not had the effect either Of diminishing
the value Of horse labor or reducing the num-
Der, as they might naturally be supposed to
have done. One reason for this is probably to
be found in the wonderful increase in the size of
the city bringing the horse into greater
requistion. We have estimated the number of
men who are directly dependent upon the labor
of their horses for substance at 12.7l0, but
there are thousands of whom no calculation
can be made, who rely more or less upon
them in the transaction of their daily bust
ness, for no inventions have yet been dis
covered in science by means Of which we can
dispense with their services.
The trade in horses is among the most prsft-
able pursuits in which man can engage; but
to be successful he must possess no ordinary
degree Of skill and experience. We do not
mean to reflect on horse dealers in general,
when we say that the shrewdness of some of
them is closely allied to what in common par
lance is known as cheating. Their ideas of
morality are not governed by conscientious
scruples and if they can dispose Of broken
down horse worth about twenty dollars for a
hundred they consider themselves entitled to
no little credit for their business tact. They
never cheat-they only take advantage" that
is all. Sam Lover, we think it is, who tells the
following capital story illustrative of the tricks
of horse dealers A jockey had disposed of a
horse for three or four times its value, to no
vice in the business, representing him 10 be
crack animal, possessing both speed and bot
TOM two very essential requisites, as all horse
dealers are aware. He SO praised the few good
points Of the animal, and concealed his many
bad ones, that the purchaser believed he was
particularly fortunate in procuring such an ex-
cellent horse, and congratulated himself on the
capital bargain he had made. He was not long
in possession Of his treasure, however, before
he discovered that he had been swndled, and
that the animal was hardly worth his feed
Annoyed at being duped in this manner, he APP
peared before the knowing jockey with his
horse. accused him of swindling, and demanded
that the money should be returned. "Why.
what is the matter with the horse?n said the
dealer. with the most imperturbabe GOODNESS
Matter" said the enraged dupe why the
horse is not worth one-fourth Of what / paid for
him. You told me he had no faults but find
he has not single good quality. He is spa
vined, his teeth are broken. and he is blind Of
an eye"
WELL i told you, when you bought him.
replied the dealer, /" that he had no faults and