Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-07-11
The Sheep and Dog Interests
.ffn& of Indiana.

In the census reports of 1850 Indiana Is
credited with l,l22, 1913 head of sheep
Ten years later the number had increased
to 2,is93s7, being gain OF nearly one
hundred per cent, OF ten per cent. annual
ly.. We have no statistics at hand by
| which to determine the number at this
date, but estimating at the same ratio q
increase that that there was from $50 TO
1860, there are now in this State about 81
zoo. 900 head Of sheep.
How many dogs VIC have has not beer
ascertained by any census report, but the
amount of taxes assessed upon these sheep
killing animals, in lS66, may be considered
an approximation to the true number
Nine counties made no return of the dog
tax, in consequence, probably, of decisions
in some OF the inferior courts against the
constitution ality of the law imposing it,
but the amount levied in the other eighty
three counties was Sl54,s40, and as the
usual tax is one dollar for each dog, we
have about $4,000 ours of high and low
degree, against nearly 4,OOO,000 sheep.
The Supreme Court having sustained the
constitutionality of the dog tax, the delin-
qHent counties will hsnceforih collect il,
and unless the hy9rophobia panic has
thinned out the dogs largely, the sheep
indemnity fund will show considerable
increase in the next report of the Auditor
Of Stale
The dog tax is set apart as a fund TO re-
imburse damages done by the killiag or
manning of sheep by dogs, and as we have
met some farmers who were not aware of
its provisions, and proposed to abandon
sacep raising in consequence of the rava-
ges committed by vagrant dogs Oh their
flocks. we have thought it not unimportant
TO call attention to the provisions of the
Act of March ,, 1868, which was passed
with the double object of discouraging the
Increase OF dogs and encouraging the
growth of WOOL.
Any person sustaing loss by the MAIN
ing or killing Of his sheep By dogs, may
present his claim for damages TO the trus-
tee q the township in which the mischief
was done, and upon proper proof being
male 10 The satisfaction of the trustee, he
is required TO award, anttto pay out of the
fund arising from the dog tax, such DANA
ges as he may deem just; conditional, how
ever that the claimant will not prosecute
the ewner of the dog causing the damage,
and provided that he has not prosecuted
ar action against the over.
In case q surplus of over fifty dollars Of
this fund remains in the hands ofthe town
ship trustee on the first Monday in March
OF any given year, over and above all or
ders drawn on the same, such surplus is
required to be passed to the credit OF the
school revenue of the township, TO be ex-
pended in the payment OF tuition in such
township as ether funds received for that
purpose.
What amount OF claims have been pre-
sented against this fund i'm the respective
couotics by sheep owners, we have no
means Of knowing. but we are informed
of several counties in which large amounts
have been paid into the township school
fund, IN default OF claimants on account Of
sheep destroyed.
The fact, therefore, that great ravages
are occasionally committed among flocks
by dogs, should not deter our farmers
from raising sheep, as the law makes am
pie provision for reimbursing such losses.
The high prices and comparative scarcity
of beef and pork of late years, have largely
increased the consumption of mutton; and
ii is likely TO become more and more an ar
ticlc of diet, in case the abundance of Sd yep
s.all enable it to be furnished at reasonable
rates. *.
The value of the wool produced by the
number of sheep owned by our farmers Is
no inconsiderablc item, we think, at a fair
estimate, not less than Sc.OOO,O00 annually,
at the low price it rev bears The present
tax on dogs will bc continued as long rs
the farmers of the State choose to have il
continued. and if it should at any time be
found insufficient to make good The dana
ges resulting from the raids of dogs upon
the sheep folds, the Legislature win not
hesitate to increase its amount.-Ipd.
Jour.