Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-08-19

ance with nv observations, does not depend
on any specific animal poison
The Prairie Farmer of August says;
1.-THE cattle disease has heretofore been wi
der spread in Missouri and Kansas than IN
our own state, and the determined efforts OF
the people to prevent the introduction OF
these cattle by that route have induced the
operators to find some other way to get their
stock into the country. Hence the route by
the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, to ST. LOUIS
and Cairo and points on the Ohio, thence by
rail, to interior points, has been chosen.
Not withstanding the recent law of our state
| forbiding the traffic in said stock, large num-
bers have been introduced by this route, and
they have been scattered over a somewhat linn
tied extent. But wherever they have been
landed, the disease has appeared after short
| time, and of course, at once attracted the at
tention of all who were in any way interested
in stock-raising, who had the interest of
the state in view.
s. The first shipment received at Cairo came
up the river from New Orleans, and was land
ed the Odd of April; the second lot on the
Goth. Each of the Sc lots contained $50 heads
They were shipped from there to Toledo.
where they arrived in good order and appar-
emily in perfect health. Other shipment.
| followed, in all amounting to about l, 200
per week average. As the warm weather
| came on, Une CdItle, as tHey were uulOdUeu
| from the boats, showed more or less disabili-
ty, the effect of disease, overcrowding or in
jury. Occasionally few animals would be
left behind in shipping, too weak to stand
the railroad journey. These frequently
were turned out on the small range inside the
levee, or perhaps traded off to the butcher.
fhe cattle are unloaded from the boats and
placed in feeding yal DIS at the depot grounds,
where they are fed and watered and allowed
TO remain from twenty four to thirty-six
hours. During the hottest weather, we were
informed, it was not uncommon to find ten or
fifteen dead in the morning, and frequently
many dead on the boats, where they are
most mercilessly packed, often SO close that
they are obliged to make the whole journey
of five to seven days without being able to
get water. The only wonder to us is that SO
small per cent died on the trip.
''The citizens whose stock has been
scourged with the so-called Texas fever, al
lowed their COWS free access to the same range
the Texas cattle had been upon. The cows
had also easy access to the feeding yards OF
the cattle in transit, when empty, where they
picked up the scattering feed that was left.
Nothing, however, was thought of it until
about June 1st, when a cow belonging to a
Mr.. Bross died quite suddenly: This was
quickly followed by others dying in various
parts of the city +; but the deaths were not
numerous until the last week in July, when
one dairyrnan lost sixteen out of twenty-five
head and others were affected and are doubt
less dead ere this. Others were lost in
many instances, their whole stock, and the
total losses in the city were variously estima
ted at from hundred to hundred and fifty.
mostly mich COWS. Without exception, so
far we could learn, every animal SO dying
had either been pastured on the range, or
had access to the feeding yards of the south
ern cattle.
Following up the railroad to Farina, a
halt was made !. e learned that eighteen
carloads of these animals were landed here
about the 10th of May, and ranged on the
prairie west of. the town, being herded at
night in fenced lot of Mr.. Edward Richard
son, who had fifty head of native steers and
mich cow in the same Enclosure. These
Texas cattle remained there until about the
middle Of June, when they we've shipped
North, their number having been lessened by
death some twelve or fifteen head. The cat
tie seemed badly bruised and emaciated, and
the deaths were generally attribut to those
causes rather than to disease. Matters re-
manned in this shape until about the 25th of
July, when the cattle of Mr.. Richardson and
others Of the village commenced dying. AT
the time of visit MIR. Richardson had
lost forty-seven head of stock, all steers but
one, and the residents of the village abont
half as many more, mostly mich cows. leav
ing many a family without that great neces-
sity milk. We found here more excitement
than below
At Tolono, the crossing of the Great
Western Railroad. the larger part Of the
stock coming oyer the Central Railroad has
been unloadcd, in all some fifteen thousand
head These have been distributed among
the large feeders in that neghborhood, and
Lory hoo 1-,x-
points in Indiana AS might be supposed,
the scourgc has been more extensive about
here, and consequently increased excitement
prevailed the community. As the disease
broke out, the owners of cattle that had been
exposed on the ranges, or along the routes
where they had been driven, became very
naturally excited over tho matter, and re
fused to allow some trains to be unloaded ,
which were consigned to that point. 4 vigi-
lance committee was organized to carry out
the order, but there no need of it. so far
as the Central road was concerned, because
the superintendent stopped all shipments of
stock from Cairo, as soon as the facts above
stated had transpired. But this did not stop
the evil that had been done, as the losses of
the native stock were becoming alarming.
Up to Saturday night, the committee report
ed two hundred and thirtyhve cattle dead at
Tolono, with more dying every hour,
IS From this point, east and southeast
through the townships of Sidney, Homer and
Philo, on the track of the Texas cattle, the
course could readily be followed by the
graves of native cattle along the route
Here we found the excitement at the highest
pitch. A vigilance committee had been
| formed, and the proprietors of Texas animals
waited upon in the dead of night and mott
fed to appear at a called meeting, and pledge
| themselves to paw for all cattle lost -