Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-11-07
Of the YorkVlI1e Enquirer
LETTER FROM ssDOWN EAST"
BosToN, Mass, November 1, 1872
THE HORSE DIsTEMPER

BosToN, Mass, November l, 1877.
THE HORSE DIsTEMPER
Is still the prevailing topic of conversation.
Instead of an abatement, there appears to be
a fearful increase in the number of horses at.
fected. In fact the disease is so terrible that it
is almost impossible to get a trunk transpor-
ted from depot to a hotel. Nearly every
horse car in the city has been hauled of, and
it is only once in great while that one of
those public conveniences can be seen moving
along any of the principal lines. The wharves
and warehouses are crowded with bundles
and bales of goods, and there is little or
no prospect of their being moved, except
by means of "hand-power." 1t is becoming
quite common now to see merchants clerks,
to the number of ten or twelve, pulling away
at wagons, loaded with goods, and by this
means doing the work heretofore performed
by draws and express trains. Every railroad
depot in the city is crowded with freight, and
railway officials decline to receive packages,
except for way stations. The offices of the
various express companies are crowded with
freight awaiting delivery, and few or no or
ders for the collection of express freight can
be filled. Almost every device is resorted to
by grocery-men, market-men and provision
dealers to deliver the goods sold to their Gus
TONERS. Many have substituted human for
horse power, and the streets are filled with
men and boys loaded with light freight for
delivery in different parts Of the city. Whole
sale merchants, instead of sending the goods
ordered by country customers to the dep6ts
and wharves in the usual way, have employed
large ga ,gs of men. who are divided into com.
panies, or teams, and each gang, by means of
q rope attached to wagon, draws the vehicle
and its contents to the place of destination.
Boston having a very large area Of suburban
territory, much inconvenience is experienced
in doing business in consequence of the large
numbers of people, working and doing busi-
ness in the city, living in the suburbs. Peo-
pie, who, previous to the epidemic, could jump
into an omnibus or horse car and ride to their
homes, or from their homes to their places Of
business in Eve or ten minutes, are now COM
PEELED to walk, losing from an hour to an
hour and half each way-tor many live as far
as eight, and some, even ten miles away.
There seems no great danger of fatal results,
as the horses which were first taken appear to
be recovering; while more recent cases, as q
general thing, are no worse. There have been
but few deaths among the great number at
Aioted, and with the return Of pleasant wealth
er it ia hoped that more favorable aspect Of
the disease will be shown.
The disease is not confined to Boston and
vicinity, but is prevalent in nearly all the
New England States. In New York it is sta
ted that there are not FIVE hundred horses in
condition to work, while the telegraph re-
ports an increase in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana
and Illinois.
Our streets are crowded with vehicles Of all
sorts, sizes and descriptions, the major portion
of which are propelled by hand. In conse-
quence of the large number of people doing
business in the city and residing in the suburbs
and in the country, there were employed five
or six hundred horse cars in transporting pas
sengers and on Sundays the travel is proba-
bly, double that on any other day. But last
Sunday not horse.car, and scarcely vehicle
of any description was to be seen on the
streets. The weather being moist and consid-
erable rain having fallen for the past few
DAYS, pedestrianism has been anything but
pleasant. The necessity of walking in the
rain has made our sidewalks assume the ap-
pearance of mass of migrating umbrellas.
Boston sidewalks being very narrow, are in
convenient at best, but when filled with peo-
pie carrying umbrellas, and the holders there
of in hurry, irritable and meek people are
tempted to thiak "cuss" words, even if they
don't utter tham.
Notwithstanding the general prostration
of business, the natural element of fun in the
composition of some people will ooze out,
even if they were at funeral and there is
no end of puns and jokes in reference to the
epidemic, the best of which I have heard,
was that of countryman who accosted a
boot-black as follows "Where does this horse
car run?' Dunno" said the imp of the
blacking brush, "the bosses runs at the nose" .