The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1872-11-02
PreDOre for the WOrSt.
7 From the Baltimore american of Thursday

From the Baltimore american o. thursday.
AS our readers well know, we have not fiat
tered the people of Baltimore with the hope
that the terrible plague which for two weeks
has been raging in the Northern cities would
pass over the city and leave our horses un-
harmed. There have been those who have in
dulged in this pleasing expectation, but it GER
tanly was founded on no reasonable basis
We do not think that there is city in the
Union that can boast so many fine horses as
Baltimore can, and we claim for our people
large share of humanity in their treatment of
the noble brute. We have a Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, but instan
ces of cruelty to horses are so rare that the Ia
bors gifts officers are exceedingly light. Never
theess the pride which we take in the fine an
imals that pass along in a neyer-ending pro-
cession up and down our streets cannot save
them from the malady which seizes upon the
whole equine race. We have no doubt that
kind treatment and good food, and clean. we'll
ventilated stables will greatly assist a horse in
recovering from the contagion, but it will not
90 hi~ rom taking it. The pampered carr
hage horse of opulent citizen suffers equally
with the humble cart horse, and the magni6
cent stable in which the former lodges in lux
urious ease is no more proof against its touch
than is the wretched shed in which the latter
eats his hasty meals and rests his weary limbs
The disease has not yet taken sufficient hold
W OCCdoIOH any SiodI NC VI
binary modes of transportation are still avail
able, and there is as yet no appreciable dimin-
ution in the number of vehicles seen on the
Streets but we may as we'll prepare for the
worst Whoever needs ton of coal, or a cord
of wood, or a barrel of -four, bad better order it
forthwith, for before many days it will not be
so easy to have these indispensable articles of
domestic use delivered at our doors. There
will be a good deal more trundling of hand
carts than we have been in the habit of seeing,
and probably some industrious young house
keepers will carry market baskets who are not
accustomed to that kind of labor.
We trust that the spirit of humanity which
makes our Society for the Prevention of Cruel
ty to Animals almost sinecure will exhibit it
self now in all its benefcence. Every horse
that is taken with the disease should be prompt
ly RELOCATED to his stable and allowed to remain
there until he has become convalescent. We
hope that humane people will not be shocked
with the spectacle of weak, languid animals
drawing heavy loads through the Streets
Some draymen and expressman will feel them
selves impeled by hard necessity to overwork
their horses, while others will seize upon the
opportunity TO make money out of the crisis
We trust that both classes will practice due self
restraint, and that the law will not have to be
invoked to prevent scenes of cruelty.
The loss suffered every day that the disease
continues in its malignant form will be i'm
mense, but will only be aggravated by trying
to make invalid horses perform tasks beyond
their strength.