The Portland daily press., 1872-10-25
The Horse Epidemic.
Ten Thousand Afflicted i'm New
York.

New YORK, Oct 24.-The increase in the
number of cases of horses suffering from the
prevalent malady is calculated at from 80 to Al
per cent. of the horses in the city, or from 5000
to 10000 in all, in various stages of the mala-
dy The subject is universally discussed, and
fears that serious interruption to traffic may
take place in a few days are spreading. Yes
terday hundreds of the infected horses were in
the streets, and thus far there seems to be de-
termination by the car companies and stage
proprietors to run their vehicles at all hazards.
About $50 cars in all have been taken off of
different lines, giving little longer time to
wait between the trips, but as yet it has not in
terfered with the comfort of the travelling pub
lie. Some forty stages were withdrawn yester-
day, and those in use consequently were great
ly overcrowded. Alarming stories have been
created to the effect that the infectious nature
of the disease is transmitted to human beings,
but beyond the reports no cases have as yet ap-
peared wherein the master has taken the dis
ease from the horse.
NEW YORK, Oct. Observation-Disclosures
manufactures and industry are partially par
alyzed in this city and Brooklyn in consequence
of the sudden deprival of the use of a large
number of horses. In Brooklyn it is said that
the horse cars stop running tomorrow. The
damp weather last night and to-day undOubt-
eddy aggravated the epidemic, and 81 of the
horses in this city are affected with the disease
1t has made alarming PROCESS among railroad
stage and livery stable horses and while those
are suffering at the rate OF 20 per cent, private
coach and truck horses which are better cared
for and not worked so hard, only suffer at the
rate of As per cent. The Broadway and Odd
Street Stage Co. suspended its trips to-day, over
half of their 475 horses being sick Of 300
horses of the 9th avenue railroad, about one
half are affected by the disorder. No cars have
been taken from the 9Th avenue line, and none
of their trips are yet abridged. About 600 of
of the II horses on this line are affected. Ten
regular cars were taken from the 9th avenue
line to-day; some 400 horses on this line are
suffering. About 800 are sick in the It'll ave-
nue. line stables, some badly. Three hundred
and fifty of the 600 belonging to the 4th avenue
road are ill, as are 300 on the Sd avenue line.
The I'd avenue road is less affected than others
but has considerable number of horses laid
up. Broadway is seldom seen so quiet as to-
day. About one-quarter of the usual number
of teams passed through the street, and almost
every horse was closely wrapped in wooden
blankets. 1t is probable that the mail service
will be seriously affected. 1t requires 200 horses
daily, and unless the severity of the epidemic
be mitigated the supply cannot be kept up.
The horse disease made its appearance ON the
Stock Exchange to-day, and Wall street ope-
rators are beginning to calculate what the effect
of the equine epidemic would be if it should
continue few days longer. The lack of horses
to move freight to and from railroad depots
would cause terrible interruption to railroad
business. Express Co. stocks are already low
er. The American and Merchants Union Co.
has not 20 horses out of 100 fit for service. But
few horses owned by the Adams Express Co.
were fit to be barnessed to-day, and Is belong
ing to the United States are affected. The bus
mess of the express companies is almost pros
trated, and great quantities of freight lie in
warehouses awaiting shipment. Private firms
and individuals are suffering severely from the
illness of their horses. In one livery stable 80
out of 81 horses are laid up. Many livery sta
bles are closing up. Grocers, banters, milk
men and others are with great difficulty driving
customers
In Brooklyn the city railroad is compelled to
stop many cars, having 500 out of 1000 horses
affected. Other lines are suffering seriously
and are also obliged to suspend some trips
Horses at the various livery stables. are affected
So many horses of the Knickerbocker Ice Co.
are sick that the company are compelled to lay
up their carts There were u horses of the
Washington Ice Company sick this morning,
and in New York grocers, bakers, &C., were al
than sonn I.a--.s II
in Brooklyn The horse disease is spreading
at Hunters Point and Astoria, Flushing Rail-
road Company, Pratts oil works and many pr-
vate citizens having animals suffering. Over
200 animals in the Jersey City stables are suf-
fering with the disease.
1t is estimated tonight that $4,000 horses are
under treatment in this city. 1t is reported
that two street car lines have stopped running.
At Augusta.
AUGUSTA, NE Oct. Zf.-lne OdIdulau uOTSe
disease has reached here. Many horses are
afflicted. No fatal cases as yet.
The Crisis Over i'm Buffalo.
BUFFALO, Oct N-The horse disease has pass
ed the crisis here and is now abatfng. But few
horses have died and these more from hard
usage than the effects of the disease. The can
al horses here have almost entirely escaped.
The treatment of the disease here has been very
successful.
I'm Rochester, N. ".
ROCHESTER,, Oct. 24-There was heavy
frost last night, but reports this morning show
that the horse disease has taken severer form
than ever Last evening no horses were to be
seen on the streets. Store keepers are deliver
ing goods to the city customers in hand carts.
The police ordinance prohibiting the trundling
of handcarts on the sidewalks is suspended
Persons who have contracts for building houses
have suspended work to great extent and dis
charged the workmen. 1t is now evident that
the animals attacked took the disease from l.
to 20 days before it was discovered. Few fatal
cases are reported, and the disease has appear
ed among the canal horses here and also along
the line of the canal. The suspension of the
street cars is great inconvenience. There is
great difficulty in procuring conveyances fol
funerals.