New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-11-07

AllnOuGl, as mas Decll SAID, the horse mos
frequently claims Mr.. Bcr2h's protection
his loving care is equally rendered to al
other animals. The transportation on rail
roads of cattle destined for food the horrors
of the slaushter-houses, the condition of the
cows in the CITY, which are frequently con
fined to narrow, filthy, and dark pens, KEEP
on insufficient and unwhocsomc food, do not
escape his attention, and are among the sub
jects of his incessant eXcrtions. Dog ant
cock-fghts, pigeon-sh0oting, and kindred
brutal sports of high and low rowdies
which, though forbidden by law, yet occru
| frequently, meet an unrelenting foe and
prosecutor in him. Many times he went,
accompanied by police officers, to sur
prise in their dcns the roughs who had
assembled for such "fun," to arrest the
proprietOrs and dispense the spectators.
The poultry of every species have likewise
protector in him. The abominable custom
of carrying the animals by their tied legs,
heads downward, has been done away with,
thanks to his eXertions. Indeed, there is no
animal so despsed, whose claims he would
refuse to defend.
| In New York, the same as in many other
| places, the erroneous notion prevailed that
the heat of summer caused hydrophobia
among dogs. Every year, at the setting in
of the warm season, a proclamation was
issued to the effect that all dogs found in the
streets unmuzzlcd were to be caught and
| killed. For several months a general dog
persecution and massacre would take place,
attended by acts of revolving cruelty. Mr..
Bcrgh applied to the city authorities and
circulated papers, wherein he quoted ac-
knowlcdged scientific authorities to show the
fallacy of that theory, and further set forth
that the muzzle by depriving the dog of the
cooling he obtains by hanging out his tongue.
is apt to produce an injurious, if not, a dam
gerous effect. His reasons were so plausi-
bic and convincing that the dog prosecutions
were discontinued, the muzzle was done away
with, and those gifted and faithful animals
the born companions of man, as one might
call them, have enjoyed comparative security
ever since.
Over the cats, too, who generally are
hardly considered worth legal protection, his
arm is stretched out. Some years ago it hap
pened that poor cat, who had sought shelter
in an iron girder of a house just in Course o.
erection, was mmured by the degraded work
men, Notwithstanding her piteous screams
Mr.. Bergh received intelligence of the occur
renee, although only several days after, wheI
the work had considerably progressed. lie
insisted that the cat must be liberated, an(
would rather have had the whole house pulled
down than allowed the poor creature tC
staryc to death i'll it. Fortunately he hat
the law on his side part of the wall was
removed, and after nine days of incarccra
ton the cat WAS released, weak and lean, bu
otherwise unin.jurcd.
The drinking fountains which Bersh, in tn,
name of the Society, has erected in the thor
oughfares, arc benefit especially intended fo
animals, but equally enjoyed by men. O.
all the fountains in the city, they are Away:
kept best in repair, and offer besides pleas
ing sight. From the mouth of the pipe
where the cups are attached, the water flows
first into a small basin, and thence into ;
large one, below which little trough is pro
vded, low enough TO be accessible to dogs
so that men as well as horses and smaller ami
mails can find refreslment at the same time
/ Considering the extensive activity Of thu
Society, and the results it has achieved, i
seems almost incredible that the expenses
J Office rent and the salaries Of the detective
included lave never yet exceeded 5000
) year. Indeed, Bergh's financial and ad
min.;tative skill must nearly equal his yea
for tie cause, as otherwise it would be i'm
possible to accomplish so much with compare
lively small means. 1t is expected, however
that the Society will soon be able to extendit
activity still further. More than once, well
meaning friends have made considerable be
quests, among which that ofan old Frenchmar
Louis Bonard, who died last year, deserve
particular mention. lie was single man, VIII
had lived quite secluded and rather poorly
proportion to his means. A short time b'
> fore his death he sent for Bergh and mad
his will, leaving his whole fortune, amour
ing to upward of $4,000 to the socict
Unfortunately it is doubtful whether the i,
y tentions of the benevolent testator will !
. carried out, since the French Consul has col
tested the will in the name of some alleg(
distant relatives of the deceased, under Il
y pretensc that undue influence had been use
> that he had been dcrangcd, and consequent
= not responsible. AS evidence of the pr
% tended insanity of the animals friend, who
perfect sOundncss of mind cannot rcasonab
- be doubted, it was asserted in court that
u had been a believer in transmigratiOn!
% highly amusing scene ensued, when a ply
II clan, who was to give his opinion on t
subject as an expert, was asked the ingel
u Gus question by the counsel of the conte:
III ants, whether a man who entertained sucl
y belief, must not necessarily be insane, whcl
III upoa the doctor replied very coolly that sol
70 of the greatest thinkers of antiquity
y goras among them-believed in transmig
D., ton, AMI that nobody ever doubted tn
&c sanity-nay, their profound wisdom on IL
u account
=, Though Bergh's exertions meet genera
u with appreciation and recognition, he d,
- not lack bitter enemies. Among them-a