The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1873-02-28


nan TO take care OF his ow n stock.
instead OF defending himself from that
OF his ncighhor, is too obvious 10 re-
quire argument. But a law to this ef-
iect is SO bold an innovation upon Is
tablishei customs In an old state like In
dana, that course of education is nee
essary Ia bring To il the support of pub
lie sentiment. In new States il i Not diff
ficult To start ont with and maintain the
system which abundantly vindlica,es IL
self where ii has been adopted. Some
feeble attempts have made heci IN The
present Legislature 10 reach the mattel
in a practical way. aud although Mr..
Ilollingsworth's bill WAS defeated, the
general question will hardly be leIt 10
rest there. The important end contcm-
plate is the saving of so much fence rs
is required for protection against the
comparatively few worthless cattle. hogs
and horses. which thcir..equllly worth
less owners turn adriti To prey upon the
public The bill introduced by Mr. lIol-
lng>worih was not the expression of a
mere individual opinion. The State
Hoard of Agriculture. by special COM
mittee after u careful investigation.
adolued a resolution asking for The law
proposed. That resolution came from
the representative agricultural interest
of the State.and was not the result OF in
considerate nor immature thought. Iii
was entitled to much weight OH that ac-
count and should have led TO an earn
est consideration of certain facts, which
may be briefly outlined as follows: In
diana contains II $4,000 acres, of which
fully two-thirds, or li.5OO,U00 acres. are
under fence. One mile, or three hun
dred and twenty rods, is the least esti-
mate of fence for each forty-acve LOT. AS
farms are laid out, the true estimate
would excecd'this amount. But on this
basis there cannot be less than 1l60O0,-
OOO rods of fence. Suppose this to he
the ordinary rail fence OF the cheapest
class. which can not cost less than one
dollar and eighty cents per rod. and we
have the first cost of fence So0,SS0,UOo. =
Tie annual expense of repairs will be
at least ten per cent. OF the cost, or So
OsS,OUO Say the fence will last. with
eutable repairs, for fifteen years, its cost
will be as follows:
First cost of building 2O.SS0, 900
Ton per cent. annual repairs, II
years 20. $4,000
One gate to each.4O acres, or 540,-
$50 gates, at 3l,622, $50
Cost Of f.nces-and gsies, Is yesrs ssi,1Ji.sjo
Another important item remains TO
be added to the above. Under the stat
utcs. railroad companies are indirectly
compelled TO fence their roads on both
sides. The State has now within her
boundaries 1900 miles of railroads and
they are rapidly increasing. This now
requires 7.400 miles of fence, which at
an average cost of 500 per mile foots UP
&c.96O.OOO: to this add for cattle gates,
Sl.O40O0); total, $4,0OOO00: repairs on
same, fourteen years, $5.60O.GOO; add
TO previous amount. S51,734 $50; cost
without interest, S6133f, $50; now add
interest on fourteen years. at ten per
cent, sa5,sGs,790; grand total cost OF
fence, Fifteen years. S147,2O3,6+O OF
about ten million dollars per annum. =
This is below the actual facts il strictly
made up. To this might be added the
loss of one acre and half of land To each
mile of fence. Also the value Of the
material W hich might be used for Other
purposes and which can not be replaced
ten years hence ut any cost. What i
tIilS VAST Outiay IOT, Wustt IL tffc tlneT-
gency that makes it necessary? The an
swcr is to protect property against tho
ravages Of about ten per cent of the live
stock owned in the State, and that O
the poorest scrub animals to be found. =
Improved stock is fast taking the pIac,
Of this worthless class, and that is never
turned loose to make dcprcdations a
large. The entire value of the live stool
running at large in the State is not cqua
to half the actual cost of keeping then
out Of mischief. At common law, re
lief would be available in an action O
trespass, but the statutes of the Stat
have created this right of invasion an
forced the public to protect itself at TIA
expense of these millions against Oh
lawless encroachments Of the most thrift
less portion of the population. A men
Der Of the State Board of Agricultul
makes tho following significant con
ments with reference to the present law
"Thc statute laws, as they now stan'
with the interpretations given BY II
Supreme Court might as well be COZ
denscd into one act, entitled. Act to el
courage the propagation Of scrub far
and domestic animals ; and to give su,
animals exclusive rights and privileg
to do as they can and please" A just
sentiment will find its way ultimate
even to the Legislature. - Indianapol
Sentinel.