The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1873-03-07

mrn 10 take care OF his own stock
instead OF defending himself from that
OF his neighhor, is too obvious TO re-
quire argument. But a law to this ef-
iect Is so bold an innovation upon es-
iablishcil customs In an OLD state like In
dana, that "A course OF education is nee
essary 10 bring to il the support Of pub
lie sentiment. In new States il l. nri diff
iicult Ia start out with and maintain The
system which ahun,lantly vinlicases it.
self where il has been adopted. Some
feeble attempts have made beer IN The
present Legislature 10 reacl, the matter
in a practical way. aud although, Mr..
lIollingsw orth's bill WAS defeated, the
general question will hardly be !eit 10
resi- 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 their.sequllly worth
less owners turn adrifl To prey upon the
public. The bill introduced by Mr.. llol-
ling>worih was not the expression of a
mere Individual opinion. The State
Hoard of Agriculture. by special COM
mittee after careful investigation.
ado,ued n resolution asking for the law
proposed. That resolution came from
the representative agricultural interest
Of the State.and was not the result of in
consi,leratc nor immature thought. ltI
was entitled 10 much weight on that ac-
count. and should have led TO an earn
est consideration of certain facts. which
may be briefly outlined rs follows: In
diana contains II ,63S.QO0 acres, Of which
fully two-thirds, or li5cO,U0O acres. are
under fence. One mile, or three hun
dred and twenty rods, is the least esti-
mate Of fence for each forty-acre lot. AS
farms are laid out, the true estimate
would excecd'thi> amount. But OF this
basis there cannot be less than ll6,0O0,-
90 rods of fence. Suppose this ID bc
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 $50. $4,000
The annual expense OF repairs viii be
at least ten per cent. OF the cost. or So
0sS.OU0. Say the fence will last. with
suitable repairs. for fifteen years, It's cost
will be rs follows:
First cost of building S20,SSO.000
Ton per cent. annual repairs, ii
years 90, $4,000
One gate to each..40 acres, or 54o.-
$50 gates, at S3l, 622, $50
Cost Of ferce--snd sssss. Is yesrs ssi-1Si.s5o
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 400 miles of railroads and
they are rapidly increasing. This now
REQUIRES 7.4OO miles of fence. which at
an average cost Of 500 per mile foots up
$o.96O.OOO: to this add for cattle gates.
Sl,O4O.OOJ; total, $4,OOO.O0O: repairs on
same, fourteen years, $5.6oO.GO0; add
TO previous amount. S51.734 $50: cost
without interest, S61, 33f, $50; now add
interest on fourteen years, at ten per
cent, Ss5.sGS,79O; grand total cost of
fence, Fifteen years. S1f1. 2O3,64U. or
about ten million dollars per annum. =
This is below the actual facts if strictly
made up. To this might be added the
loss of one acre and a half of land To each
mile of fence. Also the value Of the
material which might he used for other
purposes and which can not be replaced
ten years hence 1T any cost. What Is
this vast outlay for, what is the ener-
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 i'm the State, and that o.
the poorest scrub animals to be found. =
Improved stock is fast taking the plac,
Of this worthless class, and that is neve
turned loose to make dcprcdations a
large. The entire value OF the live stool
running at large i'm 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 @
trespass, but the statutes of the Stat
have created this right of invasion an
forced the public to protect itself at tn
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
The statute laws, as they now stan,
with the interpretations given by Il
Supreme Court might as well be col
denscd into one act, entitled. Act to Ell
courage the propagation Of scrub far
and domestic animals ; and to give su,
animals exclusive rights and privilcg
to do as they can and please a just
sentiment will find its way ultimate
even to the Legislature. = Indianapol
Sentinel.