The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-07-18

New foRK, JuIy II, 1877.


The dogs have a hard time Of it
here every summer. There are thous-
ands, and sometimes at night, by the
bowling, l think millions Of home-
less and ownerless dogs, besides the
thousands that have a local habita-
ton and a name. The city has an
enormous pound, with kennels and
istalis and all dogs not muzzled
and hearing q tag with the word eli
censed" on it, may be caught, put
into the pound and, it not claimed
within forty-eight hours, drowned.
Once each year the Mayor divides
the city into twenty-five districts, and
appoints a catcher for each, who gets
thirty cents for every dog not licens-
ed and muzzled that he secures Eve
rybody who misses a valuable dog
goes at once to the pound, and In
nine cases Of ten finds bis pet. The
annual catching commenced July
FIRST, and a queer thing it was. The
police found men in partnership with
the catchers, who had collected from
6fty 10 two hundred dogs, 10 the
country, which were to be turned
over to them, and the profits of the
speculation divided. Boys Of all
sizes and degrees of dirt ranged out
into the neighboring villages, captur-
ed every dog possible and dragged
them into town, for the fifteen cents
per head that the catcher would al
low them if the property could be
delivered where no one could see the
transaction. The regular catching
is done after three o'clock in the
morning. The catcher has a female
dog trained, aud a dozen other assist
ants. Immediately after he appears,
dogs of every possible kind issue
from the alleys and courts, and by
skillful manipulation they are canght
and thrown into q wagon with q
wire net, until it is full, when they
are driven to the pound and incar-
cerated. This is a season of coz
sternation among the owners OF dogs.
The catehers who are as regardless
of the rights of n as any other
highwaymen, boldly demand of nerv-
Gus widows and ancien. maiden Ia
dies who have pets, price for immu-
nifty, and if the price is not forth
coming, the pet somehow turns up
missing. 1t is some consolation to
know tbatthey get bitten indoingtheir
work, and that there is a chance of
their being taken with hydrUphobia,
though it is doubtful whether the poi
son of o mad DOGS bite would have
any effect upon a New York Office
holder. The unclaimed after forty
eight hours, are drowned, and their
bodies are melted up, and fine soaps
'for the toilet are made of the
grease.
SMUGGLING.
An immense smuggling ring has
been broken up by Cap;- Bracket,
of Inc Custom-House. The officers
Of the National Line, eight years ago,
went into partnership with one Scott,
in the smuggling of silks and laees.
The method was very simple. The
goods were brought in The cabins of
the officers, and by collision with
people in the Custom-House they
were permitted to be landed without
examination, rs personal property.
Where there was too much, these
valuable goods were packed in bar
rels of plaster or salt. or something of
a similar nature, that was presumed
TO have come out as ballast, and con-
venient stores in The city were provid-
ed for its reception. Several heavy
merchants in the city were in the
trade in fact, there was a great
deal OF money in it. and the business
was as regularly carried on as any
other. 1t is estimated that Scott and
his partners have smuggled goods
worth two millions OF dollars within
the eight years the business has been
running, which, as the tariff on the
goods smuggled was very high, has
made q rather comfortable thing Of it.
Ten culprits are now in the hands Of
the police, and other arrests will fol-
low.
THE cUsToM-n0UsE.
The work of clearing out the Gus
om-unns ia nraOrecsino saf~iSfsetnri-