New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-04
THE VAR on STRAY CATS.
ACTION OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN.

The Board OF Aldermen ueVOteu llscll W OH'
discussion OF yesterday II was well known tnat
Mr. Berghs resolution providing for the capture ana
destruction OF stray would come up for consdera
| ton and therefore the rooms unusually crowded
The Aldermen seemed to think the whole matter huee
Joke, and broad grins spread over the c0uhtehah'es
of most of them when the matter was caiieu
nm They were in such hurry to reach
IT, in fact, that when the clerk began the
reading of the minutes OF the last session he was inter
| rupted by a number OF Aldermen. who asked az the
| same time TO have the reading dispensed with Tue
| grns on the Adcrmcn's faces became laughter wheu
President Morris announced tnat at the request oil MI
Bcrgh he wished TO present cat ordinance. nan
dozen Aldermen wanted the ordinance read al'housh
IL had been printed week ago in all the morning
papers, and uttcrs OF laughter followed tue ieaunb VI
the different parts.
| Then Tn. members grew more funny. Alderman nan
sand with pathctlcaly solemn counenance, that the
ordinance ought to be rejected. IL thought there was
dlnger lurking in it-danger from rats Ihe Aidcrmel
who were supporting The measure came from parts OF
the city where rats yentured rot. aud mice were u
known. But ii these same Aldermen would come down
INTO the parts OF the city east OF AyenucA they
would see Brighten them out OF the sap
port Of such a proposition The eat WAS too useiu an
animal T. Ne de -rOycd IN that wholesale manner A.
dcinan II III said that mai in his hand paper winch
was far more worthy OF considerations II was circular
from man who had invented most excellent method
! of keeping eats from back fences.
Pr, sideni Morris got little indignant when matters
had rear he'd This point. aud severely sad TO Alderman
Han: The Board of Aldermen Is not the place to al
yertisc any invention any article
Alderman Hall SAID then that be wanted tho whole cat
question Ia ON The table. ard sat down. Then Alder
man Narsnon took up the matter in a more
| ocrfous spirit. re said that he had felt
| that tho execution OF the ordinance as writ
ten by Mr.. B.rzh would result IN cruelty
and he wished present an amendment that no per
son shou Il Doe employed rs catcacher VINO was less
| then sixtcen years old. Alderman Norris interrupted
amid much laughter to say that he Gidn't think the
Mayor wcul appoint schooi-joys 10 Go the catching
Al leunan Marshall said that he had had some CORE
-poudcrce with Nr B.rc the subject. Tn Alderman
mus; have been surprised az the demand from all parts
of the room that TIE correspondence should be read His
! letter to Mr. 9erfh as follows;
Inoticc from the papers that an ordinance has been
dra ted by YOU and placed IN The hands OF president
Morris he presented ut the next meeting or me IS ara
lourH Il. i e , ~ , ,.t,ryaId Knovyue rs do
that would be from your intention 10 subject hSc
animals or any other To any cruel ue"iHleH', anu uc
,hc noord Of AdeTmcn in regard to this and
every other matter 10 such way "a 10 promote Nhat Is
inst and richt venture t. ask yor-nd do II simply
y}or Observation-Disclosures ou mayuot have omitted to
consider that he proposed ordnance may pcthapS III
orn snect he productive OF good deal Of suffering 10
The class Of qnmas with which it proposes to deal
The persons employed to cap IRE stray cats ana take
them to the pound will probably be of the same
! cioss as that OF those VINO devote their energies
| fo the cap.ure Of stray dogs Now the difficulties
than those IN The case Of the dog for the reason that the
cat possess qualities which enable II TO eude lis pur
sues with more rae nty. a cay eln run W d ,iSo ol
fence or take refuge in places which would be n9cceSS
bic to dog; aud as consequence tue means 10 oe tI,
ployed in 5 capture must d. more NEoIouSl W. w.,
than with the dog. ana when these means are III Tue
hands Of number Of houghtlesS bows or Olntal men
ducat on though may be wrong, whether mere mlSht
! not be many cases which cats would be manned or
mniatcd their uursuers succeeded IL catching
them. One OF the amusement Oh boy soou useu T." Oo
| II II is not now, the stoninS OF cats, ana
can well remember with paug rcmorse that OF east
thirty years ago assisted a one OF tCse pc.
Would not this proposed ordinance nave tehuehc! 10
legaEe such treatment or at least 10 give II Sucn
color Of awfuness az to prevent tnose WHo' MnG car
ryIng out the laws provisions, may act crueHy OF
harshly from being punished therefor
1t must remembered also that In some respects Inc
cat il not as domestic as the dog Its disposition to
M you are aware, be controlled in the same
| way as those OF the dog. And. there
woud suffice to retain favore dog at home would not
he sufficient Tor pet cat whch Is naturally des rows OF
DO sesscs tar greater facilities for gratifying It's desire OF
I kpov. nv dear sir that you have studied the sub
pr adt cafe a mras,Ir, which would cause needless
pang 10 single living creature and therefore, Knowing
~ do Your lifelong Noonto the work OF amclQrat-
| ing The condition OF the lower aninas-aud without
prC suming for a moment 10 question your motives or
Your acts have written YOU these few lines simply 10
obtain from yon your views IN regard TO tno loh,ts
which Laye raised 1t ~ possible that the ordinance In
question, ifnot passed At once. may he referred to a
commit OF which am member; blJ III ELMER eFeh
sbonl wish to be informed - IFS probable effect by
whose opportunities orJuiging are greater man
ages rest IN IRE than with yourself Asking the favor Of
| am early reply, | remain, with great respect yours
| faithfully CHARLES H. MARSHALL
| Following is Mr.. Bergh's response:
Your sem Official and friendly communication IL re-
ccyrd relating To- the eat ordinance which venturcd
| TO propose aud, compliance with your request, |
nastcn to make clear what seems to be OIL DUBIOUS in-
the proroscd ordinance contains these words " No
cruelty shall be allowed" Your letter seems TO imply
mai ms condition anno be carried out Pardon me
firm not 81
cities scoOpnes employed Tor the purpose OF cap
turing dogs Why they not he used for cats Chi
dr.n ms rule seem TO he naturally addicted to cruelty
ordinance does not authorize me capture Oh cats
by them but 10y regularly appointed oihcers such as
now collect the dogs
sanction the inf ctiOn Of cruelty upon llvnS crea
ture; but death need not be necessarily cruel
The friendly dog is sacrificed 10 an illtounded appre
hensiOn, while the cats natural though none thc iesS
grievous offence. If condoned on the ground OF hu
manity which seems 10 me to be partial ana unreason-
nv reference to the first section of the proposed ord
nance you viii that the means Of carrying ont IT.
nurps are left To he Mayor sut ec o. course to the
cooperation OF enlightened and humane Board OF
Aldermen. which. am sure, VIII NOT regard me a. ac
inc IN conflict with he principles underlying the society
rfprcsont by thus inviting lis attention 10 ms subject
| Win profound respect, HENRY BERGH.
| T. ST would suggest an amendment t1e third sec
cepted" HB
Alderman Marshars amendment was carried and tho
motion to lay on the table lost Then the ordinance
AS amended was carried by vote OF ID % {. President
Morris seemed delighted
Following is the text Of the ordinance, proposed by
Mr.. Bergh
| Frst-The Mayor OF the City Of New York Is hereby
authorized and empowered To take SUCH measures as ne
may deem efficient for the capture OF all cats fOunC
at large IN any of the public streets lanes, alleys hgh
wavs parks other rlaces within the corporate llnt
| Of the cry of Ncw-Iurk. 800
Second-A found ut large. AS aforesaid shall he
seized captured and delivered by Such persons as the
MAYOR may appoint at place To be provided ana maj
catrd hy him, where such animals II not claimed withll
three therefrom bY the owner snail b. DESTROYED
i such manner aud b. such persons the Mayor may
designate; but II any such animal he diseased OF IN
b iured or otherwise disabled then 1t shall be nc once
| derived OF life Hs aforesaid.
| fhfrd-The person. having charge OF the place pro
ylded for the delivery OF the animals AFORESAID, L.
tnoriz TO receive any such animal brought 10 suel
place by persons other than those Indicated by tlu
Mavor and dispose of such animals provided In see