Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1881-02-26
Stockholders Meeting
Of the Bsrle,ey County agricultural a.
Mechanical association


Pursuant to call meeting of the stock.
holders of the Berkeley County Agricultu-
raj and Mechanical Association was held i'll
the courthouse on Saturday, February .,
1881. On motion, Hon. NJ. ;. Grantham
was called to the chair and J. II. Gettinger
and w. I. Logan elected secretaries.
On call of the roll majority of stock was
found to be represented.
On motion of J. ~ Wisner the reading
of the minutes of last stockholders meet
ing was dispensed witt
On motion of Judge Faulkner it was or
dered that the meeting proceed to the elec-
ton of Directors of the association for the
ensueing year.
All the old Directors we're elected, except
Judge Faulkner, in Martinsburg District,
who asked TO be relieved for reasons stated,
and c. L. Matthaei was substituted instead
and in Hedgesville District, W. III. kilmer
WAS elected to the vacancy caused by the
death of Barnet Cushwa. Two vacancies
in OpequOn District were filled by the cleo
tion of 4. J. Thomas and Jacob VI. McQull-
kin. James Mckown WAS substituted for
+. :. :. McKown, in Gerardstown District
and on motion j. Rush Couchman was ad-
ded to the Arden District.
The association having elected It's officers
for the coming wear, and disposed of It's or
dinarv business. Col j. b. 4. Nadcnb0usch
submitted to the meeting the following res
olutiOn:
Resolrod. That hothanks of this association
are due. and they are hereby accorded 10 our
State Senator +. Boyd Faulkner. Es'l., Tor
calling thcattcnti0n of the legislature oi tins
State To the cxpciiency of adopting some time
ly and efficient legislation to protect the cattle
interes; from the rayagcs OF the disease calico
pleurO-pneumonia, and We beg leave To second
the movement of our Senator by respectfully
urging this subject upon the prompt attention
of the Legislature.
Colonel Nadenbousch was very compli-
mcntary to our Senator and as a farmer ex-
pressed his high qualification that the inter
ests of the grazing and farming classes re-
ceiyed their proper attention at Wheeling.
The chairman then called upon Hon.
Chas J. Faulkner for the expression OF his
views upon the subject then under consld-
Grafton.
Mr.. Faulkner remarked that he had moth
ing to say upon the resolution of thanks.
If the Senator from this district was the
first to bring this subject to the attention OF
the legislature, it was very natural move
mcnt coming from a citizen Of Berkeley
county in view of our close proximity to
the county of Wasl in yton, in Maryland.
This destructive disease, it is understood,
made It's appearance for the first time last
fall in Washington county-a county only
separated from this by the narrow channel
of the upper POtomac-and it il well known
that there is mitch commercial intercourse
between the two counties, Berkeley Is
therefore more exposed to the invasion of
this disease than any county in West Nir-
ginia. and it might therefore be expected
that the first warning cry of alarm should
come from this quarter.
Mr.. Faulkner said that he had, for some
years. had his attention drawn to the losses
caused by the disease called pleuro'pneu-
monia among cattle, both in Europe and In
this country. The losses in Great Britain
have amounted to many million of pounds.
He had not seen any statistics of any other
country in Europe, although il is known
that it prevails more or less in every portion
of it. The disease was introduced into this
country some twenty years ago by an I'M
portation of Holstein cattle into Boston.
Ii soon began to spread and the alarm be-
came so great that a special session of the
legislature of Massachusetts was called TO
stamp out the disease by the most vigorous
and decisive measures. This they have 10 a
great extent accomp, ished, but ut an expense
of near 100000 from the State treasury,
besides large local expenditures in the town
ships From Massachusetts 1t has extended
into New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey,
Delaware and Maryland. He believed all
those States had adopted vigorous measures
of repression. but he did not know the de-
tails of their legislation, except so far as he
has observed through the papers the prompt
slaughter by order of the commissioners, OF
every animal affected with the disease.
Congress was so impressed with the mag
nitudc Of the evil, that some ten or twelve
years ago it passed a law prohibiting the
further importation of foreign cattle into
this country He was pleased to sec that
the subject was now attracting the earnest
attention of the Department OF Agriculture,
and that some measures were under consid-
Grafton by Congress to arrest the evil. Still
he did not see that any legislation by Con-
gress. which could only extend to foreign
importation and 10 commercial intercourse
between the States, could give any protec-
ton to our people if the disease shall pass
our limits. or that it can dispense with the
expedcncy Of our own State legislation.
Ii is a disease incurable by medical treat
mcnt, and highly contagious, and there Is
but one mode OF arresting IT. progress and
that is by the immediate slaughter of every
animal exhibiting symptoms of the disease
"a remedy that can only be applied under
the law and by governmental authority.
So far. he believed, we had never had a
case in West Virginia, and with the lights
which the calamities Of others have thrown
around this subject. L would be very easy,
by proper preventive measures, to guard
our people against its terrible ravages. IT
would take many millions of dollars 10 re-
munerate the farmers in the northern At
lantic States for the losses they have sus-
tanned by this cattle plague.
There was one admonition that he would
give the farmers of Berkeley, Jefferson and
Morgan, whether members of this assoia-
ton or not, which, if observed, might GER
tainly economic, if it did not dispense with
any governmental remedy which the state
might think proper TO adopt for our Protec'
ton. and that was to purchase no cattle from
anv State, or section OF a state, IN when
this disease has been known TO exist. II
we could rely upon the observance OF this
advice. the remedies provided BY the State
/ might exist on the statute book, but would
not be required in practice.
The great object to be kept in view Is 70
I exclude the disease from our State. If once
it deposits its virus upon our soil, nothing
is more difficult Of eradication. Massachu.
sets four times publicly announced that i
had crushed out the plague by its stern aud
ralentless measures of repression. but tho