The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-11-09
Scenes at the New York Horse Markets

I me stranger who is passing Twenty
1ourth Street, in the Third Elevated Rail.
ROAD, does not need to be told that he is
IN the vicinity of the great horse marts
OF the city. His olfactory nerves speedily
assure him of the fact. If anvthino
Iurtherls needed he has only to glance out
OF the car windows and he will catch
ileetlng glimpses of stable BOYS and men,
whose "horsy'' proclivities are not to be
mistaken, engaged in handling refrac-
tory beasts or discussing the points of
the ANIMALS with the air of connoisseurs.
Let the stranger get off at the Twenty
tnlrd Street station and spend an hour
among the numerous long, narrow stables
that make up the neighborhood known
to New Workers as The Bulls Head y
and he will wonder where all the horses
come from that supply this market. The
countryman who spends days haooling
over trade will see single dealer sell
horses as fast as the stableman can trot
them before the eyes of the purchasers,
"How many horses do you sell in a
year?' asked a Tribune reporter recently
OF Bulls Head dealer.
''Ien or twelve thousand" he replied.
'Where do they all come from?'' Tg
From all over the country: Canada.
the New England States, the Middle
States, the Southern States and the West
ern States, and recently there have been
lmportations of the thick-necked. heavy
Norman horses from France. These lat
ter are for breeding purposes. To sup
ply this market, 10000 horses wear are
required. Every street railroad keeps a
man securing the country for suitable,
horses for its use. They want light, quick
horses that weigh about 100 pounds.
The brewery and express companies and
the heavy truckmen will take the largest
horses they can get. The nearersto 2, 900
pounds. a horse weighs, the more they
will pay for him. 1t is to supply this
demand that the Norman horses are be-
ing brought to this country. Ihave
stable of Norman horses, one of street
car horses, one filled with old hacks to
sell to street peddlers, and one where the
young fellow who wants to take his girl
out behind a 'toppy' team can be ae-
commodated.n
So crowded are these stables that it is
dIfflcult tomoye about between the horses
without being trampled upon. Yet the
stablemen shift the horses about and trot
them before the buyers with. surprising O.
agility. While the reporter was stand
ing looking at the busy scene in one OF
these stables and listening to the stamp
ing OF .hoofs and the crack of the dealers
whip as the horses sped past him, stable
boy walked slowly by, with an expression
of pain on his features and holding his
hand to his side. -.--.. s.,.. -
"rm afeared I am laid up for good.
this tlme,' he said as the eEreporter asked
him whereabouts he was kicked. There
is the same scene, with more or less
activity, in all the stables all day long
until night comes, when the animals are
fed, rubbed down and blanketed, as the
sea air quickly gives country horse the
pneumonia Or lung fever
When the young horse is brought from
the country he receives his breaking
in at the hands of the street-car or truck |
driver. In either case the result is the |
same. He is wellfed and well groomed.
but driven remorselessly. over the Bel
gian blocks for two years until he is stiff |
and spawned. Then he is sold on a
cleaning OUT day to astreet peddler.
The poor horse then finds that his I
troubles have just begun, and henceforth
here is only the watehful humanity of |
Mr.. Bergh to protect him.
Last year Mr.. Bergh kindly killed
about 1000 of these horses. Then their
,arcasses were sent to Barren Island. |
There every particle of them is utilized.
Their bones are made into knife-handles
md combs and find a ready sale. Their
hides are tanned for leather, and their
loofs are made into glue and mucilage.-.
" Y. Tribune. - FL f775l5is 1s.s' s&1
M Esre ..5-.rs-