Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-05-07
AGENTS REPoRr.

AGENT 8 REPORT.
To the President and Trustees of the AUGUSTA
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals.
AS Agent of your Society. desire to pre-
sent, in brief, report of my doings for the
year beginning on the lst of May, 1884, and
ending on the 1st of Nav, 1885.
Three horses have been condemned and
killed In the first case. an appeal was made
to the driver of the horse, which WAS an old
and worthless one, and it was killed and bur
led BY the owner, without any expense to the
society. The second case was a horse from
Hallowell, performing service on a truck
team in great pain. with crooked leg. After
being ordered out of the city, it was brought
back again l then had the animal killed
and buried, at an expense of 81, contributed
by two citizens. The third case was that of
poor, emaciated horse, that had fallen
down in front of the express office, and there
left, the harness stripped off, and the owner
dragging the cart home. The police was Or
dered to shoot the horse at once, and it was
buried.
One horse, condemned and appraised as
worthless, was stabbed for safe keeping.
During the night it was taken out by some
one, the owner who lived in Franklin county,
sent for, who came to the city, paid fine and
costs, and was discharged. The stable keep
er, who was doubtless in collision with the
person taking the horse, plead guilty, paid
fine and costs, and was discharged.
! Twenty-three horses, diseased and disor-
dered, have been ordered from the streets.
and only two Of these have since been seen.
These horses were afflicted with all manner
of diseases, worn out and crippled. In some
cases where they belong to poor men, and
furnish assistance in obtaining livelihood,
they have been allowed to depart on the
promise of better care.
Nineteen horses unblanketed and left in
exposed positions on the streets, have been
blanketed and cared for. They were found
shivering and curled up by the cold, and were
made warm and comfortable.
Twenty-two horses that were found hitched
up so tightly in their harness that they could
scarcely move, have had their harness
changed and made comfortable.
People during the winter have very often
carelessly left their horses hitched in exposed
positions. Six horses thus left have been
stabbed and cared for and delivered to the
owners bv their settling the bills.
People are not always aware Of the heavy
drafts made upon horses and oxen in hauling
loads up our steep hills. Nine teams that
were overloaded have been lightened. A
yoke of fat oxen was found at the foot of
Rine's Hill. sweltering ana melting on sum
mers day. having hauled heavy load all
the way from Wings Mills that hot day, the
driver, not the owner, however, having used
up two feet of his goad stick on the trip.
The cattle we're fat enough to make mess
beef. and were so thoroughly exhausted that
it took three-quarters of an hour to drive
them up to the Central House stable. These
cattle were delivered to the owner after he
had paid the costs.
As society, we have almost altogether
broken up the blrbarous practice of some
market. men and butchers in transporting in
carts, their legs tied together. of live calves,
sheep, swine. and poultry The case is now
rare where they are not brous hit into the mar
ket in comfortable pens.
Not a great number of cattle pass through
here on the cars. the most gcing from Maine
passing over the 'back route" The managers
of the Maine Central are very friendly towards
the objects of the society, and certainly
would allow no merciless practice in the
transportation of dumb animals.
large number of horses left on the streets
in the cold, have been covered up and cared
for BY various members of the society.
have been assisted in my work by the
without number and feel that we are fully
sustained by the sympathy of the community.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
HIRAM REED, Agent.
Augusta. Nav 4 1885.