Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1889-12-07
TWO THOUSAND CARS.
Turned Loose ON the Streets Of New York
Homeless and FriendIess.


respective ways home or take their
luck with strangers. Each cat was
conspicuously labelled, but as the
labels were alike they probably prov
cd OF no assistance TO the unfortunate
animals. The affair was the outcome
OF iiye-line advertisement in a news
paper, and 1t certainly tends TO dem
onstrate the value Of advertising.
The advertisement announced that
5000 cats were wanted at Niblo's
stage door at IL o'clock on Friday
morning Nobody at the theatre knows
the hour at which the first cat arrived,
but long before the appointed time
Crosby street was crowded with yari-
GUS kinds of people. Every one of
them had at least one cat. They were
carried in arms, in baskets and in
oyercoat pockets. One enterprising
boy brought eight all huddled togcth-
er in a meal bag. There were some
feline protests delivered in short,
plaintive yamps, but as a rule the
cats were too much astonished at the
circumstance to say anything about it.
About $50 Mr., Ben Stern, whose
fertile brain had evolved the scheme,
appeared at the stage door lie de-
cided not to wait till 10 O'Clock, and
with the employees OF the theatre be-
gan TO take in the cats. The candi-
dates endured no civii-serrice exam.
nation. They were all equal, in Stern's
eye, regardless Of size, color or dispo-
sition. One requisite only was en-
forced--the cats had to be alive. As
they were delivered up various bar
gains were struck with the owners.
Most Of them were satisfied with
tickets Of admission to the "Gallery
God. beginning next week, one ticket
FOR each eat Others, either from con-
scientious scruples against the stage
or from financial difficulties, preferred
TO take cash, and these were reward.
cd with dimes.
One youngster with glum face
handed in three kittens, saying: "Ma
SAYS you can have these an welcome.
We've got more'n we want and we're
goin' TO keep tom"
Stern refused to profit by the
mothers generosity and gave the
boy a ticket and a dime.
The crowd hung about after all the
cats were in, waiting to see what
would happen. Some of them had
anxiously stipulated that no harm
should be done TO puss, and the thea
ire people had accordingly told them
the scheme. 1t occurred TO Stern that
II the cats were turned loose in that
crowd that everyone would be caught,
stripped OF its tag and returned for a
NOW haroain. So the employees drove
the crowd away.
Meantime every cat had been taken
in hand gently and supplied with a
biz tag, fastened about the neck with
n string. On each side of the tag
was an announcement of the Christ
mas pantomine TO be produced at
Niblo's Theatre, beginning next week.
When the streets were well clear of
possible spectators in cats the
animals we're freed They were glad
enough to get out of the theatre, and
most of them set off at lively scram-
BILE. Few went any further in the first
spurt than across the street Then
they paused in various attitudes, some
looking neryously about with one free
nav in the air, Others cycling the
walls, with view to jumping over,
and some sat calmly down and thought
about It. The theatre people assist
cd the cats in getting move on and
IN A few minutes all of 1000 or more
had disappeared.
Mr. Stern tried this scheme in ST.
Louis three years ago, and TO test the
efficacy Of the "ad" he assigned a
man TO follow one cat and see what
became of her. She led HIM a weary
chase three times about nearly the
whole city, and az last after 10 hours
brought up at her home with the tag
still on II had been seen and read
by a great many people in the course
Of the journey St. Louis Republic.