New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-01
whom it may concern whether or not the chin
neys will draw.
THE HYDROPHOBIA EPIDEMIC.


remarkable epidemic of hydrophobia seems 10
be sweeping over the country. Nearly everybody
appears to have gone mad, with the important
exception of the able special correspondents OF our
contemporaries that print the reports. These are
sad times for dogs. In one Pennsylvania town
ship every dog has been slaughtered as pre-
cautionary measure" because it was rumored thaC
mad dog had run through the nelghborhood III
the night II docs not appear that anybody sa"
the mad dog on his deadly nocturnal race. yco
the precautionary measure taken notwltn-
standing.
But the most exciting tale comes from Lexlng-
ton, Kentucky. Either the dogs are very mad III
Lexington or the special correspondent Is very
sane 1t seems, according to one report thaU
Colonel William Thomas has a stock farm near
Lexington. A few days ago mad dog 'laO
seemed to think il was July instead OF January
and consequently mad-dOg time, came along 10
the Coonels place and bit his little boy and
valuable stallion. The boy was promptly taken
over into the next county TO man VINO had II
maidstone. The stone applied, and we are
assured that it stuck three times ms Oh
course took the boy out of danger. but the
valuable stallion was not so fortunate. In a day
or two he went mad. He first kicked a large
hole in the side of the stable. Then ne broke
a iackass which also belonged to Colonel Thomas
The unfortunate jacllass didn't have the hydro
phobia. but he had a temper of his own and
stood his ground Then followed the fercest
battle between animals ever known in Kentucky.
Indeed these dumb beasts fought like Kentucky
gentlemen The jackass smaller than the
stallion, but he gritty" The battle lasted
fifteen minutes. They fought with their teeth,
heels and fore feet, and probably If there mad
been any other possible way they could nave
fought they would have employed it. Finally The
iaclass succeeded in biting of part of one of the
stations ears. The stallion rctalated by snatch
ing a piece out of the jackass's neck. The jack
ass then saw that there was no use In trying TO
arbirate any longer, and seized the stations
throat with his teeth and severed the windplpe.
The stallion saw that he done for. but as ne
turned he gave the jackass one last terrific kick
which actually knocked off one of his the jack
asss) hind legs Then the horse gave up the
ghost. while the donkey gave one loud, long
bray. and hoped back To his stall on his three
legs. OF course Colonel Thomas was obliged to
shoot him to put him out of his misery
We do not know how much longer this hydro
phobia epidemic is going to last. but we hope
to see it closed up and out of the way by March l.
II is little out of season, but the correspondents
had to put it on on account of the unparalleled fail
urc of the wd-man crop. This is the wld-nan
season. but never in the history Of the country
were there 50 few wild men on the market Last
year at this time there was wild man running
through the underbrush, uttcring strange cries
and frightening women and children y In every
county in this whole broad country. This year
there is not one. 1t thought that the Jaguar-
killed -by-a-young-woma would run through the
usual wild-man season, but II suddenly had TO be
withdrawn owing to a lack of laguars. and the
chid-carred of yan-eagle not being ready. moth
ing remained except 10 put on hydrophoDla.
Active rehcarsas of the eagle are being held, and
already one child has been carried oil IN Texas |
II is the usual spring attraction, and will succeed
the mad dogs. there being little danger of It's
falling like the wild man. 1t is supposed That |
the hard winter has kept the wild men in their |
caves though why the correspondents haven't gone |
in and stirred them up with their pens and at |
least extracted the usual strange cries we cannot
say. In the meantime the hydrophoba epidemic
will he kept on, and readers OF The Tribune may
depend on our keeping them informed as TO lis
nrocrcss as we note it from day to day IN the
columns Of our many able, enterprisinS and highly
valued contemporaries