Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-29
DOGS In A DILEMMA.
The First Days Catch Turns Out to
Be Quite a Large One.
TWENTY-FIVE CANINESCAPTURED
People Turn Out to Stare at the Wagon With
Its HOWling Captives.
EXECUTIONS BOOKED FOR TOMORROW

The first execution of dogs will take place
at the pound tomorrow night at 10 O'Clock
Superintendent Weir has not yet decided
whether or not to issue special invitations
for the affair, but at any rate it will be wit
messed by only a select few.
The dog patrol made its first trip yester.
day, starting out at O'Clock in the morning
and returning at ? p. NJ. with 25 captives.
With the wagon were Driver John Bracken
and Dog Catchers Washington Alexander
and Peter McNally.
After leaving the pound they drove down
to City Hall. where Superintendent Weir in
spected the outfit. Then the travelling
prison crossed the Smithf1eld street bridge
and turned down Carson street toward the
West End.
During the next few hours there was con-
sternation among the ranks of the illegal
brute population OF Limerick. Scores of
swapping, snarling ours. woolly and other
wise who had live ed all their lives unmolested,
roaming the narrow alleys and streets with
nothing to disturb the peace of their lives
except an occasional noisy alteration
among themselves, suddenly found them
selves beset by unknown enemies. The net
dropped with astonishing Quickness over
them, and, tangled confusedly in its meshes,
they were tossed bowling with terror into
the cage.
An ObJES1 OF 1N1EhESI.
As the wagon moved along the streets its
errAIFd soon became known, and its ap-
proach was heralded several squares ahead.
Following it at q respectful distance was q
crowd of men, women and boys, enjoying
the novel sight hugely and frightening away
half the intended victims with their cries
Mr.. Alexander a colored man, who cap
tured dogs eight years in Washington, d. c.,
proved himself quite expert in the business.
When once he got fairly in the wake of an
unlicensed cur he seldom failed to land it
in the wagon. Mr.. McNally, though new at
the business, turned out TO be more of an
enemy to the viClstors of the dog ordinance
than some OF the unlucky animals suspected.
The tour was not made. however, without
accident. Alexander had his net over a
large Newfoundland dog and was waiting
1or his partner to come to his assistance in
getting it into the wagon when the animal
succeeded in fixing its sharp teeth in his
hand. The wound bled considerably but
not very serious.
one case where Mr.. Alexander showed his
ability was when he had a large dog under
his net and another one came running up,
snGrllng and barking furiously. Holding the
net down firmly with one hand he reached
the other out quickly, and in an instant had
caught the intruder by the neck and tossed
him into the wagon.
SOME ANGRY OWNERS REBEL.
In several places the catchers met with
serious remonstrances on the part of angry |
owners; but they paid no attention to these |
anu htpL On WlIn U0e WOrh. f1nAilY all were /
tired out and with the cage well filled they |
Started toward the pound. As the wagon |
came along Smith1leld street and pulled up |
again in front of the City Hall it attracted |
the attention OF everybody.
twenty-five dogs were crowded behind /
the network of wire, and most OF them were
gazing wistfully out on the crowd, as if
wondering what it all meant. Others were
more inclined to do battle with their fellow
prisoners, and altogether they made de-
cidedly noisy collection. Half a hundred |
boys followed the wagon. each laying claim
in voclferOus language to one or more of the
ours. When the wagon reached the pound
on Ruch's Hill fully 800 people were await |
ing its arrival, eager to witness the first con-
signment Of applicants for the drowning
cage. All those not claimed before to-mor-
row evening will go under the water.
Licenses are still being issued at CentraI
police station. Superintendent Weir said
ycsts ,day he did not yet know how many
lice'lses had been issued. the records are |
still at the various stations. But he is con-
hdESst there are from 500 to 9, 600 dogs in the
city still unlicensed, and before many weeks
large proportion of them will be "ducked."