The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1893-11-17
WASTED POWER.
The Tremendous Idle Force in Our
Vagabond Dogs.
An Interesting Paper by an Amertcsr
Onis al Ina Belgium the Ttiiils-
tioD of CANNES for Indus
trial Purposes.

A rather unusual subject for con
sular report ~ that chosen by NicboI..
Smith. the American consul al I,i...r..
in Belgium. who writes upon The, r...
Of dogs as draft animals in that conn.
try. 1t is a very interesting pap,.,
says the Boston Herald, and II c.Y.I
be wished that il might have AN .ro..-
ence ia determining the future of t..
canine race in this country. >prlLir..
Of the working dog aS the first Ii.f-r..
tive institution that attracts tl. o.,
tcution of a stranger in Belgium Air.
Smith SAYS: From time immcmar..r
this hereditary loafer has been pl...
over TO pleasure, but like certain urI..r
of the privileged classes iu this r...a|.-
ing world Of ours he has had hi.a.E
at least in Belgium
II appears that Liege. which F.. a
wealthy and industrial city eIup'u.rr.-
as many horses as any other lpar..f
its size in Europe, shows al least ru...
dogs in harness on its street forever.
horse that can be seen. boz arr ,..-
ployed by market gardener. hu.-...-.
bakers. grocers. porters and ,sur..--
men. The dogs step H. SO much gai...-
or than that of the horse that l.....I
IN an nOuT cover tAN l''i l'lf' '..I....
and carry with him a greater borden
in proportion to his size. Consul -m..
says that a pretty, harchcadaI NaI..n
peasant girl moving bri-lsIg ar r...
side Of flower cart drawn I.a.r...
wart mastiff is a pleasing vision r. ...
early riser.
The usual draught Of an orlluar.
dog j. six hundred pound-, thuurI
mastifT f. often taxed with a. mu..
again. Dog are also used in trra.n..
for moving light machinery. lIer. "a
rood hint for our farmers. who .....t.
turn their vagabond do"e O., uu.. ....
count i'm the working OF cnum- uur-
ting Of food for cattle -asta. .Y..
etc. They also might b. mgIeaE .r.u.
able service in running the .au.. .n.
ing machine, pumping water. ra... ..r
the cradle, grinding coffee a.N ..r.
forming other domestic wNr. H..r.
motive power could be mad, l.a.. ....
Consul smith relate that rruf.... ...
in Licgc. after losing th, u=. 90. Bis
legs. had a p. .rambulatDr eo sou-fru.. ID
that a Danish hound. which ha. ....
his companion for year. could n.
hitchpd alA almost cDusug|,.I .r.
tween the wheels. and now appear. a.
regularly at his old hguu' 900 f..
boulevard as any Of li- ul. gr..a.
The dog g. described a hsIn. uut u...
a. happy as when hc luil.r.I af n.
master. heels. but marifr.ly proud ..
the service he renders hin.
Dogs a draught animal are utiI
extensively in Germany and ....r
part OF Europe. but con ul -m.ra a
that in belgium this T., "a c,mpa..l. ....
ly new use for the dog, and aI. a| t.I.
lateat ana most approved deyrlopm--.-
of that cUuutry'S civilization. n.
are kept like horses AT livery iu u.a-
siderable numbers al a cot Of ar. go
six cents "a day, horse flesh and n.H.a
bread forming the staple of their .....
Whore one on two doga are i.,ll .u4
family the co-t IL practically nothing
and their service - made very la.4a-
BILE.
Experiments of breeding Dis, tHn..
which have been SO ,uccc- .lul lu fUr
imp oycmcut OF horses, are uoa h..ur
made " ith dDrs to produce "a .i....f
animal especially fitted for harurr. Dr.
is thought a desIderatHm % graft ..
splendid chest and breathing capaa.t.
of the bull dog upon the -talNart -ra..
Of the mast.ff, which has been found
too long Ia the back and legs. Ih.r.
are markets in Belgium where du rs
are bought and sold for lraurat pure
poses, as horses are at TattcrsaI .- auH
IL is not unusual for compactIy hu.f
and lyell-brol1en dog TO bring twenty
TO twenty-five dollars.
Consul smith points ont that "a force
equal to that of Niagara i- running 90
waste in the United States ar th, E.r.
heels Of the people. lig estimate
that in our wasted dog power We have
an idle force in America of at I.a..
three billion. five hundred million
pounds; reckoning the strength ot 90
dog at five hundred pounds. which .-
probably much below the average.
The consul says that there b. mot 900
article of merchandise. from tom uf
coal 10 a loaf Of bread. sold u au. H
our cities. which might not hr more
advantageously delivered by dog. than
by horses. and ne points ont thar u
their employment a certain municipal
advantage would Ice gained. ior rne
litter made by horses is the most au.t
ful source Of dirt in our city. tn say
nothing Of the great saving u tHr
NNheA anu AAtiA VI pa aAAAAAAAnH
Consul Smith presents the case a
favor of the industrial utilizatiuu of
dogs very well, indeed. and. aIta.g a
il may not Ice found practicable in this
country. owing to our different w..a.
ods Of doing things, ncvortheI,-- t
might be worth while TO try the o>-
pertinent. If somebody wuuld make %
good start and prove succr~~tal 30 I-
likely that the example WuUIa Hr
widely followed. II Is no cTu.lt. o.
the dog to give him useful occupation
and, in fact, the testimony is taa' Boz.
really likes il. If dogs could generally
be made SO healthily tired by urgt".
work all the day that they would ....E
soundly at night. the iuuuyat.a"
would be hailed with JOY bv hundred
of thousands of people all over tae
country whose peace is disturbed ..
their nocturnal yelping and hpWiA-
1t would be a boon equal 20 the .aIr
preston of our annual Fourth of July