The Portland daily press., 1893-01-07

Maine Danger to the State from I'M
portations of Glandered Horses-The
Record of Work Done the Past Two
Years-Important Suggestions as to
Legislation.
The biennial report of the Maine Cat
tie Commission has been submitted to
the Governor.
The whole number of cases inspected
by the commission in 1892, is one hun
bred and fifty-eight, an excess of forty
one over any previous year. Ninety-five
herds of cattle were inspected, and sixty
three stables and lumber camps. Thirty
eight head of cattle were condemned
and destroyed at an appraisal of S1,271.-
so, and twenty-four horses were also
condemned and destroyed at an ap-
praisal of ST ,225, the total amount of APP
praisal amounting to 50, 1850.
The number of horses destroyed is
larger than any previous year, and a
very small percentage of them were
State of Maine bred, we being indebted
to Massachusetts for eleven head, to
Canada and the western states for nine
and Maine four
The number of cattle destroyed is also
larger than Of any previous year. and of
the thirty seven head condemned and ap-
praised, sixteen came to us directly from
Massachusetts,, the balance being mostly
Maine bred; so that, out of sixty-one
animals destroyed in 1892, Massachusetts
has contributed twenty-seven. In 1891.
thirty-one head of cattle were destroyed
at an appraisal of 81, 100 80, and eighteen
horses were also condemned and de-
stfoyed at an appraisal of 81, 480, the total
amount of appraisal amounting to 81
$3.50.
These summaries show that the actu-
al appraisals Of
Horses and Cattle Condemned
and destroyed during 1891 and 1892,
amount to s50S6, which is $3.50 in excess
of the whole appropriation for these
years, thus. say the commissioners, re-
ducing the salaries and actual expenses
of our board in inspecting cases scat
tered from Kittery to the Aroostook into
so small a compass that the work can
not be decently or adequately performed
by the present board, or by any other
who may succeed them; and we most
respectfully submit for the considera-
ton of the present legislature, these
facts, together with the suggestion that
no money can ever be- better
appropriated OF expended, than for the
preservation of the public health.
The expenditures of 1891 had exceeded
the appropriation approximately thou
sand dollars, SO that at the commence
ment of 1892 we had but $500 to carry
on the work of the present year, while
the demand upon our services has been
greater than in any previous year.
The reports published by authority of
the secretary of agriculture in January,
1892, show that there were at that time
three hundred and twenty-eight thousand
five hundred and forty-three head OF cat
tie in Maine, of the total valuation of
SIS, 437. TIA, and one hundred and ten thou
sand seven hundred and nineteen horses,
valued at $780, 99. The number of
horses since then has been constantly on
the increase, and the character and value
greatly improved by judicious breeding,
while in Androscoggin, Kennebec, Pen
obscot and portions Of Aroostook coun-
ties, where dairying is receiving marked
attention, COWS have been increased in
numbers and value.
The Founding of a New Industry
n this state within the past year, where
oy two immense factories are already ex-
,ensiyely engaged in the production of
creased demand for the raw material, the
purity of which is now conceded in all |
he markets of the world, and these i'm
,ortant industries will continue to de- |
nand, as they deserve, the constant pro-
ection of the state, if we are to maintain |
he high reputation Maine now enjoys for |
he almost absolute condition of health |
tmong her ''focks and herds.''
The quarantine against Massachusetts
,attle which went into effect January |
st, 1892 is still in force, the experience |
If our board during the year just closed |
having fully satisfied us that the meas
Ire was both wise and necessary for the |
of all concerned, and as yet |
10 results have been reached in Massa- |
,husetts that lead us to believe tubercu-
osis among the bovine population has |
.eceived such official restraint as to ma
erially decrease the disease to any |
marked extent among the catt e of the |
I'D Bay State. Aside from the fact that |
occupies a much more 'ex-
posed position than Maine as receiver |
If diseased cattle and horses, while we
Ire more safely apart from the turbulent |
current of the cattle trade that ''ebbs |
Ind flows" at Bright on, there is a reason |
much more potent TO our minds than
my other why these diseases should con-
,inue to battle control in the former state,
while we remain practically free from
hem in Maine.
BY reference to section 2, chapter III, |
If our statute law, it will be seen that
Maine pays to the owner or owners of
my animal destroyed by order of the
,attle commissioners s'one-half of their |
7alue, as determined upon
The Basis of Health
before infection, out of any moneys APP
by the legislature for that
while the Massachusetts law
i Al foo