The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-12-15
WASTED POWER.
Tho Tremendous Idle Force in Gu,
Vagabond Dogs.
An Interesting Paper by an American
Official in Belgium on the Utiliza-
ton of CANNES for Indus
trial Purposes.

belSlum on tn0
tion of CANNES for Indus
trial Purposes.
A rather unusual subject for con,
sular report is that chosen by Nicholas
Smith, the American consul at Liege,
in Belgium, who writes upon the use
of dogs as draft animals in that coun-
try. 1t is very interesting paper,
says the Boston Herald, and it could
be wished that it might have an inAu-
ence in determining the future of the
canine race in this country. Speaking
of the working dog as the first distinc-
tive institution that attracts the at
tention of a stranger in Belgium, Mr.
Smith says: ''From time immemorial
this hereditary loafer has been given
over to pleasure, but like certain other
of the privileged classes in this revolv-
ing world of ours he has had his day
at least in Belgium"
1t appears that Liege, which is a
wealthy and industrial city employing
as many horses as any other town of
its size in Europe, shows at least two
dogs in harness on its streets for every
horse that can be seen. Dogs are en-
ployed by market gardeners, butchers,
bakers, grocers, porters and express
men. The dogs step is SO much quick
er than that of the horse that he will
in an hour cover twice the distance
and carry with him greater burden
in proportion to his size. Consul Smith
says that a pretty, bareheaded Walloon
peasant girl moving briskly at the
side of a flower cart drawn by stall
wart mastiff is a pleasing vision to the
early riser.
The usual draught of an ordinary
dog is six hundred pounds, though a
mastiff is often taxed with as much
again. Dogs are also used in treadmills
for moving light machinery. Here is q
good hint for our farmers, who might
turn their vagabond dogs to good ac-
count in the working of churns, cut
ting of food for cattle, saving wood,
etc. They also might be made of valu-
able service in running the family sew
ing machine, pumping water, rocking
the cradle, grinding coffee, and per-
forming other domestic work where
motive power could be made available.
Consul Smith relates that gentleman
in Liege, after losing the use of his
legs, had a perambulator SO constructed
that Danish hound, which had been
his companion for years, could be
hitched and almost concealed be-
tween the wheels, and now appears as
regularly at his old haunts on the
boulevard as any of his old friends.
The dog is described as being not only
as happy as when he loitered at his
masters heels, but manifestly proud of
the service he renders him.
Dogs as draught animals are utilized
extensively in Germany and other
parts of Europe, but Consul Smith says
that in Belgium this is a comparative
ly new use for the dog, and one of the
latest and most approved developments
of that country's civilization. Dogs
are kept like horses at livery in con-
siderable numbers at a cost of five to
six cents day, horse flesh and black
bread forming the staple of their food.
Where one or two dogs are kept in
family the cost is practically nothing
and their service is made very valua-
BILE.
Experiments of breeding, like those
which have been so successful in the
improvement of horses, are now being
made with dogs to produce style of
animal especially fitted for harness. II
is thought a desideratum to graft the
splendid chest and breathing capacity
of the bull dog upon the stalwart stock
e L IL. i
too long in the back and legs. There
are markets in Belgium where dogs
are bought and sold for draught pur-
poses, as horses are at Tattersall's, and
it is not unusual for compactly built
and wellbroken dog to bring twenty
to twenty-five dollars.
Consul Smith points out that force
equal to that of Niagara is running to
waste in the United States at the very
heels of the people. He estimates
that in our wasted dog power we have
an idle force ia America of at least
three billion, five hundred million
pounds; reckoning the strength of
dog at five hundred pounds, which is
probably much below the average.
The consul says that there is not an
article of merchandise, from a ton of
coal to loaf of bread, sold in any of
our cities, which might not be more
advantageously delivered by dogs than
by horses, and he points out that in
their employment a certain municipal
advantage would be gained, for the
litter made by horses is the most fruit
ful source of dirt in our city, to say
nothing of the great saving in the
wear and tear of pavemepts,
Consul Smith presents the case in
favor of the industrial utilization of
dogs very we'll, indeed, and, although
it may not be found practicable in this
country, owing to our different meth
DDS of doing things, nevertheless it
might be worth while to try the eX-
pertinent. If somebody would make a
good start and prove successful, it is
likely that the example would be
widely followed. 1t is no cruelty to
the dog to give him useful occupation,
and, in fact, the testimony is that he
really likes it. If dogs could generally
be made SO healthily tired by useful
work all the day that they would sleep
soundly at night, the innovation
would be hailed with JOY by hundreds
of thousands of people all over the
country whose peace is disturbed by
their nocturnal yelping and bowling
1t would be boon equal to the sup