Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-09
RU MINING IN THE DOGS.
A Big Increase in the Number of Tags
Issued.
How the Police and the Poundmaster
Worked Together-3O,OOO Dogs
I'm Washington.


The dog population Of Washington Is in
creasing- II Is not a spontaneous growth
either. made up of transients and night
roamers. but healthy and natural increase.
A Star reporter made this startling discov-
cry while perusing the tax ledger at the
District building.
1t showed that since July s.sn dogs had
been licensed This number is far In excess
of any previous year. and 1t is expected that
the 1000 mark will be reached before the
end Of the fisca' year. But this Is not one
third Of the dogs in Washington, for Pound
master Einstein. who Is an authority upon
such matters. places the dog population Of
the city at $1,000
1t was not until recently, however, that
any systematic effort was made to compel
the owners Of dogs to take out a license
True, the poundmaster was ever vigilant
and scooped up many a dog which he held
for ransom or killed. but hundreds of dogs
remained in the back yards and houses Of
people for which no tax was paid When
ever one Of these ''hermits" as the dog
catchers call them. showed his nose out of
doors. he was caught and the owner COM
PEELED to take out license in addition to
paying the pound fee.
Help From the Police.
With firm conviction that there were
many who escaped the tax. and with a de-
sire TO increase the Golfers of the District,
Poundmaster Einstein appealed to the Com
missioners for aid He wanted the assist
ance OF the police. Major Moore was called
In and agreed to combine his forces with the
poundmaster. The result was astonishing to
everyone save the poundmaster. who had
the strength of his convictions Suspected
houses were visited by the blue coats and
the owners of dogs warned to take out
license. Several arrests followed. The word
was passed and the next day DIR. Clark. the
dog-license clerk. was confronted by a small
army of dog owners Three hundred tags
were taken out that day and since that
time over 5000 tags have been issued. That
means nearly 5000 clear profit to the Dis
trict- Every day 50 Poundmaster Elm
stein looks In on DIR. Clark and says:
How are they coming. doctorT'
Red hot Sam. Are you catching many?'
Yes. sir. doing a big business. Will
show you 1000 licensed dogs before Christ
mas Mrs. Einstein's widow"
Human Nature and Dog Nature.
What a curious throng 1t Is to be found
around DR.. Clark's window each day. All
types are represented. and the good ma
tured doctor has become quite student Of
human nature. Many a pathetic story is
told there: stories that bring tears to the
eyes: stories that tell of suffering to save
poor Jack. strange as it may seem. even to
the point Of starvation. A case of the lat
ter class came under the observation of The
Star man as he stood at the window and
listened to an old coloree. mans story. He
was accompanied 5y his- dog. a lean. hun
cry looking canine that would fall prey to
the bad boy and tin pan IL caught with
out its master. 1t was evidently a we'll
trained dog. for he dropped on the floor as
the old man came to a halt in front of the
window and didn't even vouchsafe a look
at the office cat the latter came to bay
a short distance of. with each particular
hair standing on end.
is dis hyar de place whar you gifts q dog
lcensus?' asked the old man, with a quiv-
ering voice.
This is the place. old man." replied the
clerk Give me the name of your dog, his
color and breed and s.. together with your
own name and address,"
'Youse a little fast fer me- boss Please,
sab. tell me dat ober again.
Vas. indeed. 1 understands yer now. Dis
hyar am Jack Stand up hyar, boy Yer
can see he's a yaller dog and is a Virginny
breed dog. Me and Jack keeps house out
hya- on the Bladensburg road. Leastwise,
he keeps house. kase I'm out pretty much
ali day trying to scrape few pennies to-
gether My Lord. boss. can't you make it
less than 81? Use been saving I'D fer nigh
onto a week to get huff money to pay fer
Hcensus. and during that time. boss,
almost starved. Ebery cent counted, and
knowed eff Jack was me and me Jack he
would do de same Why. boss, ! hub dat
dog bettern do any one else in de world.
An he hubs me. too. don yer. boy?'
A wag of the tail and a rubbing of his
nose against his masters leg confirmed the
old mans statement
He amt like a gal. boss. dis hyar dog
of mine amt. He don't go around lubbing
fust one and den de odder. No. indeed
dere amt no pusSon but me what Jack will
go to-"
Where did you get Jack?" asked the re-
porter.
'.Frum virginny. sab. He am the sole
survivin' dog of Maj Carriers pack of Fair
fax hounds Leastwise, he am de son Of
ole Nelly. When 1 come to Washington 1
brought Nelly with me- She war dog all
ober. sab. One of desc hyar sensible dogs.
and Jack hyar am her son. Clar to good
ness. boss. de sight OBJ Jack fills me wild
thoughts OBJ odder days. days when We used
She was a powerful good 'possum dog and
when she hit a trail 1t war goodbye. Mr..
Postum"
Another applicant for dog tag was
waiting, and the old man took his tag, and
he and Jack disappeared.
Stealing Dog Tags.
Perhaps there are more dog tag thieves
In this city than there are thieves of all
kinds" said DIR. Clark. addressing The Star
reporter. "and you would be astonished to
know how many applications are made each
day for duplicate tags. There Is absolutely
no way to secure the tag unless the plan
pursued by a prominent army officer Is
followed His dog wears a metallic collar.
and the tag is welded into IL. the collar in
turn being soldered instead of fastened.
When application for duplicate tag is
made charge Of twenty-five cents Is ex-
acted to pay the actual cost of the tag and
the applicant Is required to make affidavit
that the original tag Is absolutely lost.
This Is done To protect the District"
Quite story could be written of the
names of the dogs they appear in the
license book There are at least a dozen
Growers, and. strange to say. that name is
always given to big dogs. Then there are
harrisonS. Blaines. SherUanS. and one
Tom Platt. There are the usual number of
Tootseys. Jacks. FidOs and the like. Re
Gently tag was taken out for a dear little
St. Charles spaniel. and the name given
was Ruth Cleveland As yet no tag has
been taken out for a dog named after the
new occupant Of the White House. al
though DIR. Clark is daily expecting such a
thing.
There are several dog tags that are al
Ways taken. and the same man has had the
initial tag ever since tags were issued.