The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-02
OBJECTLEssORIN CRUELTY
lnhuman Treatment of Horses
on the lexington Line.
OVERWORKED AND ILL-FED
These Patient Animals Are Com
PEELED 10 Stand IN the Broiling Sun
Hours at a Tine-Compietely Ex-
hsusted When They Rench the sta
bles-Sores on Bodies and Feet.

Raw honed, weary and over-worked
rreatures are the lexington street car
horses. =.
During the heated term, when extra care
should be tn ken wi til these beasts of burden,
they are compelled to stand for hours in the
broilpg sun without shelter and to. plod
along without rest. -
Their inhum;.n treatment is an excellent
subject for investigation by the Humane
Society and there is reason TO believe 1t
Will not go unnoticed.
There are violations of the law, too.
Horses are worked with sore shoulders and
sore feet. They were driven until ex-
hausted and dripping with perspiration.
They stumble and nearly fall to the ground
from weakness. This is partly due to the
fact that they are worked too hard and
given too Interest.
A Times representative rode over the
line yesterday and ascertaiend how changes
are made, how long pair OF horses run
without rest, and how they are fed 1t the
stables.
VI the lexington line proper there are
threc branches, viz, the street line, from
Me stables at Thirteenth and ID streets
northeast 10 Fifteenth and g street north
west; the Fifth street line, from Seventh
and b streets northwest, near the Baltimore
and Potomac depot, to New York avenue
and the boundary; the third runs from
North Capitol street and the boundary to
Third and G streets northwest.
To operate the system the company has
three relays OF horses and two stables-to
draw from. In the m orning when the work
begins the G street line is supplied with
horses from the stable at Thirteenth and
% streets northeast, and at the same time
1 relay OF six horses is sent from the same
place to New York avenue and the Boun-'
aary for the supply of the New York avenue
Or street line.
HORSES ARE EXHAUSTED.
The North Capitol street branch is SUP
Piled from the Belt Line stables, and relay
Of horses is sent from there to the terminus
Of the branch at North Capitol street aud
he Boundary.
A ride over the three branches shows that
HE worst-looking animals are found on the
6 street system, which runs to The principal
table.
1t takes one hour to make the round trip,
md the cars are the heaviest in the service
Of the company. One employe said yester-
Gay that it took sixteen men to lift one OF
ibem on the track.
From end to end and return the line
6 about five miles long, and for one hour
TWO horses are Compelled to draw these
,eavy cars before they are given any rest
1t all 1t was learned at the stable that
zach pair of horses is supposed to make
four round trips day. One man said they
never worked over the four trips, or twenty
miles per day, but another attache said
sometimes they had to make five trips.
The horses show signs of fatigue, and
when they reach the stable are almostconi
pletely exhausted. One team stumbled con-
stantiy as they approached the end, and it
looked as though they would give out be-
fore they reached their stopping place.
Another pair shambled along into the
stable, AMI, although thoroughly heated
from the run and perspirng profusely, were
allowed to drink without stint of the
water in trough. Any horseman knows
that this is extremely injurious to the ami
NAL when heated. This line is also not
above the use of lame creatures, several
being seen along the route
But the worst sight to the eyes of tie +,
public is the treatment of the relays of
h"tSCs oh bie We" iofh avenue line IHey
nre compelled to make three round trps
lasting in all two hours AMI a quarter be-
fore any request is given them.
Then. when they are taken from the car,
they stand in a bunch in an open field,
barren of grass and shade, the hot sun pour
Ing down upon them. The horse boys come
out in the morning with relay and wait
for the approach OF a car which has made
the required three trips. Then two sun
scorched animals are put in the harness