The morning times., 1896-08-12
CAR HORSES DIE By DOZENS
Despite Care and Short Runs
They Succumb.
ACCURATEFIGUREs REFUSED
Drivers, However. Say That Scores
Have Been Ruined or Killed Since
the Hot Wave Began-NO way to
Avert 1t the Officials Declare
Draft Horses Also Suffer.

Suffering among horses has been intense.
Especially is this so on the street rail way
lines where the horse Is still in USE
1t Is safe to say that as many as fifteen
horses have disj from the effects Of the
heat, and that three times that number
have been Frustrated, and, consequently,
made useless for the future, for a horse
once overcome can never stand the rays
Of the sun again. even to slight de gree.
When o Times reporter visited the car
stables IN this city last evening, he found
the officials generally reticent in stating
the effects OF the hot weather on the ami
mails.
The foreman of the Belt Railway Com,
pany's stables, at Eleventh and streets,
where the 3l6 horses OF the Eleventh street
and the Belt roads are kept. reluctantly
acknowledged one death, which, he said,
occurred six days ago: while the prostsa.
tions numbered ''about a half dozen,'' he
guessed. But conductor on the Eleventh
street line told q different tale.
WHAT A CONDUCTOR SAID.
This weather is awful on the brutes,"
he said, land the prostrations have been
as many as fifteen or twenty to my knowI-
edge. 1 don't know just how many have
died. but four or five, should Judge
As the reporter was returning from the
stables he saw two boDy and exhausted
horses which were being led TO the stables,
having been taken from The car when they
showed Signs OF prostration. One Of the
animals appeared ready to fall at
moments notice, and the man leading it
was pushing against the neck as il to pre-
vent threatened collapse. This incident
occurred between o and p streets, about
clock.
Mr.. 81. 8. Pallipger, the Belt line fore
man, said that the officials are taking
every precaution to insure against fatality
The horses were now required Ia make hut
two trips day instead of four as in cooler
weather, and that the drivers had been
given explicit Instructions 10 look TO the
comfort of their horses and not to try to
make the trips on schedule time.
Relays of horses have been placed at
Eleventh and Z streets and Eleventh and
Maryland avenue to relieve horses at the
first indication of sunstr oke. Every
thing" declared Mr.. Ballinger, lis teing
done that can be. but we cannot stop the
sub nun uCitiS o"iuA "''h
The fatalities at the lexington stables.
Thirteenth and d streets northeast. have
been greater than elsewhere. Officials
state that five deaths have occurred, and
that the prostrations number in the neigh
borbood Of ten. One horse dropped dead
In the track at Tenth and d streets at
5-o'cIock yesterday afternoon. The day
previous horse also fell dead just after
he had been unhitched from the car.
Here ugain the conductors tell a differ
ent tale of disaster. The reporter ques-
toned two OF them and their statements
were almost identical.
We've used up about all OF our horses"
answered one OF the men to the reporters
inquiry. "The heat has been terrible on
the poor beasts and 1t is q wonder that
more Of them haven't been overcome.
We're instructed to be very careful with
them and not to attempt to make schedule
time, and there are fresh relays and spongers
stationed all along the line, but frequently
a horse will go down on us IN spite Of
all precautions. II they don't die, they're
no good after getting well.''
"How many prostrations and deaths do
you think there have been?'' asked the
reporter.
AT LEAST TEN DEAD.
More than they'll tell you at the stables" !"
grimly responded the conductor. Ten
or twelve deaths and fifteen or wenty pros
trations, anyway"
An order has been issued to the drivers
instructing them hot to try to run on
schedule time, and stating that any driver
urging his horses until so affected by the
heat that they drop, will have discharged
himself from the employ Of the company"
Officials at both stables claim that when
a horse Is stricken every means to relieve
the suffering is employed as soon as pos
sible. At each stable car has been fitted
up to be used In hauling the horses, too
far gone to walk, to the stables.
A big bay horse belonging to the Little
field & Afford Company became exhausted
on Pennsylvania avenue yesterday after
noon at o'clock, and after being taken
from the wagon to which he was hitched,
dropped helplessly to the pavement. The
ceaored driver, Charles GARNER, said he
had been watching the horses for week
and had taken the best Of care of them
and had intended, and said he had instruc-
tions. to give the horses plenty of rest
Yesterday he had on the wagon heavy
load of sand and it was when passing the
foot Of Eighth street on the Avenue that
he noticed the nigh horse acting as IL he
was tired.
The colored man, after telephoning to
his employers, got pail OF water and
sponzed out the horses mouth and care
fully bathed the animals head. A vet
ednary surgeon was soon ~ the scene and
the poor horse was soon able to walk of
to his stable.
The Anacostia line also, according to
the conductors, has had about as many
cases of deaths and prostrations as the
lexington line.
Every precaution against fatality Is
also being employed by the officials of
the comnanv.