The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-02-16
Georgia's Army Of Dogs.
..iMnntn journal.


issues back an editorial dealing with
the sheep and dog question. 1t is an
old issue and one often brought before
the legislatures of Georgia. The sub
iect matter heretofore has been rele-
gated, however, to the pigeon-holes of
the impracticables.
How many dogs are there in the
State Of Georgia and what do they
consume annually? Let us take one
County as a unit of measure, say the
County Of Harris, and figure, if You
please, upon the actual cost to the
County in providing for the mainten-
ance of these animals. If we will
assume that there are two dogs to a
family then we can easily arrive at the
probable number Of dogs in the
County. The population Of Harris
County is about 1900 Inhabitants.
Allowing them five members to the
family would give US three thousand
four hundred families and consequent
ly six thousand eight hundred dogs.
Now, what will each dog consume
per month? 1t is generally estimated
by those who ought to know that a
dog will consume, if properly fed, as
much in bread as man that is a
bushel Of corn per month. And VIC
would say here that dog not properly
fed at home is sure to be fed at the
expense Of the public at large. TAX
ing this, then, for granted, we wonld
have the sum total for the County of
81 900 bushels of corn or meal, neces-
sary to support this big pack every
year. Eighty thousand, We will call
it, and how much would that bring to
the pockets and well-being Of those
5000 families? How far would that
amount go toward debt paying, or how
many children would $4,000 keep in
school the year round? But, says
some one, your figures are too extrava-
CANT. There is not that many dogs in
the County, nor will they consume a
bushel of meal each per month. We
would say in answer to this that while
there is no actual way of demonstrate
ing the truth of the statement either
by statistics or otherwise, yet we be-
lisvs that the experience and observa-
tion of any candid person at all ia
miliar with the country will bear out
the statement as fair basis upon
which to figure, and if anything, short
of the actual conditions. The writer
has in mind two large plantations in
this County and but short time since
heard the owners each figure out the
number OF dogs, and it amounted to
70 dogs en- each plantation, and that
with tcnantry Of about 30 families.
The writer is familiar with the con-
dition of things in and around the
town of Hamilton and is prepared to
assert without fear of contradiction
that not freedman within his knowl-
edge is without this most familiar ap-
pendagc around the yard. Yes, the
hut may be bare and squallid, the
children may be almost naked, there
may be no pig-stile, no hcn-housc, no
garden, but the poor fea-bitten mon
grel is here by big majority.
The town Of Hamilton. early last
year, was compelled through its coun-
Gil to enact stringent measures against
this growing nuisance, and other COM
munities throughout the County would
do likewise had they the authority.
But, says some one in holy horror,
you would invade the constitutional
personal rights, etc. We will not dis
cuss that, but only point out the evil
and leave the remedy to be applied by
our level-hcaded statesmen. 1t is to
this class only we address ourselves,
knowing that the wcak-kneed, vote
loving element is not going to tackle
the dog question nor whiskcy question
so long as time lasts with them. That
it is an evil goes without saying and
an evil, too. not counter-balanced with
any benefit, or very little.
Now, it is the design Of this article
to call attention only to the evil here
spoken of, NOS to speak of the benefits
to arise to the State 10 the way Of en-
couragement Of the sheep industry.
That part of the subject is left to an
other time, or to some one else. We
might go on and speak Of and empha-
size the fact here that the rabid dog
is the greatest known enemy to the
human race. His bite is almost sure
death. and most horrible one. 1t is
getting to be common occurrence to
see or hear Of the foaming. swapping