Evening journal., 1899-08-01
BRIEDLE DOGS DYING OUT.
Only Nine Now Said 10 BE Living IN
IIIinois-Their Peculiar
Trials.

News of the death of 'Yelper," the
famous brindle dog owned by James
ldler, of Calhoun county, calls to mind
the fact that the brindle dog which, a
few years ago, was so plentiful in Amer
lea that he was the subject of satire of
all American humorists, is now almost
extinct. Col. George c. Gill. of Olym-
plan Springs, Ky, who has made a life
fime study of the "brindle' in animals,
is in the city, and when told of the
death of Yelper said:
zone would hardly be justified in
placing it among the possibilities that
a man of extensive general knowledge
and accomplishments should so far for
get himself or display such amazing
ignorance of the subject, as to assert,
as certain author has lately done,
knowingly and willfully and publicly,
that the 'brindle steer is an extinct
animal, as much So, he says, as the
ichthyosaurus, the mastodon or the
hypothenuse. Now, the truth of the
matter is that in the state Of Illinois,
the 1898 crop of brindle steers is the
largest ever lnown-reportsto to the state
commissioner showing q gain OF 13
per cent. over the crop of 1897, and IA
per cent. over that Of 1896, and the last
decade shows o gain of little over 81
per cent. A gain is shown for 1898, in
every state in the union, except ArlSan-
sas, which shows a slight falling Off.
"Now, while the bEndle steer is on
the upgrade, it is lamentable fact that
the brindle dog is almost extinct. He
will soon be placed on the list with
the wild pigeon and the American BIZ
son. ScientistsFand biologists cannot
or have not as yet been able to offer any
explanation of this dccadence, which
has been exceedingly rapid.
'The Illinois census shows that in
the year 1855 were o,347 brindle dogs
in the state; in 1860, 9,O1s; 1865, 6,5l0;
1870, 1,726; 1850, COL; 1890, 1877; 1895,
43; 1898, 0. OF the nine now living
in the state, seven of these belong to
the wealthy coon-hunters in Calhoun
county. One OF these named 'Chawm,
is owned by A. ,. Hunter, and last fall
at the cutting of coon tree he broke
the record by killing II coons in II
minutes. This can be easily verified,
as Chawm is still alive and residing
with Mr.. Hunter.
"The other two noted in the census
report are twins. and have taken up
their residence with a prominent farm.
or near Vienna, johnson county. From
my own observation-and 1 have always
taken lively interest in the matter
find that a strange fatality, or rath
er one long continued streak of bad
luck, has been constantly and contin
ually with the brindle dog family fol
the past 25 years. These are some O
the things they had TO contend with;
"An epidemic of 'distemper' breaks
out in the neighborhood, it tackles th'
, -brindle dogs first and Rever deigns t'
bother the others as long as there il
} brindlo left. A flock of sheep is chase,
at night. The farmer starts out will
: his shotgun the next morning, but i
careful not TO shoot neighbor's dol
without some evidence of his com
7 plicity in the raid, but II he meets
brindle dog he shoots him on genera
principles. A coon tree is to be cut
II there are a dozen dogs there, and i
7 one dog is, killed by the falling Of tn
a tree, you may safely. bet that it is
! brindle dog. No brindle dog wis eve
known to live in town. Heis strictly
country dog If be should by any chano
visit the nearest town, it Is absolutel
: sure that he win be compelled to fgh
! the first town dog he meets. Heusuall
. gets whipped in the first round.
= $50 many things of this kind seer
j to be 'agin him that I think some
times that often some bright membc
OF this family becomes so discourage
that he commits ide."-Chicago Ii
( ter Ocean.