Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-07-31
TRANSPORTATION OF CATTLE.
The Public Health Demands a Re-
form In Present Methods,

form In Present Methods.
The problem OF the proper transpor-
tation Of cattle is, like many other ques-
tioDs connected with the treatment Of
dumb animals, essentially q modern
question. In times when each country
must feed its own and the only way Of
getting cattle or sheep or horses from one
place to another was to drive them in
herds, under the care of drover, the
problem was in one way simple. The
animals could not travel more than GER
tain distance each day without definite
injury, which would probably be visible
to the prospective purchaser when they
arrived at their destination. 1t was to
the interests Of the drover, therefore, to
be very careful.
With the advent OF cattle-trains, how
ever, 1t became possible to transport all
sorts of live stock round the world, If
necessary, in less time than it used to
take to cross state. The railway takes
the Texas steer and lands him in Chicago
in a space Of time which must seem to his
bewildered brain an eternity, but is really
but a few days. His treatment en-
route cannot well be SO cruel as to de-
preciate his ultimate value in any way
which the purchaser can see; moreover,
in such cases the purchaser often buys on
faith, and pays without seeing.
So long as most OF the cattle get through
Of water, or some other cause, the sellers
reputation is good. The property inter-
est cannot be relied upon in this matter
of proper treatment Of dependents. 1t
was estimated in 1.-THE old days Of slave
trading that if half the cargo got through
the dreaded "middle passa ge" alive there
was profit. The property interest was
no safeguard there. 1t never protected
any creature which could be ill-treated
by aithoug htless or cruel person with no
immediate punishment. 1t is one OF the
characteristics of the calous and cruel
man, as a rule, to be short sighted. He
seldom sees that in the long run, humane
treatment is profitable.
In this case the trader and the railway
man Go not suffer much even when their
treatment Of cattle is absolutely cruel. 1t
is the public which suffers, and 1t is the
public which will therefore have to take
the matter in hand. There is great diff
ference in the systems of various rail-
roads and dealers in their treatment OF
| cattle and sheep, and some are much more
| humane than others. But it is not so
very long since sheep were packed like
| sardines in close cars, without drop OF
| water during long journeys, in the hottest
of weather; and cattle were subjected to
the same treatment.
Such conditions breed filth and disease ;
and diseased meat is not safe for anybody
| to eat. 1t will probably never be posi-
| bic to ascertain the number OF deaths
| which have resulted from the eating OF
| impure or diseased meat, and for every
death from this cause there are many vic
tins Of disease. Sometimes the ailment
| is obscure and insidious, but it is never
| theless there.
! Sometime ago there was scare about
| trichipa in pork, but much OF the beef
| which comes from cattle-trains where the
animals are packed together in filth, dis
comfort and thirst is not a bit more fit
for human consumption than measly
pork. In these days no man can tell
! where his butcher gets the lmeat which
is confdingly bought and eaten by bis
customers. 1t may be good, or it may
not.
| 1t is time that the treatment OF cattle
on trains of transportation and in sheds
| hoy,
should be regulated by law, and that
everyone concerned in their Transports
ton and care should be required to see
that they are in conditions as nearly
healthiuI as the difficulties OF the case
allow.