The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-04-02

mullShncSS out OF him.
"Now that man up in Peekskill had
handled mules and knew his business.
Nobody would buy this particular
mule because he had such reputation
for ugliness. But the Peckskill man
bought him and bought him at bar
gain.
"After treating him kindly for a
few days and convincing him that he
was NOT going to be clubbcd, he was
as gentle as a kitten. The Peekskill
man had himself photographed in the
act of putting shoes on the mule as
you see, and he sent the photograph
down to me.
"This resentment of ill-trcatment
on the part of the mule comes from
one of his best qualities-a quality
wherein he is greatly superior to the
horse. The mule knows how to take
care Of himself.
He will not step in holes or into
water or tumble over prccipices as the
horse will. The horse when he gets
tired gets careless, the mule never. He
looks out for himself and that is Why
he has no confidence in those VINO 60
at him with brute force.
"And there is another thing where
in the mule beats the horse. He read
lily adapts himself to his surroundings.
He will fit himself into groove Of
work and jog right along in it where a
horse could not endure it. That is
why he is in such demand in some
mines one reason at least.
'"Thc coal mines Of Pcnnsylvania ia
alone take 1900 mules every year. 1t
is this quality which makes the mule
SO far outlast the horse in trying eli
mate and Typographical conditions
such rs exist in South Africa.
AS for heat the mule will just be-
gin to enjoy himself and be ut his best
at the point where horse would col
lapse. A great number Of horses died
in this city last year from the heat
and there has been all increased de-
mand for mules as consequence.
People get tired of losing horses and
fall back on the mule for hard work
under trying conditions. In his capa
city to endure heat there is another
point of sympathy between the mule
and the darkey.
II suppose there are now about
| 1000 mules in use in New York Sew
eral hundred were sold for the Rapid
Transit tunnel work. In such work
the mules talent for not getting hurt,
for getting out of the way Of danger,
is valuable just as it is in coal mine
work.
"Then many of the New York brew
cries and other concerns which do
heavy trucking over long routes are
taking to mules in preference to
horses. The Lorillards use mules for
their work and always have. When
the origina. Lor.ilard began business
he started with team Of mules and a
team of horses. After ten years the
horses were either used up or dead
while the mules were still in good con-
dition for service. So from that day
to this it has been nothing but mules
for the Lorillards.
"The breeds of mules in this coun-
try has greatly improved since tho in
PRODUCTION Of the Percheron horses.
| "A mule from Perchcron mare has
great endurance, size and massiveness
of bone. In this respect he is greatly
superior to the mule bred from the or
dinary American stock.
Mules differ very greatly IN size.
Here for instance is picture showing
the largest and the smallest mule seen
in the country. The big fellow is
1912 hands, or IS inches high, and
weighs 1900 pounds. The little one
is 80 inches high and weighs 19O
pounds.
Zone great advantage of the mule
for shipment abroad is that ne is a
much better traveller by sea or by rail
than the horse. About 3 per cent. Of
the mules shipped to South Africa are
lost from al! causes as against 20 per
cent of horses.
"On the other hand, mules cost
from 20 to % per cent. more than
horses, but they will do enough more
work than horses to make up the diff
ference. 1t is estimated 1900
pound mule team will do as much
work as $500 pound team of horses.
UThn mule has haan sadly sln darad