The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-12-02
CATTLE QUARANTINE
Secretary Wilson Forbids Transpor.
tation Of Diseased Cattle.
THE ORDER is A SURPRISE


Feet and Mouth Disease Exists Among
Cattle in Massachusetts, and Heroic
Efforts Are Being Made to Stamp
It Out.
Washington. Nov. 2S.-Secretary OF
Agriculture Wilson yesterday issued
sweeping order. directed to the mana
gers and agents OF railroads and trans
portation companies Of the United
States. stock men and others. notify
ing them of the establishment of a
quarantine of cattle, sheep and other
ruminants and swine in the New Eng
land states and prohibiting the ex-
portation of such animals from the
port of Boston till further orders.
Recent Investigations by the depart.
Z ment of agriculture disclosed the fact
that what is known as foot and mouth
disease exists to an alarming extent
in Connecticut. Rhode Island Massa-
chusctts and Vermont The experts
of the department. Dr. Mohler; DR..
Pennsylvania. and Dr. James Law. of
Cornell. visited the infected districts
and united in a recommendation in or
der to prevent the spread of the dis
ease a quarantine should Immediately
be established.
Secretary Wilson said that this is
the most serious case the department
has had to handle for some time. but
that all the resources of the depart
ment would be employed in stamping
out the disease He declared that il
it should spread west of the Hudson
river it would be nothing short OF
national calamity.
The orders are as follows: you are
+ hereby notified that the contagious dis
ease known as foot and mouth dis
ease exists among animals in the
states OF Connecticut Rhode Island.
/ Massachusetts and Vermont, and that
the cattle. sheep and other ruminants
and swine of said states have been ex-
I posed TO the contasion Of said disease;
therefore.
1T is hereby ordered, that to pre-
vent the spread OF the said disease
from the states of Connecticut. Rhode
Island. Massachusetts and Vermont
into other states OF foreign countries.
and 70 aid in its eradication. no cat
tie. sheep or other ruminants or swine
shall be moved. or be permitted TO
move. from or across the territory OF
any one OF the states above named
into any other state or foreign country.
ANY person. company or corporation
violating this order will be proceeded
against as provided for by the act Of
congress above referred TO.
1T is hoped that all transportation
companies. cattle shippers and others
interested in the welfare OF our animal
industry viii cooperate with the de-
partment OF agriculture in enforcing
this order. to the end that the restric-
ton on traffic may have the desired
effect and be removed In the shortest
possible time
Boston, Nov. 2S.-The order Of the
secretary of agriculture placing an
embargo OF the shipment of cattle
from the port of Boston and declaring
in quarantine cattle and swine of Yer
mont Massachusetts. Rhode Island and
/ Connecticut VIII give great assistance
to the Massachusetts cattle commits
sion in its effort 10 stamp out the
epidemic of foot and mouth disease
in this state. At the same time. the
order threatens curtailment of the
foreign commerce of Boston. in that
1t is likely temporarily to cut of the
shipment to Europe OF an average OF
$500 head of cattle week.
The government order wis received
with surprise. not only by the cattle
men of Brighton, but by the steamship
agents as well. as il means a consid-
cradle loss TO the four or five foreign
lines carrying cattle to Europe from
this port. Such drastic measures have
seldom been adopted by the United
States government. Several agents
cabled to the home Offices in London
for instructions as to shipment now
on the way. At the Cunard Line It
was stated that 400 head of cattle were
en- route over the Canandian Pacific
for this port
j. w A. Hathaway, one of the lar
gest shippers OF cattle at Brighton
states that he forwarded 400 head of
cattle to Philadelphia yesterday, and
that 1000 were 10 have gone in the
next seven or eight days.
The commissioners, after investiga-
ton, /believe that the disease was
brought to Brighton from the neigh.
borhood OF Cumberland. r. l., and that
1t was due TO the cows called strip
pers." These "strippers" are cows
which are highly fed for IS months
without being allowed to caIve in or.
der to obtain an abnormal milk sun
ply. The animals are then fattened
for slaughter.
Agent Bray of the LELAND Line.
said last night that the order of the
secretary of agriculture would have a
very bad effect upon the commerce. OF
Boston. One or two steamers already
we're loaded and would sail with cat
tho