The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-08-03

$40 whom shall CO. is the desperate
cry that escapes my lips after witnessing
a scene that came before me yesterday"
writes ashumane woman to the Age-Her-
aid. In the intensity of feeling" she
continues, with keenest sympathy
aroused and with bleeding heart for the
sorrows of the dumb. make this appeal.
and recite this occurance. While on my
front lawn yesterday morning, 1 heard a
curious cracking of whips and wild yells
and looking toward the hill from whence
the sounds came, saw a pair Of mules
drawing a heavy load. apparently city
wagon, being absolutely hurled down the
descent, one of the mules almost falling
several times as the terror-stricken ami
NAL came. endeavoring with all its
strength to keep back the load which
Every moment threatened to overwhelm
IT.
Down the wagon plunged, the whip
tracking. the fiendish yells increasing
The poorsbrute's face. as I saw it in its
lerrorized agony, with eyeballs nearly
bursting from their sockets. made my
blood run cold, and with frenzied desire
10 help. ran toward the street trying to
stop the driver, but the din was too great
and I could only stop waving in help
lessress and utter despair. AS the wagon
passed me, saw the heavy trappings of
the harness were high over the animals
neck, and there was revealed sight of
which no words can paint the horrorl A
raw, open space of flesh, into which that
heavy cruel yoke was to fall again.
s'Can any one with human heart see
such cruelty without putting forth some
effort 10 help the helpless burden bear
Rrs?
.'Suchs MANNED animals ought not to be
driven. The owners of stock ought not
to leave them wholly to the care of
ruffians who know no pity. Rules should
be laid down and enforced in regard
to using animals in such a deplsrable
condition. Where are the men who own
the stock? Can not something be done?
VIII not some one offer suggestions, give
me some light on this subject7 Let us
wage a war in the cause OF the dumb,
that will tend to awaken the world to
more intelligent and just treatment of
them. In Gods name, and that of our
best natures, let us stop even a few mo-
ments in the mad rush for worldly gain
and preferment. Let US seek a way to
stop this cruelty. Energetic workers In
every other department of charity are
alleviate sufferings. Who will aid me in
the cause of the faithful worker, bleed
ing and straintng under loads and in the
care of stony-hearted tyrants that make
Dur very hearts groan to see?'
Tell me where to go for aid"
This incident is only one Of the many
that falls under our observation week
after week, and yet, either through In
difference or the stress OF our daily af-
fairs we allow these instances Of brutal
1ty to go nnreported.
1t is encouraging. however, to find some
one who is attempting to check this spirit
of cruelty to dumb animals, and an ap-
peal like the above can not be read and
tossed aside with :he average story IN
the Sunday papers.
We read only two often of dumb crea-
lures suffering exquisite torture for the
entertainment of civilized men and wo-
men, and side by side is the story OF
some humane action where a dumb crea-
ture has been rescued. Only recently at
tention was drawn to an incident in the
New York papers of a man and boy
climbing up an electric light pole and at
great danger to their lives releasing from
the globe number of sparrows who had
been caught there and were in danger of
being burned alive by the electric cur
rent
Another incident that was given to IL
1ustrate that the human heart is quick to
respond to the sufferings of dumb crea-
lures, was that described recently in a
northern paper of the temporary sus-
pension of traffic in one of the most
crowded districts of the metropolis A
mouse, half dead from injuries was
crawling slowly from curb to curb and
the street car drivers and draymen 1t is
said either stopped or guided their We
hicles to one side to avoid CRUSHING the
Etny thing in it's struggle for life
If the tender side of humanity is re-
vealed by occurrences SO slight as these,
It would seem that instances of cruelty
serve us faithfully would be fewer in
number
But we do not expect any exhibition OF
sentiment on the part of many of the
drivers on the city streets. We must
look elsewhere for the remedy. That
rules protecting dumb creatures In the
pittful condition described above are not
enforced is explained by the absence OF
humane societies in Birmingham
A society for the prevention of cruelty
10 animals was in existence several
years ago and did effective work There
were no funds provided for 1t to continue
its work and a few years ago the society
abandoned all efforts to enforce its hu-
name laws. The organization did not
receive sufficient financial support from
the city that would have Insured its per-
manancy.
AS was pointed out yesterday by Chief
of Police Austin, humane societies must
employ alert and watchful inspectors
who will promptly report cases of cruelty.
"A society for the prevention of cruelty
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