Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-11-29
Sc RiOUS CONDITION.
Foot and Mouth Contagion in
Massachusetts Is Alarming.
United States Authorities Active and
Take Decided Stand.
Quarantine Established and Disease
Will Be Stamped Out.


Boston, Nov. 28-The cattle bureau
Of the State Board Of Agriculture up
to today had received about 100 indi>
yidual reports Of the presence Of the
foot and mouth contagion, which has
CAUSED the secretary Of agriculture to
prohfbft the expectation of cattle from
Boston and to establish a quarantine
Of cattle. sheep and swine in New Eng
land.
, The bureau could not quote figures.
today, to show to what extent the dis
ease prevailed in this section. but 1t
was stated that all reports received
had come from localities within %
miles Of Boston situated mainly to the
west and southwest of the city.
1t Is admitted that the action OF
Secretary Wilson in closing the port OF
Boston 10 cattle shipments is matter
of great importance to transportation
companies. but in view of the serious
nature OF the infection and the DIM
Guilty in exterminating Ii, the step IS
considered the only safe one 10 De
taken. Concerning the highly contag-
ipus character of the disease, Dr. AUS
tin Peters, chairman OF the state cat
tie bureau. says:
Cattle passing over the same ROAD
traversed by infected animals will con-
tract the disease Only the most strin-
rent quarantine will prevent scOurge
hitherto unknown in this country.
The closing Of Brighton stock yards,
the principal ones in New England, by
the state board OF agriculture, Will
cause an interruption to traffic which
under ordinary circumstances aggre-
rate 500 to 700 head of cattle day.
The cattle bureau have strong hopes
that the halt in business at this point
will enable them to- trace out the dis-
ease and reduce the prevalence Of 1t.
1t is figured that loss of some $S.""
to steamship companies will result II cat
Gle traffic is held up for even two or three
weeks. The present freight rates on cat
lie are about $50 a head and one sheep
S7E cents apiece.
Between 200 and 1000 head of cattle and
here. tomorrow and Sunday. on the
.stAamers Sylvania and Sycamore for
Iiyerpool and the Columbian for Lon
-yfhe Cunarder Sylvania, which sails. to-
morrow for Liverpool, was booked to
take .6G4 cattle and 40 sheep; sycamore
sailing Sunday for Liverpool, 60 cattle
and 1914 sheen; Columbian. sailing sun
day for London. 800 cattle and 100 sheep.
p. Other bookings of live stock for steam
ers leaving here within the next ~ days
81 cattle; Merton. Liverpool, 800 cattle:
DItonia. Liverpool. 543 cattle; armenian.
Liverpool, $50 cattle and 1900 sheep;
kingstonian. London. $50 cattle and isoo
sheep; Columbian, London, 800 cattle, 12U
sheep; Virginan. London, 425 cattle.
The shipments figure up more than A5 =
100 In freight charges. 49,
Shipments of live stock from Boston
f0f the, week ending last Saturday were
21O7 heads of cattle. 29l5 sheep. There
were also exported 5423 quarters of dress
q, beef. These were taken in the Sa-
chem and Winifredian from Liverpool,
the Cambrian from London and the Lii
vonian for Glasgow.
Exports from New York were ISL heads
OF cattle. 1864 sheep, 13720 quarters OF
beef.
J. A. Hathaway. one of the largest ex-
porters OF cattle in the country, who con-
those at Watertown and Brighton. con-
siders the order of the secretary Of agri-
culture forbidding the expectation of cat
tie from New England very serious
blow to dealers in live stock. Tonight, he
said that he had communicated with the
Washington officials during the day to
md out what could be done about NOV
ing cattle and sheep at WATERFOWL. and.
tonight, received notice that a portion OF
the stock on hand could be moved imme-
diately. They will be shipped to Boston
and placed on steamers which will sail.
tomorrow.
Cattle are being loaded on the two
ocean liners at docks on the water front,
tonight. The British government has
asked by cable whether these cattle will
be allowed to land at British ports at the
same time informing that government OF
the conditions under which they are be-
ing loaded, the cattle being either western
or Canadian. The m message further
come here in bond. none from the district
were the disease is supposed to exist.
and the cattle have all passed govern
good condition. The steamers will not
sQil in the morning until an answer to the
cablegram Is received.
a George Bray, agent of the Leyland Line,
. received a private dispatch from WASH
, tngton. tonight, saying that after tomor-
row cattle from the West might be ship
ped through Portland II they could be
got there without passing through the
sets, Vermont and New Hampshire. This
can be done by using the Canadian Pa
Ctfc Railroad.
MIR. Fray and the agents of the other
steamship lines which have been carrying
cattle from Boston and Portland. say that
IL they cannot do this at Portland they
Will have to seek outlets for the western
1--we stock at New York. Baltimore. Phil
adelphia and other ports outside the for
hidden states, and some of the shipment
have have to be made from St. John and
Halifax.
The disease having been declared cpl
demic among the cattle of Massachu-
sets. both the United States government
and the state authorities have taken
drastic measures to stamp 1t out the
former by prohibiting the shipment OF
cattle from the port of Boston and quar-
antining the states of Vermont. Massa-
Chusetts. Rhode Island and Connecticut
against the receipt of cattle and swine.
and the latter by closing the cattle Traffic
at the Brighton stack yards. the clearing
house for cows in New England -
1t Ia hoped by the strictest kind of
quarantine and by the frequent and rigid
inspection OF ALI the herds in the state
10 eradicate the disease.
+. Although the cattle commissioners of
both Vermont and Connecticut reported
toqay that there was no sign of the dis
ease In those states. several additional
cases were discovered in Massachusetts.
One OF these was at the Brighton stock
yards and several In Littleton.
Is known that there are several cases
N certain town in Rhode Island where
tne utsease first made its appearance ia,
New England - "
England 10 On the Lookout.