Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-03-31
WOULD EXTEND
THE 28,HOUR Law
Both Shippers and Railroad Ex.
perts Assert There Would
Be Less Suffering.
HUMANE SOCIETY ANSWERED.
The Other Side of the Question Which
Is OF Decided Interest
To Utah.

There are indications that the house
committee on Interstate commerce win
agree on an amendment changing the
law which requires THAI livestock In
transit shall be unloaded and watered
and fed every rs hours by giving the
secretary OF agriculture authority to
permit an extension OF time In specified
cases where the distance to be covered
is such that the animals would be BEN
Gifted rather than injured by being
carried through instead OF being un.
loaded en- route,
The law has been rlgldly enforced
lately, much to the embarrassment OF
both shippers and the railroads, with
the result that II became frequently
necessary 10 dump animals out In the
middle OF the night on some desolate
side track and go through the form OF
feeding and watering.
The shippers and railroads asked for
q 36-hour limit This raised "A storm
OF Indignation among the various hui
name societies, which started active
lobbying at Washington IN order to
KIN the proposed extension
In order to secure opinions OF the rail-
roads and shippers OF Utah on this vital
question the News today secured In
terviews with possibly tao OF the most
representative men in this state.
What c. Ira futile, assistant general
freight agent, and Tor Years general
livestock agent OF the oregon Short
Line. and NJ X. Parsons one OF the
biggest shippers and dealers In cattle
and livestock In the west, told the
News" Is herewith given
THE RAILROAD SIDE
Concerning the legislation now
pending in Congress for the lengthen-
ing OF the time live stock may be con-
fined III cars while In transit said
Mr.. futile. practically all western
men familiar with the traffic are OF one
mind on the question and In favor or
the 80 hour law. No opposition to the
measure which has been introduced by
the breeders owners and shippers OF
all kinds of live animals and which
has been commended by transportation
companies generally. has appeared or
will develop In the west among other
than people wholly lacking In knowl-
edge OF moving live stock. partially
domesticated, for long distances
shippers and railway officials In
the western trade, at least know cer-
tainIy, by actual experience and OBJ
servation that excessive punishment is
inflicted upon the half-wild animals Of
the western farms and ranges by I'M
loading for rest. feed and water that
the stock will not take among the
strange surroundings Of average feed
ing places; and IN the double service
of unloading and loading nj feed sta
tlons. however. humane and gentle the
treatment the tax upon the animals liz
far greater In every way than would
~ 49,, al ~
meut In the cars moving towards their
destination without such interruption.
SHOULD BE KEPT IN CARS.
Live stock should be kept In the
cars as long as they can stand Il with
out becoming leg weary, which. In the
case OF cattle is SO hours, and. sheep
and horses from 80 to 20 hours. This,
as applied to western live stock
which forages for itself and except in
the heated season. only makes its way
10 the range watering places every
other day.
'"The rigorous enforcement of the 2s
hour law works on Increase of abuse
upon the live stock and lnhicts dam
age and loss upon the owners by de-
laying the movement Of conslgnments
and affecting both the quality and
quantity OF the commodity when II il
exposed for sale az destination.
1T Is not probable that stock, gem
orally speaking, would be kept con-
fined longer under the 26-hour law
that It now Is under the 2S except from
territory near the markets. Feeding
and resting points are now literally
provided on all western lines at inter-
walls af 10 to IL hours Of running time
apart and shippers OF any judgment
will use these facilities to rest up their
moving consignments az the condition
OF their stock demands; and II night
overtakes a consignment between feed
Ing points, transportation companies
with eight hours added to the limit, can
Invariably reach It's next feeding vnnt
within the time thus enabling the ship
per to unload IN daylight when ttmid
cattle, sheep or horses will walk out
OF the car without punishment.
THE interests OF the consuming and
shipping public as well as that OF the
railway are Identical in this question
Trey are alike interested In getting live
stock TO market tn the best possible
shape
THE SHIPPERS ARGUMENT,
The views OF NJ. X. Parsons are to nj
intents and purposes similar In detail
He admits that whichever way tn,
stock Is handled there IL bound to bC
some suffering In his opinion, II Is
more humane 10 get them TO market II
as good condition ms possible. He says
THE practical working OF the S-houi
law from n humane standpoint or IRON
financial standpoint IL failure fol
the reason that TO follow the law 4
would put the stock In the very wors
POSSIBLE condition to stand the strair
and the nervous excitement incident {,
shipping. Az an example. the surgeon
who Is about to operate upon suhiec
prepares his patient for the ordeal bJ
fasting him, and man who would pu
horse In a race on full stomach
would be a fit subject for the attention
OF the Humane society. In the case o.
the fve-hour rest under the exlstinl
law where shipments are limited 20 2
hours. and owing 20 the long distance
between feeding points on our western
reads sometimes such distances ar,
from loo to 80 miles, the shipper 4
often compelled 10 unload after, say nj
is or 20-hour run, as the railroads vii
refuse to carry them further for th'
iearon that the next unloading poln
might not be reached within the limit
This compeIs the unloading and reload