Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-07-18
DOG DAYS.
Dogs and Dog Chaser Cause Dog TANK
and Trouble.

and Trouble.
The all absorbing and paramount
issue OF the day at present among
the citizens OF the city Is the sdog
question, and daily Il Is being dis
GUESSED on the street corners, In the
market places and business houses.
and In these discussions the law regu-
lating the Tux on dogs. and the coli
ored man selected 10 enforce that
law is being both praised and con
demned.
The city of Occur d'Alene, ike
many other cities, has an ordinance
covering the subject OF dogs, and UNI
der It's provisions the owner Is COM
PEELED to pay for a male dog SO and
for female dog IS. To carry out
Its provisions the city has dog
catcher, in the person OF eolorad
man by the name OF A. C. Porter.
His principal business under the or
dinance Is to catch the dogs, take
them to the pound az hts home. and
then 70 collect tax for them. which
IN view OF that charged BY other
towns, and IN View OF the fact that
under the statutes Of the state dog
Is classed as property and OF the
value Of 81 is exorhitnnt and unjust.
at least TINT is the opinion Or the ma
jority Of the citizens. II the owner
falls 70 pay the required tax within
IS hours the penalty Ii the execution
OF the dog. Several modes OF execu-
ton OF the dogs have been invoked
from time TO time. and after eonsld-
cradle experiment II was decided that
shooting the CANNES was the quick
est and the most satisfactory way.
and that IL the mode IN yoge at the
present. n the catcher collects the
tax atty cents OF It goes 70 him for
his services and the remainder II
supposed to go 10 the city That II
In substance the duties Of the dog
catcher and the provisions Of the law
BY virtue Of which he exists al an
officer OF the administration and un-
der which he operates and carries on
his trade.
The dog catcher has been busy
lately. and the complaint from the
citizens against him, and the law I'M
der which he operates. has been gem
erai and loud The accusations have
been made that he does not perform
HIS duty impartialiy. but that he per.
mits hundreds of ours and NANCY
dogs OF the street 10 roam about az
large, and that he makes Il bis spec
ial business 20 search out dogs that
are valuable, and who belong 10 own
ers from whom he Is sure 10 secure
the tax. That IL the main complaint
that has been made. besides that the
ordinance tax II high and exorbltant.
and that the dog catcher has over
stepped his authority IN catching the
dogs, and II was this that caused
Captain Roper to have him arrested
on a warrant charging trespsss this
morning. Porter made his appear
ance before Judge Blixt and plead
not guilty. and furnished bonds TO
the amount OF s25. A consultation
then followed between the parties
interested and the Captain agreed TO
drop the case against Porter If he
would return the dogs. This he
agreed TO do, and the matter was
terminated.
Captain Roper. when seen with re-
iatlon to the matter. stated that the
dogs belong 60 Fred Roper They
we're 10 be taken away soon. he said.
"and when Porter came 20 me for
tax | told BIN that they would only
remain q short While lonxer-thaf
Fred would soon take them away.
and that u they were here for any
length OF time ] would pay the tar.
Yesterday the dogs we're asleep In
the woodshed. and my wife heard the
gate open and shortly afterwards
went 70 the voodshed and found the
dogs missing. search succeeded IN
finding them IN the dog pound. and
then | went and had . warrant sworn
out against Porter Tor tFespasaing
on my premises In taking the dogs.
4 think he clearly overstepped bis
authority. bat ! do not think he Is
altogether to blame. Il h ms opin-