Evening star., 1909-08-29
CRUEL TRAGEDY THIS
ChanticIeer Is Exiled, or Else
He's Executed.
ONLY THE HENS ARE LEFT
Not Single Rooster Permit Is Ap-
piled For.
COPS ARE HOT ON HIS TRAIL
Woe Be Unto Any Lusty Cock That
Crows in Washington
Hereafter.

Indications point TO a roosterleSS city.
Although over one hundred applications
have been filed by keepers of chickens
and pigeons for permits % keep fowls
under the new chicken regulations. not a
single application to keep rooster has
as yet been filed. With the application
to keep barnyard song bird the law re-
uuires that the consent of a ma jority of
the householders in the square where his
growing is to be heard morning, noon
and night must be filed
In the opinion of the officials of the
health department there will be mighty
few roosters left to crow in the built-up
sections of the National Capital after tise
chicken regulation have been in force a
few days. Some admirers of the king of
the roost have already enjoyed a Sunday
dinner with his majesty as the occupant
of the platter in front of dad and other
similar feasts in other households are in
prospect.
Some of the admirers of the chanti-
cleers however. have not lost all hope of
his continued presence in their midst
! This is indicated by the fact that several
blank applications for permits TO keep
roosters have been secured from the
health department. The owners are talk
| ing soothingly to their neighbors regard
ing the musical qualities of their particu-
lar roosters. and hope to gain the con-
sent of a majority OF the residents in
their square.
Lucky Birds. These.
Roosters who have secured homes in the
less populous squares of the District will
not be molested for the law prohibits
the keeping of roosters without the con-
sent of ma jority of the neighbors only
in squares where more than 75 per cent
of the property is improved. Some of the
chanticleers are seeking safety in those
secluded spots
The sanitary inspectors of the health
department, headed by Chief Inspector
Holman and Acting Assistant Chief In
spector Butts are the busiest men in
Washington these days. A continuous
procession of chicken and pigeon keepers
has been winding its way through the
offices of the health department during
the past week since the issue of permits
| was begun. making inquiries regarding
the requirements of the new regulations
and securing application blanks for per-
mits.
AS soon as applications are filed they
are referred to sanitary inspectors for
investigation. and as over 100 applica-
tions are now on file the inspectors are
spending much time in chicken and
pigeon houses. The new regulations lay
down certain rules for the cleanliness
of the homes Of the fowls and permits
are not issued until it is known that
these conditions have been met by the
Several henhouses in the populous sec
tions Of the city have been found in
good condition by the inspectors, and,
! upon this finding. the health officer is
| ready to issue permits in these cases 1t
is expected that dozen or more per-
| mits to keep chickens will be issued
Monday. But in all these cases. the
houses will be roosterless chicken s
Eden. In none of the cases SO far in
vestigated and reported upon by the in
spectors have male birds been found.
Farewell, Proud Chandeliers.
| Several keepers of fowls announced their
intention to Danish or execute the roosters
| in their broods, when told of the require
ments for a permit to keep the chanti-
cleers. They do not care. it is explained.
| to go about among their neighbors in an
| effort to secure the necessary majority of
| consents to allow the barnyard songbirds
| to remain.
| These are. indeed. dark days for the
| rooster. Under instructions from Police
Chief Sylvester, bluecoats are searching
| out the sources Of every "cock-a-doodle-
do" they hear on their respective beats
and warning the owners. if the squares
are populous. that the neighbors have a
say as to whether the creator of this song
shall remain. And it is expected that be-
fore many days orders for the legal exc
cution or banishment of certain roosters