Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-23
MAY ISSUE BONDS
TO PAY FOR HORSE
REDONDO BEACH TRUSTEES IN
QUANDARY
Flood of Bills Following Death Of
"Bessie" Equal the Original
Cost of That Valuable
Animal

REDONDO BEACH, Feb. $50 nu-
merous are the claims filed against
the city for services during the illness
and following death of a valuable city
horse that the authorities are begin
ming to fear a bond issue will have to
be voted to provide the necessary
funds to settle them. Up to date the
total amount claimed among a dozen
different men is $780, and more bills
are expected to be presented.
Bessie, one of the big, black team
of horses owned by the city, is the one
that has proved such luxury to the
taxpayers of Redondo Beach. Her
demise occurred in January, but 1t
was only recently that the expense OF
her prolonged illness and subsequent
passing away were made known to
the general public by the filing of the
claims which almost equal her orig
inal purchase price. Had poor Bessie
known what her carelessness in be-
coming indisposed and lying down to
uie would cost the city it is considered
exceedingly probable that her better
| horse sense would have induced her
to recover at once or else hasten her
death struggles and have the perform
ance done with. Events appear to IN
dicate that she did not know this, and
the story of her last illness is pathetic,
but comical.
There is no veterinary surgeon at
Redondo Beach. Consequently, when
Bessie became sick, veterinary at
Los Angeles was sent for. HIS Dill
to the city after the death of Bessie
was $74.5O. But, this is not the worst
of it, although it is the biggest indi-
vidual claim filed. Bessie had to nave
a nurse during the eight days that
she was sick in the city barn back OF
the city hall.
Disease Not Determined
AS far as could be ascertained, the
exact cause of the mares death was
not announced, but she is said to nave
suffered from lunbago with compll-
cation possibly bordering upon appen-
dicitis or tuberculosis of the Spleen
Even a post-mortem examination con-
Quoted Immediately following Bessie
death failed to disclose the precise
cause of adj the trouble
While Bessie was sick in the city
harm part of the city's street equip
ment was removed to make more room
for the mare, whose nurse insisted
that she must have absolute quiet
Bills for the rent of suitable place
to store the city property are accofu-
ingly part of the total.
Now even a sick horse cannot get
properly cared for without medicine,
and this was furnished by a local
druggist to the value of SlS Every
one concerned in the matter admits
that it wasn't the fault of the medi-
cine that Bessie failed to get WE'LL ana
this bill will be paid by the city.
Bessie cost about 5000 when the city
bought her some time ago, and 1t was
felt that an insignificant sum like this
expended for --0edicine would be very
safe investment.
The comical climax to the tragic end
ing of Bessie comes with the presenta..
ton of the final claims for burial OF
the deceased animal. According TO
the city treasurer, at least SIX bllls
for this service have been presented,
each man claiming from $1.50 to So for
his part in the funeral. The finance
committee of the city board of trus-
tees is said to be greatly perturoed
over the question, "How many men
does it require to bury dead horse?'
and an investigation is said to pc
under consideration.
When reporter attempted to get
further details of the last chapter IN
Bessie's biography e. Jensen, city
street superintendent, with choking
voice. as he recalled fond memories Of
/ the great work done by the mare IN
the citys streets, refused to discuss
the subject.