Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-10-27
EPIDEMIC OF FOOT AND MOUTH
DISEASE IN TWO STATES
PLAYING HAVOC.
FOUR COUNTIES IN INDIANA
AND MICHIGAN DEPLETED
Entire Herds Slaughtered When Dis
ease Appears Among Them-Many
Healthy Cattle, Hogs and Sheep
Killed in Effort to Check Spread
Quarantine of People Suggested.

Chicago, Oct o7.--Only the merest
mint has reached Chicago of the extent
Of the epidemic of foot-and- mouth dis
ease in northern Indiana and southern
Michigan, involving possible losses of
millions of dollars and ruin to thous-
ands of families.
In the finest dairy and stock farm
district, covering four counties in these
two states, all but two or three dairy
cattle of hundreds OF valuable herds
have been doomed to slaughter. Nearly
every farm IN Berrien and Cass coun-
ties in Michigan. and st. Joseph and
I.aporte counties. in Indiana, is quar-
antined, and all the cattle. sheep and
hogs must be killed and buried in lime.
Healthy Cattle Killed.
OF the thousands of animals thus
doomed not one in twenty IS suffering
from any disease. Ninety i've per cent
of all the cattle. sheep and hogs slain
are destroyed. because one, two or three
among a large herd have become in
fected.
The case OF Haven Hubbard. farmer.
scores of others. Hubbard has rs
acres OF the best land in St Joseph
county, and he has spent twenty years
in acquiring a fire herd OF dairy COWS.
Yesterday morning Mr.. Hubbard had
eighty-one thoroughbred Holstsin cat
tie. $50 sheep and $50 hogs. His barns
and silos were full OF feed AID fodder.
Three federal veterinarians came OF
Hubbard's farm and found four OF the
cattle affected with the foor-and- mouth
disease The remaining 500 animals
were free from disease.
They at once doomed all the cattle.
sheep and pigs, and forbade Hubbard
TO remove from the fars any stock or
produce. They notified him that all the
hoofed animals would be slaughtered
within twenty-four hours.
Very soon there came to the Hubbard
farm twenty federal agents, who dug q
trench 1913 feet long. eight feet wide and
twelve feet deep on the hillside.
Shoot at Edge of Grave.
When the trench was finished. four of
the federal agents led the splendid herds
to one or the other side of the trench
and shot them dead, so that as they died
they fell in.
The revolver fusillade lasted for
hours. When the 500 animals had been
thrown into the trench barrels of quick
lime were emptied upon the bodies.
The market value Of Mr.. Hubbard's
herd was not less than 100000, but he
will only get the meat value of the lot,
il he gets that. The federal govern
nnent pays half Of the meat value of the
animals and looks to the state to pay
the other half. Michigan has appropri-
Nod fnr- hi in, 10
and Berrien counties, and DR.. Houck
says he can promise that Indiana will
60 as much.
Feed Goes TO Ruin.
But the story of loss is not all told
with the killing of the herds. The only
living things left on the farm are the
horses and chickens. The barns are
full of fodder intended for a winters
supply. But whatever can not be eaten
by the horses and chickens Is wasted.
Even the fertilizer must be burned. For
six months or more the farmer viii be
forbidden to restock his farm. for fear
that the germ of Infection may remain.
Federal inspectors sent by the de-
partment of agriculture in Washington
fear the epidemic may spread 70 I'LL
nois Iowa and Wisconsin and all over
the country unless more drastic meas
ures are taken.
The federal officials have decreed a
strict quarantine of the four counties.
bnt they must rely upon Indiana and
Michigan to supply men u patToi and
enforce the quarantine. The state Of
Michigan has met ali the demands OF
the federal officials. Indiana, on the
contrary is IN such financial straits
that it is without funds TO suppress
the outbreak.
DIR. Ulysses g. Houch, III charge 81
the federal force of veterinarians, pro-
poses 10 quarantine all Of Indiana I'M
less its officials display greater ac-
tivity in coping with the situation. This
would mean ruin, as no farm produce
could be sent out Of the state during
quarantine.
The best informed men here are
afraid that the epidemic may spread 10
the country at large, annihilating the
cattle industry and cutting off the
trade in milk, butter and cheese.
Publicity Is Necessary.
Joseph D. Oliver, head of the Oliver
Plow Company, one of Indiana's most
public-spirited citizens. said:
No one can DO the people of Indi-
ana or of any other state any good by
attempting TO conceal the seriousness
OF the situation You mad hetter pub
fish d warning against any persons
from the infected farms visiting the
dairy show or the international stock
show in Chicago this month and next
month. 1t would be terrible thing II
the germ of the foot-and mouth dis.
ease should be carried to the exposi-
ton building in Chicago and should
contaminate some of the valuable ami
mails there.
Special measures ought to be taker
by the governors of Illinois. Wisconsin
and Iowa to prevent any cattle. sheer
or hogs from the quarantined distric
being sent into those states.
Hundreds of herds that have beef
condemned are standing on the farms
source of danger and infection
Every animal ought to be killed tn
same day 1t Is condemned
Money Absolutely Necessary.
j. D. Collins. one of the most sue
cessful Of stock raisers. has mode
fran three miles from South Bend, Oh
which he has between 400 and so
thoroughbred hogs. 1t Is within three
quarters of mile of the infected dis
trict on one side and within a mile of
on the other Mr.. Collins stands [