The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-07-27
OBSTINATE OPPOSITION
COST EN- PRETTY PENNY
Illinois Had TO Spend More Than Two
Million TO Get Rid of Foot-a1d-
Mouth Disease.
COST is SMALL
Oflcials OF Old Dominion Permitted
No Interference While Injunctfons
and Other Methods In Other States
Proved Costly.

Figures on the cost of eradication
of foot-and-mouth disease received
here from other States in which the
dread animal disease appeared since
last October give evidence that Vir-
ginia was extremely fortunate in hav-
ing had the infection handled by the
State Livestock Sanitary Board and
State Veterinarian Ferneyhough, who
did not permit political and other in
fiuences to interfere with them in
adopting drastic measures. The state
OF Virginia was saved sum that can
not easily or accurately be estimated.
|. In other States, where political IN
fiuences and opposition, sentimental
and otherwise, was allowed to inter
fere with the performance Of duty
by the authorities charged with the
welfare of livestock and its owners,
the cost Of handling the foot-and-
mouth situation and wiping out the
disease cost all the way from $4,000
to s2.359.000. In Virginia the total
cost to the State in eradicating all
trace OF the disease In the three widely
separated sections of the State In
which It appeared, was but s13,S54.92.
sum insignificant when compared
with the cost to other States.
DIR. J. G. Ferneyhoash yesterday re-
ceived from the State veterinarians or
four States, In which there has been
foot-and mouth disease since last
October. statements of what the hand
ling Of the situation in those states
cost.
Cost Illinois Two Millions.
The State of Illinois was most
heavily hit, the cost Of wiping out the
disease in that State having been So
35s.01777. OF this total more than
oil
State to owners whose cattle was
slaughtered. 1t cost the State OF
/ Illinois more than $4,000 for the
| burial OF the animals killed in the
fight on the disease.
Graduating the disease in New York
State cost that State 100000. II cost
the State OF Pennsylvania $672,-
4s4.57 Maryland was the most
favored OF the four States from which
having had to expend but $sst412.S2-
more than six times the cost to the
State Of Virginia.
/ The chief contributor to the great
expense in the other States was the
! activity of those who opposed the
veterinary authorities when they at
! tempted to extend guarantees that
would protect other cattle and to XIII
! the cattle infected. The opposition
reached most serious proportions In IL
| linois, injunctions being sued for and
secured by cattle owners, who declared
| the disease not so serious as veteri-
narians claimed,
omcfals Had Opposition.
Various methods were used in delay
/ ing the authorities in those States in
| gripping the situation In its earlier
stages. as 1t was taken hold OF in VIZ
ginia, and the disease spread rapidly.
| The cost of the obstinate opposition
| of those whose views were not in ac-
cord with those of the veterinary au-
thorities liz shown In the figures en-
braced in the reports from Illinois.
Pennsylvania. New York and Mary
land.
| In Virginia the State veterinarian
was backed In his work. in which the
United States department of agricul-
ture's bureau of animal industry CO.
operated. by the Governor. and by the
| State livestock and sanitary board.
composed of educators and business
| men, some OF whom are associated
with v. p. T.. a State institution. There
! was for a time signs of opposition
here. There was criticism OF the State
authorities.
virginia Acted Promptly.
But Virginia had armed it's authori-
ties with sufficient power to carry on
the warfare against the disease. The
outbreaks In Loudoun, Frederick and
Henrico counties were taken In hand
at once. and as quickly as machinery
/ at DR.. Ferneyhough's command could
be put into operation the infected cat
tie were disposed of-destroyed. The
quarantine was rigidly enforced and
police powers were extended to sur
fcient number of deputies to make the
work effectual
/ Virginia had at it's disposal $4,000
with which to fight the foot and mouth
disease. But $i3.s54.az was used. OF
! this sum sio3s2.25 was paid for cattle
destroyed The cost of policing. in
| vestfgating and of ONCE and other
expenses incident to the campaign was
$3,472.67.