Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-03-26
Rush Horses Abroad.

/
The horses and mules purchased by the
English and French in Kansas City for the
war in Europe are now being rushed to the
seaboard, and there loaded on ships to be
dispatched with all haste to the war zone.
While the foreign army officers will say
nothing about it, the conclusion is inevita-
BILE that the allies are to use them in the
big spring campaign.
When the foreign army officers first be-
gan buying horses and mules in this market
they segregated the animals, and condi-
toned them with vaccination and other
means. That has been abandoned in the
rush. The animals are shipped immedi-
ately to New Orleans or Newport News A
fleet of ships is now waiting at Newport
News to convey them. A trainload of
horses left Kansas City last Sunday.
And Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Ne
oraska and Colorado. literally combed for
horses for the British. are to be fine-combed
now to supply the French 10000 head
more. If the pending contract for 10000
horses for the Belgian government goes
through, the demand will be still more
urgent.
Approximately so 900 horses and mules,
valued at $12,000.000, have been pur-
chased in the States mentioned since Sep
TENDER |, and have been marketed through
Kansas City to the British. The desirable
cavalry types were soon exhausted. and the
rule that all horses must be under years of
age and conform to type was soon aban-
doned. Also the price has gone up from
$25 to $35 head since September, and.
in the popular parlance, the horse that
will last a week on the battle line goes
For more than two months the British
have been buying only artillery horses. for
which they pay around $225. The farmer
gets from $3.50 to $185 for these animals.
The type is the general utility farm horse.
weighing from 1900 to l.400 pounds, up
to IL years of age, and wire cut or small
blemish does not disqualify The smooth
mOuthed" horse. whose teeth indicates he
is over years old, will 60 If he has good,
short teeth.
The British are also buying mules for
artillery purposes and are having to pay
a little more for them than for the horses.
The new French contract, obtained by
Thompson & Robertson, calls for both cav
airy and artillery horses. and the specif-
cations are said to be very liberal. The
cavalry horses must be from Is to 16 hands
in height and the artillery horses must
weigh LOO to 1.400 pounds. As with the
British, the gray horse is not wanted, ex-
cept for the very dark iron gray, which is
not conspicuous
The Italian government is now vieing
with the United States government in pur-
chasing young horses. Recently. in Grand
Island. Nebr., the Italian buyers bought
lot of "spaghettis" These are horses 3
and A years old. and many Of them un-
broken. Branded Western horses Of this
age. and so wild that they could not be
handled, except with lariat brought 500
and $40 apiece.
The United States army is also buying
up an exceptionally large number of young.
unbroken horses true to type and perfect
in appearance. These are being put on
government ranches at the remount sta
tons The action of this government is
believed by horsemen to mean that the
United States army fears horse famine,
and is trying to stock up
The old-time PASSENGER liner Gascoene.
which up to few years ago piled between
New York and French ports. cleared Mon
day for Hare with what is said to be the
largest cargo Of horses ever shipped out of
New York. The animals are intended for
the use of the French army. There were
nearly 1900 aboard The vessel has been
entirely made over for this traffic. Even
the fittings of the bridal suite had been
ripped out and what had once been Iuxu-
rious cabins were occupied by horses