The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-02
ALABAMA MULES
IMPORTANT IN THE
EUROPEAN WAR
10000 Mules and Horses
Sent From Birmingham to
Allies-French Repre-
sentatives in Town

While the steel mills at Ensley are
turning out shrapnel. shells and 9th
er explosives to aid the allies in their
stands against the entente powers,
there is another Birmingham source
of aid that has worked as constantly
to meet the needs of war Since the
outbreak of the war 10000 mules and
horses have been shipped to the bat
tie fronts from Birmingham to the
eastern theatre of strife.
Birmingham may not have contrib
utcd more than a score of volunteers
to the foreign legions of the allies,
but where the machine gun fire is the
thickest and the bloodshed the most
profuse, there will be a multitude OF
mules that have gone to the front
from Birmingham Moxie Fies of Fies
G., Sons estimates that 10000 mules and
horses have been sent from Birming-
ham to the allies, principally to the
French.
over a hundred million dollars has
been involved in the sales of the
mounts and pack mules from this
country to the warning nations Amer
lea has supplied the powers with over
100000 horses and mules since the be-
6ihiiHS VI the war. birmingham has
received over million dollars from
this traffic
The life of the mule in the battle
Held is estimated at an average dur
alton of two weeks, so the demand for
the hyhrids is keen. The French gov
eminent has three representatives in
the city VINO are buying every pack
mule availa BILE and shipping them to
Bordeaux. Engaged in the work are
| Captain DeBcIleville, who has seen
service on the firing lines. and two
veterinary surgeons, P. ]. Blaizot and
| James N. OBrion.
During the past three weeks the To-
cal dealers have shipped 1900 mules
| to ports where they are to be for
Warded by boat to the harbors of
| France. Eventually the mules are sent
| to the scenes of battle, where they
serve to carry parts of the machine
guns and other small calibre mounted
| field pieces.
| The larger mules are not being used
| by the allies in the pack service. The
| sturdy hybrids from 1415 to Is hands
are peculiarly fitted for the work, al
| though those ranging from Is to Is
hands are purchased to bear the bur
| den of the larger pieces of the mounted
guns.
Daily the inspection of the horses
and mules continues at the stables OF
fleS az sons. An average OF nearly SO
| mules is accepted by the French in
spectors
As may be well imagined, a long
journey confronts the unfortunate
beasts of burden. Many mules have
been shipped by rail to Montreal, Cam
ada, where they are loaded for ship
ment by boat to Bordeaux, France and
other ports. But most of the Alabama
animals have been railroaded to Jersey
City and Newport News for consign-
ment to France.
All of the 10000 mounts that have
been sold from Birmingham have not
come from Alabama. The Flies Sons
have obtained a large number OF these
animals from kentucky and Tsnnes-
see.
If the mules OF the south only had 4
"hunch" as to what was to become OF
them, it is doubtful If they would wans
| to see the harvest of the southers
| farmer laid by. For when the cropo
are in the storehouses they will b
eager for their services. Instead OF
corn, though, they will bear grim steel
pieces that will deal death to the enc
mics. And while the poor mounts face
| the same dangers as do the marks
men and the soldiers, there Is no one
| 70 sing their bravery or write tributes
| to their memories.
The "hee-haw Maude" variety Of
mules that packs such q blow In the
hind legs IL left at home. for only
"broken mules are accepted Tor tho
| foreign service.