Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-03-02
CLAIM S
Live Stock Sanitary Commissioner
Oftiee-Oisease Among the Cattle


A general airing of the live stock san
itary commissioners office, the startling
statement of DR.. f. r. Baird of Water
Vllle That more than 30 per cent. of cows
in this State are afflicted with CONTAGIOUS
abortion and that farmers know it and
are covering it up by selling their COWS
to their neighbors. and that the live
stock commissioners of this State should
take immediate steps to look to the SUD-
preston or this matter. expert testimony
from the University of Maine and q
large number of witnesses occupy;ng
nearly the whole attention of the commit
tee, kept the committee on claims busy
Thursday afternoon listening to argu-
ments for and against resolve in favor
OF Jos. II. Underwood, a Fayette farm
er. who claimed he should be reimbursed
by the State to the extent of $500 for dam
age lnficted to him during the week of
the State fair at Waterville when he was
obliged to leave the fair grounds by or
der of Boyden Bearce. live stock sanitary
commissioners, and who placed an embar-
go on his cattle at Readfed depot
1t was long drawn out hearing
fraught with many personal sides There
were charges and counter-charges of in
competency, of personal feeling, and two
veterinaries testified for and against the
relative claim
Attorney E. E. Peacock of Readfeld
conducted the case for Mr.. Underwood
and briefly outlined the case. He said
MT. Underwood was Hereford cattle
raiser and had gone to Watervlle to
exhibit his cattle as was his usual GUS
tom. After his arrival there Mr.. Bearce
asked him if he had a sick COW and later
ordered him from the grounds. He said
Mr.. Bearce did not make an inyestiga
ton, but the next day young veterinary
mace a superficial one and as a result
ne mad to take his Is cattle and go home
and that when he arrived at Readfield he
round the State commissioner has placed
an embargo on his cattle and he could
not exhibit at Lewiston the next weak
Underwood's contention was that the
State official did not do what he should
have done and that as a consequence he
was prevented from exhibiting at Lewis
ton and thereby lost much money.
Mr. Underwood admitted he had been
losing calves but that the cows did not
have contagious abortion. He said no
exhibitor in Waterville made any COM
plant and it looked to him as if one Of
his competitors had framed" him with
the commissioner and he had been sent
home so that he could not exhibit and
stand a chance of winning as he usually
did He said he was willing to return
home if DIR. Russell, professor of the
meteorological department of the Uni
versity of Maine. said his COW was i'll
with the disease. He said he was an ex-
pert veterinary and an acknowledged ex-
pert on veterinary science and especially
well grounded on this disease He said
instead Mr.. Baird made the examination
and to make sure that his cattle were
not affected he sent specimens of cultures
to DR.. Russell at Orono and DR. Whit
tier at Bowdoin and they returned GER
tiflcates to the effect that the cattle
were not effected with the disease. He
said shortly after he returned home he
sold one of these cows said to be thus
afected after telling the purchased that
the sanitary commissioner had condemn
ed the COW, for $500. Il want the State
of Maine to know how its business is
being conducted. and I want to know IL
the State acts consistently when It up
holds such an administration" said he.
He also took rap at the former COM
missioner of agriculture whom he said
would not grant an investigation and tina,
the embargo was removed after all the
fairs were closed.
Dr. F. L. Russell of the University of
Maine, professor since 1882, simply told
of the cultures sent him and his exam.- |
nations which revealed no contagon
spoken of.
Frank BODICE Of Fayette simply told Of
the purchase Of one Of the cows in ques-
ton.
Boyden Bearce of East Eddington, |
live stock sanitary commissioner |
spoke in his own behalf and in oppo-
sition to granting the claim by the |
State. I'm just a farmer" said he and |
my cowhide boots are at home today"
He said he really did not place any |
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