Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-11-17

INDEPENDENT ORDERS
A BIG CONSIGNMENT
Several Hundred Will be Sent
Here, Dressed, and Distri-
buted Free of Cost

Uuleu FTGe vi COSl
Time and again the Independent
has urged the substitution OF rabbits
! for high priced beef. The rabbit is
one of the cleanest of animals, so far
as its selection of food is concerned,
| its meat is tender and palatable, but
because rabbits are plentiful and
| easily and cheaply procured many
persons seem to recoil from them with
pride and scorn, and turn to chickens,
hogs. cattle and other animals whose
food would turn the stomach OF a self
respecting rabbit.
Persons prejudiced against the rab.
bit are imbued with wrong and ground
less notions or sentiments. The meat
of rabbits is positively good. and now
in particular, when half of the world
is suffering for want of meat 1t is
little short of criminal that rabbits
are killed by the thousands and their
carcasses destroyed. 1t is wholesale
waste which should be prohibited by
law.
II is true that rabbits have become
so numerous in some communities
that they have become pest, and
that they destroy large crops. In
such cases the government should
take the matter in hand, slaughter and
distribute them to centers where they
would be used as food.
Over In Metropolis district there
are said to be hundreds of thousands
OF rabbits and the problem of killing
them off is a serious one. We must
not blame the residents of that dis.
trict for adopting such methods as
may be considered necessary for their
own protection in getting rid of them,
but il is crying shame that this
meat, should be destroyed when it
would save thousands OF lives.
In the last issue of the Wells Her
aid we find the following:
ION Friday last the Metropolis peo-
pie turned out enmasse and succeed
ed in killing 500 rabbits in two hours
time without the firing of shot. At
. o'clock the school children Joined
/ the adults on the homestead of Jesse
Jensen. The big drive was off under
the direction OF Roy Thurston, of the
U. S. Biological Survey, and County
Agent Lambert About $50 acres was
covered by the drivers and a large
number of the pests were killed. 1t
| Is estimated that there were over
| 1000 rabbits in this one field, but the
drivers succeeded in rounding up only
one quarter of them. Another drive
will be pulled off today (Friday) at
the same place. All who are looking
for good time are urged to attend
Those in charge hope to round UT
1900 or more In the next drive"
Because of n shortage of meat al
over the world many of us are keeping
a meatless day. on such days we ma
turally eat more OF other foods. Would
il not be far more sensible to have a
rabbit day once or twice a week?
This would be real conservation, for
we would not have TO draw on other
foods that we eat on meatless days.
The Independent today telcphoned
an order to Metropolis for two hun
drcd and nifty rabbits. We offered to
pay ten cents each for them, which
will pay for their killing. Joseph
Snelson subscribed Ave dollars toward
paying for them. and will assist in
caring for and distributing them when
they arrive. II ia understood that they
will be drawn when killed, and when
they arrive they will be dressed and
distributed about town free OF charge
This will be done for the purpose OF
interesting the public in the rabbit as
n substitute for more expensive meats
n is recommended that they be made
into pot pics or stews, as they are
truly delicious in this form.
There Is no reason why Elko should
not furnish q market for at least one
thousand rabbits a week. They could
be handled at the local markets foi
twenty-five cents each, which would
give a profit OF one hundred per cent
Not only would this conserve mca'
and other food supplies but II would
prove a great beneAt to the people
OF Metropolis. Furthermore, many
local people could afford this mea
who cannot AFFORD beef mutton, porl
or veal at present prices.
Let such persons as are really in