Year: 1861

EDITOR DEMOCRAT Please allow us to cal,
at'ehtioh through your paper to the practice
IN this city of imponnding cows. The law
as exercised is annoying, expensive and nm
necessary; accomplishing in no partcplar
the end designed. 1t is never executed on
animals belonging to certain individuals no
matter when or where found at large and
when 1T is put in force, the object is to re-
plenish the empty pockets of gigila,st police
men, or to crafty personal spite. The law
operates most Oppressively on the poor or
working classes, who, from the product Of
COW OF two, kept outside of the business part
of the city, will almost feed their families at
a season when they can do but little to that
end by their labor But they are absolutely
prevented from doing this by the continual
annoyance and expense of having their cows
empounded every time they cross the line of
Eighth street. where they are attracted by
refuse straw and hay deposited in the vicini.
ty of Eighth and A streets by stable keep
ers. Most, if not all, of the cows taken mn
are found at this point, or east of A street
not farther south than Alderman Davis's sta.
ble, to which place they are frequently
drawn by the exposure of hay in the street
and yards, the doors of which are generally
open. These hay yards are really much
greater nuisance in the city proper than es.
tray cattle. They not only obstruct the side
walks, but are the cause of nine-tenths of
such cattle being found in the streets. Such
places should be closed altogether in the city
or the keepers compelled to confine their
business to new yards, and to keep their
gates and doors shut night and day.


The undersigned live above Ninth street.
and pasture our cows on the plains during
the day and yard and feed them at home at
night. Nevertheless, each of US found a COW
in the pound on Friday morning, and were
obliged to pay fine of two dollars per head
to the police, and fifty cents a head to Al
derman Davis who, it seems keeps the KEYS,
For one COW, however, six bits extra was
charged; this was taken by policeman.


Perhaps we should net feel so much in
clined to complain if the law was enforced
equally. But we noticed when our COWS
were let out that there were numbers OF eat
tie at large in the immediate vicinity of the
pound. The attention of the police was
called to the fact, but no notice was taken of
1t, some of these cattle, we believe, belonged
to Alderman Davis. We do not pretend that
it was necessary such cattle should be taken
up, for they could do no harm, nor could our
COWS do harm, except perhaps annoy the
aforesaid stable keepers.


We think the law should be so altered that
COWS could not be taken up, except when &C.
tually found in mischief, and that their fre.
quent4ng stables should not be considered
mischief The police should also be REQUIRED
to note in book kept for that purpose IN
the Police office the time when, and nlsce
where estrays are taken up and their marks
and general description, and also to renort
to the Council the number of cattle impound,
ed, and the amount of fines collected at tbs
end of every mQnth. This my be the law
now' II so 1T is entirely neglected.


We live outside of the estray limits. and
are obliged to fence against cattle belonging
to persons living in the city proper, which
are pastured on the plains.


We have no protection against damage and
annoyance of such cattle; but in addition Ca
our ordinary taxes, if our cattle escape over O
certain line we are compelled to pay So
head, each time; however we would not make
SO much complaint. if everything was equal,
end any good end was answered by it. But
we pay our taxes and receive no protection
We do our part to maintain police, and re-
cieve from them, nothing but injury thew
spend their time in Chinatown and SPANISH
town, but never visit us, except to capture our
cows, and worse than rob us of hard earned
dollar.


Is there no way to change the city govern
ment? Consolidate the city and county. If
tIda movement should be made again the
people would sustain it. Let each Ward
elect their own police and have the benefit
of them; do anything it cant be worse.


Respectfully yours,


JAMES MoCANN,


JACOB RUsr,