Year: 1872

AN EMBARGO ON TRADE AND TRAVEL.


TIE borse-distemper is now in full force in
this city, and its effects were strikingly visible
in all parts Of the city yesterday. All the omni-
bus and horEe-cars suspended travel, and the
means Of transportation generally were cut off,
Ordinarily, the interruption OF the public con-
veyances would be remedied in part, at least, by
the use Of private carriages, hacks, and impro-
yiscd vehicles but these means of relief fail
III this emergency, for the reason that the dis
temper has attacked all horses alike. Livery
stables are as helpless as omnibus lines, and the
malady is now reaching the thoroughbreds and
choice eteeds OF the private stables.


The stoppage of transportation OF passengers
to and from various parts Of the city is, how
ever, the least of the evils to which the city is
subjected. 1t suspends building to great ez-
tent. It has driven from work thousands OF
horses employed in hauling sand, lime, lumber,
stone, iron, and other material. And, when
horses stop working, men must st ,. Even yes
terday, work was suspended in many cases for
the want Of some necessary material, which
could not be obtained for want of horses to haul
it. Tomorrow, this effect will be more general,
and will continue to increase with each success
i've day that the malady prevails. The time
during which the disease disables horse
averages ten days, so that the suspension OF
travel and OF ordinary business OF
horses will last fully that long. To
this We must make up onr minds,
and bear it as best we may. Those at
tackled first will recover first and their use will
precede the general resumption Of work. But
most OF the horses may be said to have been at
tackled yesterday, and they will not, probably,
be fit to work before Wednesday Of next week.


The Inconvenience and loss resulting from
this interruption can hardly be estimated, but is
certainly very severe. 1t has stopped the re-
ceipt and delivery of goods By most of the whole
sale lehouEes,-an interruption OF businessmen only
expensive to OUT merchants, but to all their GUS
toners. It has interrupted building, and an in
terruption in that line at this time, when the re-
manning days OF the season are so few, will bt
disastrous to many owners and contractors, ant
fall with severity upon multitude OF Workmen
Each days loss of employment no" Is ooaDl'
what it would have been three months back
il so much added to the non-working season. Th'
interruption will seriously disturb the bushes
OF all cur manufactures. Theron and machine
shops, the planning and saw mills, the sash
door, and blind factories, and all other occupa
tions dependent upon the daily receipt of ma
terial and the delivery OF product BY horse-po"
er, will all experience more or less loss an
Inconvenience, and be subject to partial SUE
pension Of work But Chicago has had wors
calamities than this it has been time and agar
visited by pestilence which swept away mem
bers of the human family by the hundred daily
It has been engulfed in fire. THERE'S reason t.


be thankful that this epidemic among the horse
is not fatal It is general, but its effects ar
temporary. Serious as is the calamity in its IN
terruption Of business and Of work, there
some comfort in the assurance that its duratio


will be short and it's destruction limited