Year: 1872

THE NOTE OF ALARM WEIGH HAS BEEN SOUNDED
from the East, and from Canada, and which the
daily papers OF this city have zealous1y re-echoed,
has been quickly followed by the disaster which
it foretold. The horse-disease which has caused
so complete stand-Rtiu Of business in all the
large cities Of the East, and which was heralded
in Chicago by few isolated cases, has now
broken out in every quarter Of the city, and
threatens to produce the same unpleasant con-
sequences that it has done in other cities. There
are upward OF seven hundred horses sick,
by actual count, and the figure must
hare reached thousand yesterday. Ex-
cept those in the Western avenue barn Of
the West Division City Railroad Company,
the horses have aH been taken with the disease
since Monday. In no other instance has it's ap-
pearance been noticed previous to that date. In
four days 1000 horses have been attacked, and
there is little doubt that the disease will be gen.
eral throughout the city in a few hours from the
present writing. So far the disease has shown
itself in


A MILD FORM


Many Of the horses suffering from it are still
at work, and might have been seen On the streets
yesterday The main portion Of those who have
been relieved from duty are already recovering,
owing to prompt and sagacious treatment.
Should this be general, the fear Of total
interruption of business need not be en-
tertained. The duration OF the disease
appears to vary, in proportion to the
promptitude with which it is met, and this fact
should encourage the owners Of horses to be on
the alert, and spare no pains to arrest the NAL
ady at the outset.


NUMEROUS MODES OF TREATMENT
have been suggested, any one Of which, il
promptly administered, is better than the best
Of them called in few hours later. Immediate
attention is the prime necessity; good ventila-
ton, cleanliness, disinfectants, come next.
Warmth should be especially siudied. Blanket
the horses in all cases, and give them air. This
has been generally done, and no believe II it is
carried out the run Of the malady in Chicago will
be briefer than in any other city.


TIE PRESENT EMERGENCY
has shown by how slender thread our business
is upheld. An epidemic among our equine
friends results in q complete break
up Of our routine businesB,-how
complete remains to be seen. It
has the effect Of turning attention to other
means of transit than our faithful friend, the
horse, and II it evolves some system Of travel
less likely to be interrupted suddenly. its results
will not be so deplorablo after all. The use Of
dummies on our car-trackB is not considered
practicable, and modification of mechanical
apparatus is necessary. A few months ago 1rr.
Myers thought that he had solved the riddle by
his


PNEUMATIC MOTOR,


but whether this is the case remains to be seen.
4 description OF the machine vas given some
months ago, when the inventor demonstrated
pretty satisfactorily that his discovery possessed
the germ Of succesB, even though he had not
altogether mastered certain mechanical imper-
fections. His pneumatic dummy has been grad
ually improved, after q variety Of experiments,
and is now nearly ready for uHe- It is awaiting
a final trial before it can be pronounced upon.
He has renewed his air-pump, which now works
with two cylinders. In connection with the
pump is reservoir, capable Of holding 1000
cubic feet OF air, into which the air is forced
through underground pipes. The reservoir is
connected by means OF q duct with the barn,
where the dummy receives it's substitute for fuel
and water.


TIE ONLY OBSTACLE


is the pump, Of whose capacity h1r. Myers has
doubts. It's place will shortly be filed with
another from New York, and then tho owner
thinks he will have everything accomplished.
The dummy took a turn on the track yesterday,
satisfactorily to the owner. Now is Mr.. Myers
opportunity. If his invention is meritorious,
the present lack OF norses will afford him an
excellent opportunity to display its meritB.
There will be fewer horses about the streets to
be terrified, and one great obstacle will thus be
overcome. Let Mr. Myers show up Ills dummy
at as early date as he can, and let tho public be
the Jury to decide on it's excellence. If it is
good they will soon discover It; il not, the soon.
er it is known tue better for Ar. MyorB.


THE SOUTH SIDE.


nfafoh ~