BUEEAU OF AJTIMAL INDUSTEY. 445 



creat alarm among the stockmen of Kentucky, and even of other States, 

 for at any time it vras liable to bo carried to the most remote part of the; 

 country by the shipment of exposed or affected animals. 



The inability to make inspections, owing to the hostility of the owners 

 of the infected herds, prevented the notification of such owners or of 

 the railroad oliicials as jDrovided for in the animal industry law; and 

 as this law only specifies affected animals, and not those which havo 

 been exposed and are liable to become affected, it is evident that there 

 was but slight legal restraint to prevent the dissemination of this in- 

 sidious and dangerous plague. 



A considerable number of appeals for protection and assistance were 

 made to the Department by prominent citizens of Kentucky, but for a 

 long time there was no plan suggested by which this could be granted. 



Below is a copy of a letter received from ex-Senator John S. Will- 

 iams: 



MouxT Stekling, Ky., June G, 1885. 



My Dear Sir : Tlic cattle plagne is still lingering and killing cattle in Messrs. 

 Frisbie «t Lake's herd at Cynthiana ; it has also appeared in a small herd of their 

 nearest neighbor. At a meeting of the cattlemen in Frankfort this week, I was ap- 

 pointed one of a committee to wait upon Messrs. Frisbie & Lake and see if some 

 arrangement could not be made to prevent the further spread of the disease until 

 the meeting of our legislature, when wo feel sure that eftective legislation Tvill bo 

 had. 



Dr. Loring, just before the adjournment of Congress, proposed, with the consent of 

 Frisbie & Lake, to put their herd in quarantine and pay the expenses of such quar- 

 antine if the governor of Kentucky would co-operate with him in so doing. I saw 

 the correspondence between them. The governor thought there was no necessity of 

 any action on his part, and that the Commissioner of Agriculture had as miich power 

 over the subject without as with his co-operation. Dr. Loring was not satisiied with 

 the nou-actiou of the governor, and the matter was dropped. Frisbie & Lake were 

 not only willing, but anxious, that the cattle should bo put in quarantine. 



I think the governor can bo prevailed upon now to givo his sanction and support to 

 such measures as you may adopt, and I hope you will at once put this herd in quar- 

 antine. I havo notified Messrs. Frisbie & Lake that I will be at their farm near 

 Cynthiana, on next Saturday, the 13th instant, and I hope to have a letter from you 

 before I leave Fritlay evening, renewing the prox^osition of your predecessor. 

 Very truly yours, 



JOHN S. WILLMMS. 



The CoMMissioxER OF Agricttlture, 



JVashington, D. C, 



To this letter the following reply was made: 



Departjient of Agriculture, 



Washington, D. C, June 10, 1385. 



Sir: In reference to your favor of the Gth instant, to Commissioner Colman, ask- 

 ing if he is prepared to carry out the plan of quarantine for the herd of Messrs. Fris- 

 bie & Lake which was under consideration by Commissioner Loring, I havo the honor 

 to state that owing to the extent of pleuro-pneumonia, the small number of empiovijs 

 allowed the Bureau of Animal Industry, and the limited appropriation for the coming 

 fiscal year, such a course cannot be adopted at this time. As I understand the mattci-, 

 the quarantine which Frisbie &, Lake aro willing to accept is simply a mutual ar- 

 rangement under which this Department is expected to take charge of tho infected 

 herd and pay a41 expenses for its care and maintenance. 



Asimilar proposition was made by the State authoritiesof Missouri and was declined, 

 because there was not suiiicient funds available to undertake to control pleuro-pucu- 

 monia in this way. Our inspectors have found about 300 infected herds, containing 

 several thousand animals, each of which the State authorities desire to have quaran- 

 tined at Government expense, and it is evident that any attempt to do this would ex- 

 haust otir apiiropriation in a few months without in any way reducing the extent of 

 the infection. 



The Frisbie & Lake herd has been a source of great anxiety to tho Depai'tment, 

 f(^r there seems to bo good reason to believe that even if by good fortune tho dis- 

 eaee is not disseminated beyond Harrison County, it will become so firmly established 

 there as to bo extirpated only with the greatest difficulty. 



