152 
.TAMES D. HOPKINS. 
any responsibility in regard to the quarantine of animals that 
might come into port, and urged upon him the establishment of 
a suitable quarantine station, near Sandy Hook, on the unoccu¬ 
pied ground of the United States reservation. In accordance 
with these suggestions, the Secretary desired the New York Com¬ 
missioner to examine the reservation on Sandy Hook, to select, if 
practicable, proper grounds for the establishment of a quarantine; 
but, at the same time, indicating his opinion that the quarantine 
should be established and maintained by the State of New York. 
(Up to this time no further action has been taken). 
The number of cattle which had been condemned and slaugh¬ 
tered, in accordance with the law, for which indemnities were 
given, with the large outlay for professional services, had so re¬ 
duced the appropriation made by the Legislature, that by the 
close of August, 1879, it became necessary to largely retrench 
the expenses, which could only be done by reducing the number 
of veterinarians, retaining only a sufficient force to hold the 
ground already gained and continue the inspection of all animals 
coming to the cities, until such time as the coming Legislature 
should be able to take the subject into consideration. 
The great importance of continuing our restrictions placed 
upon the importation of cattle from the States south of us, in 
which the disease is known to exist, will be seen at a glance, as 
the work we have already done in our own State would be lost 
were these restrictions removed, inasmuch as the tendency of all 
cattle trade is toward the city of New' York. 
On the 9th of September, notice was received by Gen. Pat¬ 
rick of the appearance in Putnam county of some fatal sickness 
among the cattle, and Prof. Law soon visited certain herds in the 
town of Patterson, and the existence of contagious pleuro-pneu- 
monia in a virulent form was established. 
The fact that the appropriation made by the Legislature at its 
last session, to carry out the provisions of the laws of 1878-9, 
was so nearly exhausted as to render it impossible to indemnify 
the owners of cattle that would be condemned under the law, was 
made known to the people of Putnam county, who at once called 
a mass-meeting at Brewsters, October 7th, 1879, to consider the 
