Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 94, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 April 1913 — ECHO OF THE FLOOD; MANY CATTLE DIE [ARTICLE]

ECHO OF THE FLOOD; MANY CATTLE DIE

Oarr Bros., West of Town, Have Lost Twenty Head From Lead * Poisoning in Pasture. Carr Bros., well-to-do fanners living southwest of town, have suffered a heavy loss during the past few days in the death of several head of steers, caused by white lead poisoning. Up to this Saturday afternoon 17 , head had died and 4 or 5 more were almost certain to die. A bucket containing a small amount of old yellow paint was the cause of all the trouble. Thursday morning when the catthat one was dead and an examination showed that others were very sick and several soon died. Dr. J. Hansson was called and. made an examination and he first thought that the cattle were dying of blackleg and he advised that the well ones be, separated at once from the sick ones. When steps were being taken to carry this plan out, Carey Carr, in pafssing through the pasture, found an old paint keg. which plainly showed that the cattle had been licking and this proved td have caused all the trouble. The old keg, containing only a small amount of dried paint in the bottom, had laid about the barn for several years, and during the recent high waters had floated out into, the pasture and Anally when the waters receded the keg settled down on the grass. The cattle were turned upon the pasture about a week ago but at that time water was still over the place where the keg was. The water went down a few days ago and the steers discovered the paint and found that it tasted good. They licked a hole through the thick coating at the bottom of the keg. The mystery solved, another visit from the veterinary was asked ahd he administered an antidote to all that were sick and this will doubtless save a number of them. In all there were 67 head of cattle in the pasture and twenty or more will die. Of the 17 head already dead all but one were 3-year-old steers. One was a yearling. The steers arc worth about SBO each and the loss will be almost $2,000. Mr. Carr stated to the writer that the paint had been left there during the time the farm belonged to A. McCoy. It had looked to be a very harmless thing and this accounts for the fact that it had never been burned. Nine n*en were today employed burying the dead cattle.