Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 April 1902 — Demonstrating Its Worth. [ARTICLE]

Demonstrating Its Worth.

St. Louis World. The George BarcusCo., of Rensselaer, Ind., gave a public trial of their patent horse stocks at the blacksmithing shop of Ed Butler, at Tenth and Walnut streets, yesterday afternoon. For the purpose of the exhibition Mr. W. H. Van Dyke, the agent of the company, secured two of the most vicious mules in the city. His choice fell on a team belonging to Contractor Ratigan. These animals are famous for their natural perverseness and their strenuous objection to being shod, and are the terrors of all horseshoers in the city. *...<■• The machine is intended to subdue any refractory animal and rendqr it helpless while the blacksmiths nail on the shoes. The machine certainly had a fair test yesterday, for the animals were the worst that could be obtained. Mr. Ratigan owns a team of mules that can kick the drivers off the top of the big sprinkling wagons. These animals were in need of shoeing, and so it was decided to let them try their innate cussedness against the product of brain and science. The first mule shod was a long rangy brute with an expression of great wisdom in his face. He is known as “Old Crow,” and it is the practice to harness him with a pitchfork. He has never been cleaned.off since Mr. Ratigan owned him. “Old Crow,” after a slight demur, took his medicine in fine shape and he was shod in twenty-five minutes from the time that he was put in the stocks. The other mule offered more strenuous objection to the treatment. He is beyond doubt the most vicious brute in Missouri. Two weeks ago he nearly killed Inspector Harry Foster. This mule is properly named “Dynamite.” When he felt the ropes tighten around his legs and body he sat down and broke loose from all restraint. His triumph was of short life for Demonstrator E. M. Moon soon had him fast again and he was shod in short order. A large number of horsemen were present and pronounced the machine wonderful in every way. Mr. Butler said: “Those two mules have cost me |175 in the last ye?r, for I have to pay the doctor bill of those who are hurt, and at the same time keep np their wages. This machine is the thing we want.”