The Vidette-Messenger Centennial EditionThe 1936 special edition celebrating Porter County's centennial year . . . .
The following article has been transcribed from the August 18, 1936, issue of The Vidette-Messenger, published in Valparaiso, Indiana. This particular special edition focuses on Porter County's centennial celebration and contains a 94-page compendium of Porter County history up to that time.
Return to the index of articles from The Vidette-Messenger's Porter County Centennial special edition.
Source: The Vidette-Messenger, Valparaiso,
Porter County, Indiana; August 18, 1936; Volume 10, Section 3, Page 6.
Quarantine On Porter County Farms Occurred Twice; One In 1914 and Again
During 1919
Porter
county farmers have felt the rigidness of quarantine on farm operations on two
occasions, viz when the hoof and mouth disease was raging among cattle during
the period between November 7, 1914, and March 1, 1915, and in 1919 when
Australian take-all infection attacked wheat fields in Porter LaPorte counties.
First intimation that Porter county cattle were infected with hoof and mouth
disease came when Dr. E. W. Dickerson of Pueblo, Colo., inspector of the U. S.
Bureau of Animal Husbandry, arrived here on November 6, 1914, from Niles, Mich.,
to examine under government order cattle shipped to this vicinity during the
month previous from Chicago stockyard for traces of hoof and mouth disease.
While it was said that no trace of the disease was found in this county the
government was taking no chances. Simultaneously with Dr. Dickerson's arrival
came Dr. E. E. Lang, state inspector. Dr. Lang went to the Newton and Houghton
ranch where it was thought some disease existed, but none was discovered. Dr.
Dickerson made a tour of the McCool, Crisman, Lottaville and Ainsworth
districts.
Following discovery of the disease in Union and Portage townships by Dr. Lang,
and discovery that ninety head of cattle on the Newton & Houghton ranch were
infected with the disease state and federal officials announced that Porter
county would probably be placed under a quarantine. It was announced that Newton
and Houghton herd would be ordered killed. At the Marton Brummitt farm, near
Chesterton, a quarantine was ordered because of a recent shipment of cattle,
though no trace of disease was found. Five animals were found afflicted on the
Lewis Robbins farm near McCool. Three animals brought in from Chicago recently
were allowed to run with sixty cows and thirty steers. When inspectors arrived
at the Robbins farm shredding was in progress. This was stopped and the men
disinfected as was also the corn.
On Nov. 9, Dr. F. A. Balsom, assistant state veterinarian, arrived in
Valparaiso. He went to the George Firebaugh farm, east of Kouts, where it was
thought a herd of thirty cattle were infected. Dr. A. T. Sigler, state
appraiser, who was also here, left for Kentland, Ind., where over 300 cattle
were afflicted and were ordered killed.
On Nov. 10, Porter county was officially placed under quarantine at a mass
meeting of farmers and stockmen held in the court house. The room was crowded to
the doors, and many were unable to get in. A permanent organization to combat
the disease was formed. Sheriff W. S. Lindall named deputy sheriffs in every
township with full powers to arrest all violators. All dogs running at large
were ordered shot to prevent transmission of the disease.
An order placing Porter county under strict quarantine was received on Nov. 13
from Dr. A. F. Nelson, state veterinarian. Owners of farms under quarantine were
prevented from moving from them until the quarantine was lifted or modified.
Persons living on infected farms were required to disinfect and change clothing
before leaving the premises; children on such farms were not allowed to attend
school or ride in conveyances with other children. No cattle on infected farms
could be moved across public highways; no dogs were allowed to run at large, and
all pigeons were ordered killed. No hunting was permitted, and all violations
were subject to fines and imprisonment.
With receipt of two bulletins on Nov. 16 by C. W. Benton, county chairman, from
Dr. A. F. Nelson, state veterinarian, the quarantine ban on the county was
clamped down more severely.
The bulletins prevented the moving of any meat from any place where livestock
was kept. The bulletin also prevents shredding of corn or shipping hay and straw
or sacks. Deputy sheriffs were kept busy watching farmers who persisted in
shredding.
On Nov. 18, assurances that the quarantine would be modified somewhat came with
the arrival of Dr. A. F. Bolster, of the state veterinary department. Porter
county milk shippers received word that no more milk would be accepted in
Chicago unless is was pasteurized.
Word that the quarantine had been modified was received on Nov. 21 from A. F.
Nelson, state veterinarian. The new order allowed shipments of poultry from
areas no closer than three miles from where the infection was known to exist.
The same rule applied to livestock, but provided that examination must be made
by a licensed veterinarian and a certificate issued showing the animals were
free from the disease.
On Nov. 22, Chairman C. W. Benton received word from Dr. Nelson that shredding
corn and hauling straw and hay without a permit was allowed. However, this did
not apply to the three mile limit from the farms under quarantine. Officers were
kept busy investigating reports from several parts of the county that agents for
remedies for both cholera and hoof and mouth disease were selling their wares to
farms. Several arrests were made by deputy sheriffs of farmers violating the
quarantine.
The county appeared to be free from the disease on Nov. 23, when Drs. Rynerson
and Dickerson, federal inspectors, came here and looked over hers that had been
placed under suspicion. No trace of this disease was found.
On Nov. 30, a new outbreak of the disease was recorded. The discovery was made
at the Charles Turk farm where thirty-five cattle and fifty hogs were found
infected.
On Dec. 4, A. C. Fist, of Niles, Mich., a federal official came here to dip 600
hides at Lippman & Company. The hides were dipped in a solution of bichloride of
mercury to prevent the spread of any infection.
On Dec. 9, Chairman C. W. Benton received a new order that livestock might be
shipped to the Chicago market from all parts of the county except in the
three-mile area. The stock had to be examined by a federal inspector. Four days
later Porter county shippers got busy and began shipping to Chicago. Horn
Brothers & Gossett shipped four carload of hogs from Valparaiso, and Jerome
Bartholomew five cars from Kouts.
With the hoof and mouth disease epidemic causing considerable trouble, Porter
county farmers longed for a county agent to assist them in some of their
problems. The feeling seemed to be that the services of such an official were
important in such a situation.
On Jan. 11, 1915, Dr. Scott, federal inspector, visited the Charles Turk, L. H.
Robbins and Newton & Houghton farms for an inspection. Everything was found
satisfactory. He assured Newton and Houghton that should no new cases develop
they would be allowed to stock their ranch with 500 head of cattle.
On June 22, 1915, the Chicago & Erie railroad opened up its yards at Kouts for
the shipment of livestock to Chicago. Sam Rasor, a farmer, was the first
shipper, with three carloads. Dr. E. E. Cunningham, deputy federal inspector,
examined the animals for disease.
On Feb. 18, Porter county was placed under a modified quarantine and on Feb. 25,
Dr. Dickerson on a visit here declared the county was practically free of the
contagion. A short time later came the official order ordering the quarantine
ban lifted.
The Australian Take-all infection was short-lived, the quarantine ban lasting
about a month. More than 200 acres in Porter and LaPorte counties affected by
the contagion, were placed under quarantine by Frank Wallace, state
entomologist. No grain could be removed from the farms until permission was
given.
Farm associations of the county met at the court house and passed resolutions
protesting against a state-wide quarantine and offering co-operation to the
government in cleaning up the disease.
Despite the fact that disease was found in some sections of the county, farmers
as a whole throughout the county harvested a bumper crop. In the Wheeler
district the yield ran as high as twenty-five bushels, while in Pleasant and
Boone townships, yields were reported as high as thirty-five and forty bushels
per acre.
During the harvesting of wheat in the infected areas, State Entomologist came to
Valparaiso and obtained gas masks to protect the men against fumes from
formaldehyde, which was used in spraying the wheat. A number of masks were
obtained from service men attending Valparaiso university and Dodge's Telegraphy
and Wireless Institute.
On Aug. 8, the work of threshing all the wheat in the infected areas of eastern
part of Porter county and western part of LaPorte county was completed. The
wheat was shipped to the U. S. Grain Corporation at New York City.
F. N. Wallace, state entomologist, and John G. Brown, president of the Indiana
farm bureau, later the appraised the straw from the infected fields. The straw
was burned and the farmers reimbursed for their loss.
Article transcribed by Steven R. Shook