Cattle Plague in Russia.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 73, 25 October 1884, Page 5

Cattle Plague in Russia.

The cattle plague is spreading in the Government of Samara, Russia, and in order to arrest its ravages a commision was recently despatched to Nicolaievsk, consisting of a veterinary officer, police and servants — the latter as slaughterers. The peasantry assembled in large numbers at the place appointed by the commission near the town. Here large trenches were excavated for the reception of the carcases of the infected and slaughtered animals. By the veterinary officer's command, the cattle of the neighbourhood were driven into an extensive inclosuro. So far the various herdsmen and owners showed no inclination to interfere. The examination of cattle- proceeded, and already three animals had been condemned, slaughtered and their caresses cast into the pits, when an extraordinary crowd of frenzied peasant women advanced from the town, making horrible clangor with all manner of kitchen utensils. Behind the women came the men, armed with fire-irons, bludgeons, flails, spades, etc. The proceedings of the commission were stopped, and the veterinary officer and his followers barely escaped with their lives from the enraged multitude. The women openly bewailed the escape of the oflicers, whom they swore they had in tended to tear to pieces.