Palatka Daily News

Poor Old Dobbin
Has His Uses As
Statistics Show

(By Associated Press)

Chicago, Dec. 6—Data compiled by the Horse Association of America indicates that there are more than 19,000,000 horses and mules in the United States, seventeen millions of which are on farms and more than 2,400,000 in cities, according to the annual report of Wayne Dinsmore, Secretary of the Association made here before the annual meeting of the Association recently.

In speaking of the value of horses and mules as compared with automobile trucks, Mr. Dinsmore said:

"As a result of studies, other surveys made, and definite statements with cost figures furnished to us by firms who own and use 51,927 head of horses, we are now in a position to say positively that on hauls within a horse's working radius, i.e., the distance a team can travel in a day, horses furnish more economical service than motorized equipment.

"On local delivery work, from store to store or house to house, the evidence is overwhelmingly for horse drawn equipment. Ice companies, coal companies, groceries, bakeries, milk companies, and all others whose business involves frequent stops and delivery work, agree emphatically with the great packing companies whose verdict is, 'On all hauls under 20 miles per day, the horse is most economical.'"

In speaking of horses in the cities, Mr. Dinsmore said:

"Our investigations in cities during the past year show that competition will force all cities to develop abundant terminals and team tracks, and this factor will inevitably lead to increased horse use. Boston, with many wharves and team tracks, has very few hauls that are not under two miles for the round trip, and Boston moves her enormous shipments of wool, leather, fish, vegetables, fruits, etc., at a very low cost. Seventy-five per cent of her merchandise is horse-drawn, and she enjoys the distinction of having the best lot of horses, on the average, of any city in America."