ASPCA Letter book, 1868

7

20 August 18.

James B[owen?] Esq President [illegible]

Dear Sir:

I beg leave to call your attention to the dangerous conditions of the bridges at Front St + [Gouverneur Slip?], and also at Clinton [&?] South St, laid by your Company for the [purposes?] of its business.

In its present state, it is dangerous, to not only to the horses, who use these [thoroughfares?], but also to the men who drive them..

I would suggest that iron should be used, in place of wood, in the construction of these structures; or at least that the present ones be immediately repaired.

Yours Respy Henry [underlined] Bergh [underlined] [Pres?]

S.D. Stephens Jr Esq

Dear Sir.

Enclosed you will a communication, or rather a copy thereof, dated 19 Aug 1868, received by us from a Mr. De Camp. which speaks for itself.

Mr. De Camp is a gentleman of credibility, and we refer the [matter?] to you for examination & action.

Please report to us the result of such examination and action.

Yours Respectfully

Henry [underlined] Bergh [underlined] [illegible]

8

Aug 25 8

S.W. [Hathenay?] Esq

Dear Sir

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt [of?] a most interesting communication from [you?] relating [to?] the purposes of this Society, for which please accept my thanks. Your argument in regard to the consumption of meat, is unanswerable & conclusive, the novelty of many of your suggestions, could be turned [to profitable?] account.

The N.Y. Herald, which some [time?] since took me to task, for venturing to [assert?]

9

that flesh is not necessary to mankind as food: should publish it.

I maintain, that if people will [underlined] [eat?] flesh, let them eat that of the horse and mule, which is known to be quite as [nutrition?], & palatable as that of the ox. It was with [a view?] to [shortening?] the suffering of the horse that I [recommended?], his being [fatted?], when [no longer?] capable of work; but, with [characteristic?] disingenuousness the Herald accuses me of contradicting myself. Moreover, I do [not?] [see?] myself up as a "public teacher," as it asserts; but am simply devoting my life to one [underlined] purpose [underlined], that of striving to obtain a share of mercy & compassion for helpless dumb creatures; & thereby tempering the [ferocity?] of evil minded [persons?].

I should like much to see the work to which [you?] allude.

I am, dear Sir,

your obt servent

Henry [underlined] Bergh [underlined] Pres

10

August 21st 18.

R McIntosh Esq Davenport Iowa,

Dear Sir,

Your esteemed letter of 15 Aug was duly received and its contents perused with great pleasure.

It is gratifying to see the spreading of the great principle of Mercy throughout our country, and it is a matter for congratulation that Iowa has [fallen?] into line [to?] do battle for the rights of, what you rightly call, "Our Dumb Friends."

All honor to you, as the pioneer of this work of reform in your State, and you will find that the field that you & your colleagues have undertaken to cultivate, will afford you & them, much reason for deep & heartfelt satisfaction.

We did not expect, in founding this Institution, that we would [sail?] over [illegible] sons, we had to combat prejudices & to bend the public mind, we have met taunts & jeers, but one kind word made up for 100 unkind ones, we know we were right, and by a steadfast perseverance in treading the one [underlined] path, our success has been indeed gratifying.

Your Society being the first [and?] [established?] in your State, [ought?] to be named "The Iowa Society &c" & have a charter from the State, & Branches working under it. This is what we are doing here, and we would suggest that your seal should be similar to ours, substituting "Iowa" for "American."

You will receive with this, our 2nd Annual Report, [&?] on [perusing?] of which you will find the progress the divine principle has made, and diffuculties it has encountered.

Wishing you every success & hoping that you will communicate freely & often with us.

I remain Yours Respy J Mudie Chief Clerk.

11

Aug 24 8

Dr J. [B.?] C. Smith

My dear sir

I was profoundly disappointed - I may say annoyed - on learning too late to attend, that you had delivered an address before the Farmers Club, [relating?] to a subject which [engrosses?] my entire time and thoughts, "the wrongs of horses" and other animals.

It was not until the day [underlined] after [underlined] its [underlined] utterance [underlined] that I knew of it: but I have read it, studied it, & contemplated it, with all the intensity of mind & feeling, which its excellence merits.

Every paragraph, [breathes?] the truest humanity, [line?] is suggestive of deep thought and intelligence