The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-08-12
sTaTsTTcS OF Eats.

few years ago the Journals tcered with an account
Of grand baftea rat slaughter in the sewers OF
Paris and that two merchants of GrenGbe had contract
"a for the skins In few days, by dint OF utton-Eust
and heather bars they canght less than 250, 900,
and at the expiration Of fortnight they had killed above
coo GOO The merchants OF Grenobie had agreed to give
10 francs hundred for the skins. which was AZ the rate
Ok penny each, and amounted to e. 500 English money
The merchants obliged TO renounee their CONTRACT
not having capital enough 10 complete it aan il was
afterwards clearly aScertained that eatherdresser IN
the city Of London bought them at an advanced prcs
Now comes the grand subject for consideration In the
first place can ten sewer rats pound Of beeek for
breakfast that is saw ounce and half each for
the eight SMALLEST and two each for the two lar
gestf No oHc, think viii doubt it for Hl0nent-
Well then we will set down rats TO eat pound
of beestek for breakfast II the second place. will
calculate a fair bullock to weigh half ton
without the bones boots, horns and hidethRt il 10
sly, l 40 pounds Of eafabie substance Now, then,
COO coo rats az 10 rats per pound VIII el. so 09o
pounds Of becstea for breakfast or what viii perhaps
bring better within the range Of comprehension is
tins. il VIII require So bullocs at half each and
besides these there must BE- GAO pounds OF the
s4th to furnish them with breakfast. This, think
viii tend most materially 10 remove all doubts with
gard to Che IS horses at M0ntfaue0n Here, perhaps
prsjndice viii cry out Down with all rats In the uni
verse, and annihilate them 81
Bat reason says stop no haste because there are
two sdss To the question In the first place there is
no doubt but that 500 GOO wonld consume more
than equivalent 70 531 bHIIocs for breakfast; and in
the second place. there is question that they would
eat the amount for supper Then, the other
hand it a mot than reasonable suppose that they
did not catch one-haf Of the in the sewers but
reason sake viii set them down at one hall.
That would make. altogether, with tlissr that
caHght and those Ihat escaped 200 zoe rats which
wonli sat- II animal and vegetable matter, equira-
lent in weight IA buIlocks every "A hours Now let
mEitipy these by 7, weeks susfenance fsr rats
in the sewers az Paris. and shall find il amount to
fss Laocks, or what is equal y H. 14s tons Of zni
NAL AMI wegetabe matter.
Len now suppose the rats to be removed for two
menths-say june and July aad what then would be
the colequenccss Why, thAt there would be equiv
alert % Ii ss4 b1locrs S,3s2 tons Of animal and
vegetable mgter, rotng and purifying IN the drains
and Of Paris. Now let make csicu
sfion, by surprising the rats to be removed for
twelyeuonth, and then let see what would be the
result It wp1id be thus There would be equivalent
In weight az SOC bnsiocks % 9ss tons of animal
anl vegetable matter rottng in al the various stages
down to pufTefactive and destructive fermentation
What then wcnId be the state Of the drains and
o. Paris may, Of the river Seine itselff
Would not every hole anil corner in the capital be
Thoroughly charged with the noxi0us vapouYs and
deadly pssnence hang the city. like the angel Of
death shaking down destruction all beneath go that
ut the end Of eighteen months there would not be
hulnzn being left 10 tell the fats Of all the rest Here
will leave The matter for tire consideration of those whom
Il most concerns and conclude by warning the au.hori-
ties Of Paris the probable consequences Of killing their
sewer rats by COO, 600 at a time shall probably be
asked by citizens every sis If hold hopes Of
relief from the rrass and devsssons OF this destruc
tive AMI aiiey0uring animal To such inquiries
srer most empAaIiezslly. s4Yest I give them every
the rules which here lay down. they will see the atter
reGcel 10 positive certainty and find themselves
tree-nAy more freefotn rats than thieves Of almost
any either denomination.