The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1873-09-16
A RAT CATCHER.

NHE reporter OF the Baltimore American
Il gives the following curl Gus account of
professional rat-catcher in that city:
In small two-story frame house on
Gross street, near johnson, there lives a
man named James Reedy, professional
rat-catcher, and the only one in the city.
Mr.. Reedy is a bright looking English
man, about forty-five years of age, and he
has pursued his present calling for twenty
eight years-the last nine years being
spent in this city, where he says he has
met with great success in his business.
On being questioned as to the manner in
which he destroyed rats, he stated some
very curious facts. After showing the re-
porter varied collection of English birds,
noticeable among which was tame jack
daw, who kept up an incessant croaking
during the whole interview, as if anxious
to relate some very interesting story, Mr..
Reedy stepped into the large yard that
surrounds the dwelling, for the purpose of
exhibiting his principal auxiliaries in the
annihilation of rats, namely, the ferrets.
These animals are from twelve to fifteen
inches in length, with bright, sparkling
eyes, with slender body that can pass
wherever rat can. Their bodies are
covered with dark fur, in color nearly ap-
preaching brindle. They are perfectly
docile, but their quick, wiry movements
remind one very much of the common
American weasel. Mr.. Reedy has twelve
ferrets, all of which he has imported from
England, at cost of from $25 to $50, ac-
cording to their training The oldest and
best cost $50, and was bought on the
EPSON Downs, last summer, by Mr..
Reedy. This ferret is the only one that
will obey the call of its owner the others
not being properly trained. 1t takes six
months or over to train young ferret so
that it can be used in the business. The
ferrets are kept in close, warm hutches,
and fed twice each day with raw meat and
milk, except when their owner intends
using them, then they are not allowed
food for twelve hours before they are put
to work hunting rats. After leaving the
ferret hutches and examining a coop con-
tanning number of beautiful Albino rats,
with fur as white as snow, and bright pink
eyes, we arrived at q long row of dog
kennels, the inhabitants Of which all rush
ed out to the full length of their chains,
and greeted us with perfectly deafening
chorus of howls, there being seventeen of
those animals in and about the kennels
With the exception of a fine pair of surly
looking bull terriers, the whole collection
consisted of Scotch and English black and
tan terriers. These dogs are all fed three
times day, and have comfortable bed
ding placed in their kennels every even
ing. Mr.. Reedy says that when he re-
ceives an order from some one to rid their
places of rats, he charges them from So to
| $40, according to the magnitude of the
undertaking, and then binds himself to
not only make the place perfectly rat
proof, but also to keep it in that condition
best black and tan terriers, and an old sky
terrier named "Blop." "Blop's person.
al appearance is most miserable, as in ad-
dition to being minus one eye, and the
larger portion of his caudle appendage,
his whole head and body is covered with
hundreds of scars and wounds, received in
battle with the fierce rodents, that he
takes such delight in staying. Yet
notwithstanding Blop's" wretched per-
sonal appearance, his remaining eye
sparkles with vim, his head is cooked
knowingly on one side, and his diminutive
remnant of tail vibrates with joy when
ever the magic word "rat' is mentioned.
With those three dogs, six ferrets, and
boy armed with long piece of fine fishing
net Reedy repairs to the vermin-afflicted
house. The principal holes are first stop
ped up with brick and tin, only two being
left open into one OF these the ferets are