The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-08-18
SUDTERRANEAN LIFE.
\ Night Of Business in the UndcrgrOund
World Of u New York Hotel.

World Of II New York Hotel.
Says the New York SIM: Dick, the
ratcatchcr, was engaged to clean the
kitchen, cellars, meat house, wine, bread,
and bar rooms of Il Broadway hotel after
midnight on Saturday. Underground
i'll 4 large hotel is world by itself.
The kitchen is one hundred feet long by
twenty broad. The floor is of brick
Thrc" long tables extend it's entire length.
Shelves, cupboards, and dresses hide
the walls. Almost endless rows of dishes,
shining pots, pans, and enormous boilers
are tastcfully arranged according to size
Mt the end of the room. A forty foot
rang" and vast furnace, hugging ovens
and bakeries, are red with roaring fires
inside. Tho French cook stands in his
wcll-starchcd white apron and cap,
silently watching his assistants. Several
dainty dishes are being prepared. To
each of these he give his attention.
Hero he pourS i'll drops from several lit
tie bottles thcr" u handful of flour !;
here cupful of cream there spoon
full of butter. Every dish he tastes, and
rs it is done, he catches the pot or pan,
and ,lcitly cmptiCs its contents into
turccns or plates. At II quarter to twelve
Ii" bids lis assistants to prepare to clean
up. At midnight Il mai domo de-
sccnds TO the kitchen and shouts, Put
ont the lights. The cook goes around
his kitchen, secs that everything is in its
place, turns down the gas, and then all
is still.
Dick the Rat and his assistant take
possession of the lower regions. Dick
lights his hull'S-cyc lantern, examines his
long iron pinchCrS, closely scrutinizcS
his canvas bag, puts on pair of light
slippers, and strips for work. The rats
are evidently busy, rs they arc heard
from far and Near. Dick has studied
their routes. ncfor" going to work he
carefully removes every obstacle in his
WAY as silently as he can. Then lie ut
tcrs call sGucal, like that of rat.
Again, Dick squcals louder and with
moro assurance. This time he is an
swcrcd from the bread room. where n
hundred barrels of flour and hundreds
Of loavcs are packed.
Dick had previously thrown open all
the doors Like cat he springs for.
ward i'll the darkness his strong light
dances with extraordinary rapidity along
the walls, floors, and ceilings. The
sharp, piercing cry nf rat in pain an
nOunccs Dicks capture. His assistant
opens the bag, and great rat is thrown
in. The assistant shakes the bag several
times and the rat is quiet. a weak, yet
shrill squeak is heard, and Dick brings
ont at the end of his large nippcrs a
poor little mouse. Rat and mouse are
put into the bag. Dick pauscs Il mo.
ment, and again gives call sGueal,
which he says the rats understand to
mean all is safe. Suddenly he throws
the dazzling light upon shelf. There,
croachcd and seemingly paralyzed, is a
monster rat. 1t does not stir, but looks
straight ut the light. 1t is unable to
move. Its large black eyes are distinct
ly seen, while it still holds the bread in
its mouth that it was eating. Upon it
Dick springs, and his nippcrs seize it.
TIE rat uttcrs Il piercing squcal, the bag
is opened, and it is thrown in.
- The rats III the bread room have taken
the alarm. Dick darts ont and as the
bright ray dances up and down, he runs,
stops, stands erect, crouch"S, listens,
squCnls, darts forward, and the light
runs along pipes, behind barrels, under
boards, into holes. At one moment he
is i'll the icy chill of the great meat room,
with its pounds of beef and mutton, and
its hundreds of chickens, and then in
the grocery the wine room the lar,ler
the store room the coal room the
garbage room; back again into the
kitchen, and Mt two o'clock the bag con-
tains fifty rats.