The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-03-16
A RAT STORY.

THE RATS DIG TUNNEL AND UNDERMINE
THE COUNCIL BLUFFS CITY HALL.
Inc Council Bluffs (Ia.) Globe tells the fol-
lowing rat story, which draws somewhat on
The credulity of the reader, and yet 1t seems
authentic: A Globe reporter visited the civ
building to-day in search Of police and
religious news, and while in conversation
Wild his honor, Recorder Burke, and the
chaplain of the oity council, he was startled
by loud sounding report. followed nv a
shaking and trem bling OF the huildino ra-
semonng the shock OF a miniature earth
quake. Rushing out of the building 10 see
wnaI was the cause OF this terrible reminder
Oh death and the grave, mis- attention was at
once called TO the condition Of the southeast
corner of the building, from which no had
just emerged. Upon inspection il was fonnd
that the rats and mice had been to work ex.
caVatlng hole underneath that corner Of
the building. 1t seoms that they had com
menced their operations at or near the east
END OF the engine house, about fifty feet in
.no ledr OF the city building. The greatest
mystery TO this whole affair is the absence of
any signs of the dirt which they took from
Inelr tunnei. And 1T was no Uncomfortable
athount,as Inc excavation which they MADE is
large enough Tor man and wheel barrow 10
pass through; that Is by the man stopping a
'etie. WhlIe this remains a mystery, iG is
pain 10 De seen that they have accomplished
the ruin and destruction of the only remain
ing monument OF the city's pride. The ex-
caVatlOn at the corner of the building is
ABOUT SIX feet wide, and extends along
under the east wall about fifteen feet the
width diminishing as it continues north
ward. The building remained firm and the
iounos'lon secure, until the dirt was re-
moved from under the lover sill which sup
ports The heavy partition wall that separates
the prison cell from the main Office. When
Ib1s was removed there was nothing To sun-
port The immense weight of that corner of
the building, and it naturally enough
BROKE LOOSE
from the main part and was precipitated
into the terrible abyss below prepared by
the rats and mice. 1t was, however, Sc
we're joke on the poor rats. as they were
largely in the ascendency. Some fifty or a
hundred were seen to escape, and how many
remain buried beneath the ruins of their
own folly, no one has knowledge or inior-
nation sufficient to form a belief. But one
thing is evident, it would be impossible for
them all to escape unframed, as the build
ing dropped almost instantly when il fell .
This occurred about 4 o'clock, and at this
writing the marshal and police force are at
work removing the books and city furni-
ture from the building. Aside from the
damage done the building the loss to
she city is comparatively nothing
one or two tables and several chairs
in the council chamber above were carried
down with the ruins, and are now more
valuable for lighting fires than for resting
the weary bones OF belabored councilmen on.
The building originally cost the city about
$4,000. Whether the city council will have
the building repaired or make arrangements
forthe building ola new and more substan-
tial one is not known, but the popular SEN
timent is thai the city build a new one.
Mayor James informs us that the city coun-
Gil Will meet until further notice in the
building on Upper Broadway, formerly oc-
company.
Policeman McFadden just informs us that
the men to work removing the debris have
taken out 80 rats and about 200 mice.