The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-06-08
RODENTS ON THE RAMPAGE.
An Awful and Alriost Inbredible story-.A Fight
with Rats on Pixies Peak-An Infant Child
Literally Eaten Up. ~


An Awful and Alraost Inereaible story--A Fish,
with Rats on Pixies Peak-An Infant Child
Literally Eaten Up.
from the Denver News.]
The number Of rats inhabtifig- the
rocky crevices and cavernous passages
at the summit OF Pixies Peak-says a
correspondent OF yesterdays Pueblo
|Chieftain-have recently become fofmid-
able and dangerous. These animals are
known to feed upon saccharlne gum
that percolates through the pores of the
rocks, apparently upheayed by some
volcanic action.
Since the establishment Of the govern.
ment signal Station on the summit of the
Peak, at an altitude Of nearly fifteen
thousand feet, these ANIMALS have ac-
quired yoracious appetite for raw and
uncooked meat, the scent of which
seems to impart to them ferocity riv-
aling the tierceDess Of the starved ST.
berIan wolf. The most singular trait in
the character OF these ANIMALS is that
tney are never seen In the day time.
When the moon, pours down her
queenly light upon the summit they may
be- seen in countless numbers troopinx
around among the rocky powders that
gown the barren waste, and during the
SWIMMING and sporting in the waters OF
the lake, short distance below the Peak,
ana OF dark, cloudy night, their trail
in the water is marked by a sparkling
light, giving to the waters Of the lake u
bright and silvery appearances. A few
days since Mr.. John I. o O'Keefe, one oil
the Government operators at the signal
station upon the Peak, returned to his
post, taking with him upon q pack ami
mai quarter OF beef. It being late in
the afternoon, his colleague, Mr.. Hobbs,
Immediately lett with the pack animal
TOR the Springs. Soon after dark, while
Mr.. O'Keefe was engaged In the Office
forwarding night dispatches to Denver
and Washington, he was startled by a
loud scream from Mrs. O'Keeie, who had
retired for the night to an adjoining bed
room, and VINO came rushing into The Of
fee screaming, "rhe ratsi the ratsl,
Mr.. VKeefe, with great presence OF
mind, immediately drew around his
wife scroll zinc plating, which pre-
vented the animals from climbing upon
her person, anu, although his own per-
son was almost literally covered with
them, he succeeded in encaslng bolh of
his legs eacn in joint OF st0ve-pipe.
when ne commenced fierce and desper-
ate struggle ior the preservation of life.
being armed with heavy cane.
Hundreds were destroyed on eyery
side, while they still seemed to pour
with increasing numbers from the bed.
room, the door of which had been left
open. the entire quarter of beet was
eaten in less than i've minutes, which
seemed to only sharpen their appetites
for an attack upon Mr.. 0'Keefe, whose
hands, face and neck were terribly lac
Grated. In the midst OF the warfare
Mrs. O'Keefe managed to reach the OF.
hce, from which she threw coil of elec.
trio wire over her husband that sprang
outward and spread itself over the room,
then grasping the valve OF the battery.
she poured all its terrible power up IN
the wire. In an instant the room Was
dreds were killed by the shock, when
tie sudden appearance OF daylight.
made such by the coruscation Of the
heavily charged wire, caused them
to take refuge among the crew
ices and caverns OF the mountain.
by way OF the bedroom win.
dow, through which they mad forced
their way. But the saddest part OF this
night adventure upon the Peak is the
destroying of their infant child, which
Mrs. O'Keefe thought she had made
secure by heavy covering of bed
clothing. But the rats had found their
way to the infant only two months old),
and lett nothing OF it but but The peeled
and naked skull. Drs. Horn and Andsr
son have Just returned to Colorado
Springs from the Peak. 1t was thought
al first that the lett arm OF Sergeant
o Keefe would have to be amputated,
but they now believe it can be saved.