Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-05-02

How Rats are Captured in the Paris
Rat Pound.
Scientific American.

How Rats are Captured in the Paris
Rat Pound.
Scientific American
ization of everything-that the rat is
turned to the greatest number of uses.
He furnishes employment for an army
of hunters, who pursue him in his sewer
Businesses for the sake of his skin. In
the great abattoirs of the city rats exist
by the million. One proprietor, on be-
coming nearly driven from his premises
by the rodents, threw dead horse in a
walled enclosure, and then stopped up
all means of escape, so that the rats, at
tracted by the bait, could not get out.
In one night $3.50 rats were caught in
the trap and killed by men armed with
clubs in single month, 5000 of the
animals were thus destroyed. We note
this case mainly in connection with a
curious utilization of rats, wherein dead
animals of all kinds are placed where
they can get them as an easy way of dis
posing of the refuse flesh and securing
Che valuable bones. A regular pound,
surrounded by a massive stone wall, is
provided for this purpose by the city au-
thorities of Paris, and it is the regular
mornings work of those in charge to re-
move the beautifully polished skeletons.
OF course, when thus pampered, the
rats multiply amazingly, and therefore
once in a while grand battue is necessa-
ry to reduce their numbers. The way
in which this is conducted is curious.
Horizontal holes are bored all around,
in and at the foot of the inclosing walls
the depth and diameter being respective
ly the length and thickness of rats
body. Upon the morning the bottue,
men armed with tin pans, Kettles, drums
and other objects for producing horrible
noises, rush in at daybreak. The aston
ished rats precipitately rush for the
nearest openings, which are those in the
walls. But these, while large enough to
contain their bodies will not accommo-
date their tails, and the walls are soon
ornamented with vista of those ana
tomically superb members, whisking
about like animated icicles. Then ar
rives the rat collector-a scientist in his
way-who, with admirable dexterity,
seizes the pendant tails, jerks forth the
owner attached thereto, and deposits him
in bag worn over the left shoulder
The privilege of catching the rats is
farmcd out by the authorities, and
profitable business it is. The rats are
sleek and fat, and fetch high prices for
their fur, skins and fesh-the latter
doubtless appearing in the restaurants
where one may have dinner for one
franc with wine, bread with discretion"
Rat flesh is not bad eating, at least so
say those who have tried it, our knowl-
edge in the matter being limited 1t is
delicate, white, firm, tastes like chicken,
and in China the soup made from it is
considered to be equal 70 our well known
oxtail In the Celestial Kingdom rats
are worth two dollars per dozen. In the
West Indies the rats exist in enormous
numbers on the sugar plantations, and
work great damage by gnawing the grow
ing sugar cane. Each plantation has its
official ratcatcher, who is paid by piece
work, that is, 50 much a dozen for tails
brought in. ..aa --
The credit of suggesting the most ex-
tensive utilization of rats is due to Mr.
P. L. Simmonds, who has lately printed
an admirable work on these and other
sources of proft-from
which we have drawn many of the curl
Gus facts above given. Mr.. Simmonds
suggests that profitable venture might
be made from Kurrachee to Canton and
Hong Kong of sailed rats. About 7,000,-
900 could be cured and packed aboard
400 ton ship. For the sake of curiosity |
we quote Mr.. Simmonds estimate of |
profits: 100000 rats at 6 cents per
dozen, $4,000, sailing, curing, etc, go |
per cent, S21 900; total cost, $4,000; |
and 100000 rats sold at So per dozen,
81, 166, 666.66, shows a profit of $1,000 /
$685. There! No one can charge us
thanks to Mr.. Simmonds-with not
having done our best to enrich our read |
ers. Few journals can claim the proud I
laurel which we boldly now grasp, of |
having pointed out the way for any one
to become millionaire glaH s%sza5at