Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-12-26
RAT STORY.

Ouc OF Inc most remarkable occurrences
OF which We have ever heard took place in
the northwest part Of Talbot county on
Tuesday last in the shape of huge rat
slaughter. For some time past John Carlisle
a well-to-do farmer Of this county, has been
troubled with rats. There stands on his
place. in one of the most fertile fields. a
! tenant log cabin. which for several wears
has been unoccupied and oflate has been
| Used by the proprietor IS 4 genctal storage
house, about 200 bushels of peas in the hull
being the last article it contained. In
the early spring. Mr.. c. planted the field
on one side of his cabin with corn, and
when the corn grew up TO halt-leg high
something began to cut it down. and bv
| close watching he found that the rats were
playing sad havoc with his corn and he
positively stated that they cut down two
acres Of the cereal for him. On the other
side of the house he planted cotton. and
with equal emphasis he says the little var
nints absolutely dug the cotton seed from
the rows and ate them up doing this to
such an extent that he determined 10 trv
poison so he bought lot and put
1t out. and he says that it killed so
many Of them that the vulturcs came
and tcastcd on their carcasses. This had
the effect OF stopping their deprcdatons for
a while, at least, until the cotton began TO
open, when Mr.. Carlisle soon had trouble
with the rails again. They absolutely rid
died his cotton as fast us it opened by pick
ing it from the bolls and eating the seed
and scattering it all over the fields.
lie tried rat poison again. but found it no
good, rs the rats seemed to have learned
better and refused to cat it, He next cy-
amincd his peas that he had stored in his
house. when he discoved that the rats had
eaten all but about fifty bushels. and he
put into the house about POO bushels. Cpon
this diccovcry Mr. Carlisle determined to
!li!Ac !! new anH 'ha~ren+ war ,rpon the
rats so last Thursday he summoned his
forces and went TO battle. He is the pos
SCISSOR Of two fine bull dogs. one of them
beng the finest we ever saw, and with these
and five coIorcd men hc'began to tear down
the dirt-chimucy TO the house. The house
being located in an open field. the rats had
no means OF escape from the dogs and men.
and rs the chimney was torn down the rats
poured down by the hundreds and were
killed rs fast rs they came. This was
continued without intermission until
the chimney was torn dowon to its
foundation, when it was discovered
that the rats had tunnclcd into the ground
and had a tunnel from the chimney about
twenty yards to IN old hollow stump. This
tunnel was about twelve inches in height.
and was round and smooth. with large
bed about every ten feet, where the young
were raised, and Mr.. Carlisle says that the
hole was iammed full of rats from the chin
ncy TO the stump. This rat tunnel was dug
out and destroyed by inches by Nh c. and
his assistants, and he says that the rats
were killed as they came to them, the dogs
taking an active part all the way through
and enjoying the fun hugely Some cf the
rats were so large that the dogs had regular
battles with them, and the rats would grab
the dogs by the nose and bring yell from
them every time. 1t certainly must have
been great sport TO the participants
The work lasted half day, and when
ended Mr.. Carlisle had an empty flour bar
rel brought and the rats measured. as there
| We're TOO many to count He says that there
were more than three barrels of rats piled
on as long as the barrel would hold. and he
estimated the nttmber at more than 5000.
! Idbc'ic" tGd.l .Ncw Era.