Arizona weekly citizen., 1884-12-27
RAT-CATCHERS.
A Professional Tells How the Busi-
 ness is Conducted.
The Way 10 Catch Rats-Cats Don'' Know Their Business-A Peculiarly ofthe
 Rodent.
New York Commercial Advertiser.l ]

feCuitafitf VI ss.e
 Rodent.
 New York Commercial Advertiserl
 He was a man who seemed to have lived all of his life in dark rooms. His cheeks were pale. his lips bloodless. and his eyes had that peculiar glare which characterizes the eyes of bats and owls- There was a nervousness about his move ments which indicated that on occasion ne could be quick as lightning. but which restrained him from ever being absolutely at rest In his hands he held singulariy shaped pair of tOngs. the ends of which were forked like tridenls. A small dark lantern stood near. The man was a pro, fessional rat-catcher. and he diseoursed with reporter about his livelihood.
 Are there many of uslH he began. sWeIl l just guess so. Not that therc are quite as many as there were ten years ago. because since that time people have begun to choose pOisons for getting rid oi inc vermin, but there are sufficient Tn the business to turn us in nice little amount to our benefit association every year.
 The way to catch rats. the rat-catcheI went on 10 say. is 10 be quicker than ihey are. Cats don't know their business. They may catch rat now and then. but I'll back rat against cat any time. we first go through house and sound the walls and floors. In this way we tell pretty conclusively where the rats are the ihickeSf. Then We darken the room. sci GIT bait. and wait for the rats. They always come out at night to get food and water. During the day they anAse them selves by gnawing holes in the floors. AS soon as they scent the bait they come oul of their holes in sing.e file and march, with big gray rat at their head toward the bait. l let them gel settled down to their dinner when draw the slide of my dark lantern and flash the light full in their eyes. The glar' seems io paralyze them. Then l go [, work and scoop them up and throw then into my lag. If corner any of the big fellows. l use my tongues. either picking them up or speariEg them, as ind It nee eSSary. have tO move quick. No. Tn not afraid of getting bitten Many nights l have been surrounded by rats; had then run all over me. up my coat sleeves. Ovel my back. on my head-in fact. been GOV erld with them. Maybe you'd like to know what do with the live rats?
 Well. after I have counted them anc get my cents apiece for them, collec the rats that show the most fight and drown the rest. The lively fellows l sel for ratbaits. Oh. yes, l know that Il I thought that NIT. Rergh made it too hO for rat baiters in this city. but he didn't There are several here now. but they have 10 work mighty hard. A good fighting rat is worth 10 cents rat-bait. The bait CTS depend on us for their rats. andl know one house over in Hoboken that will talk, all the rats l can catch for 10 cents head l don't think that rats are good for mucl else They did try 10 make glove' from their skins. and l believe tha the scheme did succeed for { while. but don't think much of it k don' now. Sometimes fur-trimming for ladies dresses is made from the rat-fur cut from the haunches and dried. What an awful look the pretty darlings would put or if they only knew they were handling Tat-skinS If l could only get into tho sewers of this city could make my for tune. They are filled with ra,s. I could kill 3, 1000 a night 5000 rats at cent: eacn would make SEQ. If l could keer that up any length of time l could retire from business.
 There is one peculiarity about a raj that it isn't generally credited with Everybody thinks them the most filthy of all rodents But they ain't \ Tat is al ways clean If speck of dirt gets ou him in any way, he stops whatever he is doing to clean himself. He cant beal any stain on his fur. Another funny thing about them is their ability 10 tell olive oil They have fondness for sweet oil that is not equaled by any other kind of food. But they know the good article and will take none other. l Lave tested them in this, setting two bottles. one containing sweet oil made from cotton seed and the othcr with olive oil in it. \ rat would come along and try every means tO get at the oil through the long neck of the bottle cont; ming the olive oil. but would Shun the cotton seed oil as he would fire. have even seen the anima get so crazy over the oil that, after trying every other means in theiI power. they would climb up on the bottle and then lower their tails through the neck to the surface of the oil Then the know. ing little beast would draw their tails care fully out and sit on their hauncheS licking of inc oil with every indication of the most intense satisfaction.
 lntN guaN lOlc> lH HOOPS lnItuEu sheer mischief. Long after they have tun neled every floor in house they keep uI their desiruciiveneSs and actually honey comb the floor They live sometimes tC he ten years old and get more cunning a' they grow older. They lose all of their faculties at last. and are apparently led around by the young ones To show how soon house may become infested with rats it is simply necessary 10 say that they breed every six weeks. the mother bearsis from sixteen 10 twenty young rats in a litter. The use of dogs is confined princi pally 10 Tat-baiting. and good terrier, which has been trained for baiting. + often worth a couple of hundred dollars Weasels in catching rats are sure every time, but the trouble with them k that they simply kill the rats in their holes and then there is no earthly way of get ting them out without tearing the building down. A dead rat is synonymous with all that is unpleasant