The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-03-01
Dogs, Rats and ferretS.

the country. He is also posted on the
breeding of ferrets, rabbits and cats.
For twenty years Mr.. Jennings has
carried on a crusade against rats. Dur
ing this time he has eXterminated no
less than million of this species of
vermin. A Star reporter found MIR.
Jennings in very communicative mood
yesterday. The conversation opened
about dogs.
Pm a givin' up this dog business
nowadays" said he.
"Why?" asked the reporter.
"Cause it don't pay me to keep it
up. Hevery time there's a dog-6ght
Mr.. Bergh and his men pounce upon
me and lock me up, thinkin' that L m
the fountain cad. Six months ago |
got sailed for fight never see, an l
says to myself, AIRY, 'ere's ago. Get
'hout ov the dizziness altogether"
"But l notice some different species
of the dog around here now"
1.-THE most of these are bein' treated
for different diseases"
''What is the most popular class Of
dog just now?" the reporter asked.
The 'untin' dog" was the reply;
they're Railways in fashion. For two
or three years there's been big run on
pugs, but hits dyin' out, han in six
months time, sab, those ere pugs that
as brought fifteen and twenty dollars
will be a drug hon the market hat a
dollar han hart"
what will be the fashionable dog of
the futureP" inquired the reporter
eli should say, sab, the himported
| fn1rinr fbncn ho- 10 l. b L.
tiers; in fact, anything of the rat-terrier
species. Hat present there's quite a
run on skye terriers. They make hex
cellent 'ouse and pet dogs for the ladies.
That's combination one very rarely
gets hin dog. The pug makes fine
shown hon the street, but that's all :"
elbow about the black-and-tan?
''Wel, can't say much habout 'em.
There's nothink like the demand there
was for 'em ten years ago; besides, the
hold timers who used to take delight
hin breeding 'em is dying boff, you
| know"
rs there any other class of dog tina!
you are aware of becoming POPULAR"
'"The honly dog that hts aware of,
! sir, sides the terrier, is these monstrous
bloodhOunds. There's quite a demand
/ for them lately among the Germans.
Hif were a keepin' dogs on hand, sir,
/ Hi wouldn't keep q bloodhound in
stock; he'd heat S cad hoff before
man would ave ha chance to sell i'm. )"
The conversation changed from the
dog to the rat, which is Mr.. Jennings
strong point. Twenty years ago he
kept a dog pit in Madison street. and
twice week he would have what is
known in sporting vernacular as rat
bait, the placing of number of rats in
pit where it would be an absolute i'm
possibility for them to get away, and
then set the dogs upon them. The dog
that killed the most rats would be the
victor. Large amounts of money were
wagered on the result of these rat bats
While the rat pits were popular Mr..
Jennings would give two entertainments
each week, usually on Tuesday and
Saturday nights, and would use some
/ thing like 800 rats a week In de-
scribing how he would supply this de-
mand, Mr.. Jennings said:
Hin those days Hi used to go hup
to the hold Knickerbocker Stable hand
catch 'em myself. Hi hoften catched
sixty han over right halong; some
times for ten ours non stretch"
"Didy you catch them with your hands?"
"Why; certainly generally by the
tail. They'll always feed in the man
ger, hand by means hoff the dark Ian
tern you can catch 'em very easy. Let
me show youwhat | can do with them. -
With this the speaker lifted the cover
of huge iron cage that was filled with
rats as wild as the inhabitants of the
sewer. Without | oking into the der
Mr.. Jennings seized a powerful big
fellow by the neck and placed him in
side of his shirt, next to the skin, and
/ left him there while he continued the
| conversation:
They never bite me, you know,
cause Hi knows 'ow to 'andle 'em. Hi
can Railways tell when rats goin' to
bite, Hi knows 'em so well. Sometimes
Hi ave as many has twenty rats about
/ me when Hive been a-catching EN-
81 understand you contract to keep
hotels free from rats" suggested the
reporter.
"Lord bless me, yes; hive got list
of 'otels that's customers of mine has
long as yer harm"
NV hats the modus operandi?' asked
the reporter.
''Now we've come to point where |
must refuse to Uniform you. Hif | was
/ to let you hinto the secret has 'ow |
drive the rats from the 'otels hothers
would 90 hinto the business. Now h i've
got a monopoly. But l don't mind
tellin yer that hi use ferrets to do the
greater part of the work"
A look was then taken at the ferrets,
which are kept in separate apart
ment. Some of them have their nightly
duties to perform, while others were in
training or for sale.
They hare not has quick as the
rat" exclaimed Mr.. Jennings, "and |
ham of the impression that rat can
get away from ferret unless 'es
cornered-th 'es goner."
Most of the ferrets used in the bust
ness are brought over from England,
the reporter learned during the CONVEX
sation. Still, there are some in use for
this purpose which were bred in this
country. Itrequires considerable effort
to get them so trained that they will
return at the call. 1t is their nature to
follow rat into ahole, kill it, and then
stay by it. Those that Mr.. Jennings
possesses are 50 trained that they viii
l..l,s Il