The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1886-10-28
A QUEER BUSINESS,
A Battie-ScIrred Veteran Shows a Novice
How to Catch Rats.

A QUEER BUSINESS.
Bat.,e-Scarred Veteran Shows a Movie,
How to Catch Rats.
"Wait till l strike a light" said an
old battle-scarred rat-catcher TO a New
York Tribune reporter rs he dropped q
big bag in the hallway of large dwell.
ing in Second avenue. In moment more
the circular gleam from the bIll's-eye
lantern flashed in the darkness. Hold.
ing the light in 'front.' he moved eau
tiously to the end of the hall. Coming
to door he raped ON it smartly, and
there was a wild scampering and
squcaling on the inside.
''Just hear the Beauties" exclaimed
the ra.-catcher "You want TO see how
/ pick them upP Well, if You'll not be
frightened if one of the lively fellows
starts up your trousers leg and comes
out under your shirt-collar you'll have
no trouble. just slip in behind me like
a flash, and keep your feet moving, SO
that none of them get into the hall.
That's the style. Not one got out. Just
stand still and watch the fun"
The large bag was opened, and one
side Of it was loosely suspended from
the rat-catcher's teeth. With one hand
he held the light and the other side of
the bag, so that it could be easily and
quickly opened and closed, and in the
other he held large pair of old-fash.
ioned tongs. There were rats of all
sizes and ages, from the gray-whiskered
grandfather down TO the third and
fourth generations. They seemed to
have lost their heads, and ran in every
direction. tumbling over cne another.
The oid-fellows followed around the
Dashboard, seeking a convenient crack
or hole to slip away. They could find
the hole where they csme in, but it had
been closed by an ingenious self-acting
device. When they got settled down in
a philosophical spirit, not to worry un-
til they found out what it was all about,
the rat-catcher took hand in the fun.
Blowing straight across the room, with
the light turned into the shining little
ewes on the floor, with the tongs he
quickly snapped up rat after rat with
great skill. While gazing at the light
the unsuspected rodents did not see the
tongs, and were seized and in the bag,
biting and scratching their friends and
relatives, before they had time to wink
their ewes. And such squealing! Not
one of them attempted to bite the rat
catcher, but they hovered around the
silent spectator with 4 great show Of
familiarity. But no harm was done,
and in a few minutes The last of
the lot, little fellow Just out of
short clothes, had his squeal stopped
forever by quick snap of the tongs.
'.Now it's over" said the rat-catcher.
"Just nineteen, all told. There will be
more here tomorrow, and then the
place will be pretty well cleaned out
Where do these rats come from? Origi-
nally from the sewer, and when the cell
lar floor is not made of cement or stone
they are sure to get into the house
When the track is once opened they
keep it well beaten. They go from the
cellar all over the house. The lead
pipes in the walls make excellent climb
ers. When a house is to be cleaned the
pipes are creased, if they can be got at,
so as to keep the rats in one part of the
house. If this can not be done, then
wire nets, with sharp-pointed sides, are
hung directly near the holes. These
tickle their whiskers, and when they
raise the net and pass under it they can
not get back to the hole. In this way
they are all corralled IN one place. 1t
takes time, as they are cute, and some
of the old fellows can not be led into
any sort of traps. If there is anything
in their way they will go mile out of
their course to get around it When
they get in places where l can not
reach them with the tongs l generally
shoot them with small pistol. Some
of the old fellows have fancy of set
Ting in the ceiling and are the hardest
TO get at. The best thing L know of
with which to treat these obstinate citi-
1ens is good dose of burning cayenne
pepper This suffocates them, if they
get large Whit at the start, and then
the house suddenly becomes. filled with
sewer gas, which disappears as soon IS
the carcasses dry up and blow away.
Rats breed rapidly, and if all of them
are not destroyed they will quickly
orerrun house again. '--:~
'.Ever been bitten? A hundred times
and more. The bite does not usually
motions OF the jaw in biting. The first
is soft and delicate, and the teeth Just !
scratch the object they have hold of. |
Then follows quick, sharp powerful
action Of the jaw, and the slender teeth |
sink up to the gums and stay there. |
This bite is dangerous; the first nip |
TO nothing. II the teeth have |
gone deeply into the hand always suck
the wound. This seems to keep the swell
ing down, but always a good deal of
pain follows. Ny arm has swollen
sometimes, when 4 hungry fellow has
given me nip, 10 twice its natural
'ize. Its strange. but there is no harm
n the bite of well-fed rat. 4 fright
sned rat viii fight, if corncred, and
1iciousiy too. The way to grab rats SO
hat they can not bite is to seize them
With a strong grip Just back of the
neck. They will howl like stuck pigs,
out can not get away and are entirely
lnder control.
81 used to have ferrets to clean out
houses, but gave them up long ago.
They are too expensive and are ditfi-
,ult to handle, and if savage will bite
worse than rat. An extra number
lave to be kept on hand in training all
ne time, for when turned loose in
house where the rats are large one or
more will be killed. They are Just like
ats in their habits and about the same
ize. and with 4 good-sized rat it is
My question of which gets the best
lold first Neither will LET 90. have
lad ferrets' teeth fastened in my fin
ers, and their jaws were set so firmly
hat they had to be pried open with an
ron bar.
What is done with the rats? They
re either drowned or sold TO dog-fan- I
iers, TO train dogs to catch them, or
or use in some of the sporting-houses
t rat bats. Some of the choice ones
nay get into the mysterious dishes
erved up in Mott street, in the Chinese
oiony. The business, however, is grow
ng less every year. Every house has
s own trap. and on every shelf is
iece of some well-advertised rat poison.
his is undermining the business, and
here formerly could get $50 or 500
'r keeping 4 house clear of these mis-
hievous visitors am glad now to do
he same work for $40 or $50. There
re only three or four professionals in !
lie city. One of them still uses ferrets,
ut he was telling me the other day
lat he had SO little use for them thar d!
ley die on his hands.
..Vae u