Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1888-02-11
SIERRA COUNTY:
A BATTLE WITH RATS.


"I have caught and killed plenty Of big
rats in my time, but the biggest ones
were captured along the whares, said
old Jack Gregory, or English Jack, as
he is called by his acquaintanoes.
Gregory ia little eld fellow, not moro
than five feet in height, and pressing
close upon his sixtieth year. He lives
in Camden, on William street, below
koylon. When he starts on his rat
catching expeditions he always ac-
companied by two little terriers,
chained together. With a OF ierrcts
thrown over his shoulder, "i!nglish
Jacb" presents an odd picture.
81 have followed rat-catehing for liv-
ing for forty years, said Gregory; but
the most vicious chaps are generally
found along the wharves, near where the
sewers empty into the river. They grow
up In the sewers, and eventually find
their way 70 the waters edge, and there
settle permanently, or else ta&o up
quarters in the warehouses near the
docks.
/ don't mind clearing n stable OF rats
That's fun for me. But when | al
called upon TO clean out warehouse |
always know that it means tough work,
with probably the loss OF two or three
ferrcis. Nine times out OF ten, rat will
run away from ferret and when they
emerge from their holes my dogs and [
Just lay for them and kill them rs sool
rs they show themselves. But | have
had many a valuable ferret killed by
wharf rats. The rats being used to eat.
ing garbage, greedily devour everything
they come across, and grow 10 be tre-
Il I lnte 90
were as big as cats, aud ferocious fellows
they were, too. / remember once OF
pitched battle that took place between
three OF my lenets and five rats, down at
tine sugar boiling house on Delaware
avenue, below south street. Each rat
was fully from fifteen TO eighteen inches
In length, and must have wcighe from
four 10 five pounds. They had it hot
and heavy for quarter oil IN hour. The
iorrets fairly chewed the rats 10 pieces
and came out victorious, though they rot
severely bitten themselves. Subsequent
~ one of the lerrets died.
q hat night | succeeded in killing
ninety rats But have seen larger rats
than those in my time. A few years ago
my dogs caught rat down ut tho
Washington avenue grain elevator which
was much bigger thai cat Ii was two
leet long ana weighed twelve pounds.
lie must have been quite old and mus
ually fat. | guess he WIS the king rat
aLout the elevator. | was very anxious
TO capture him alive, and it was harl
work 20 drive the dogs oil, So eager wtr9
they % put an end TO him ; ie hal
iouaht them bard, Notwithstanding his
ase, and The dogs had tier daimler up.
] mana ed to drag them away AMI tarn
! threw a net around hin and bouFut
hu home 10 Camden. doetelea nIAt
for three weeks, ana his wonnis heaiti
pretty well. saloon keeper naar hs
G d navy yard made me an oiler %. SO
and sold the rat 10 him 10 pla'e Oh rx-
hibition. lie did not make much uy ine
venture. as the saloon keepers wiie was
airail oil the big rat, and being anx uus
10 get rid OF the animal, p0goled L.,
MMle the animal was ca eXhagtioa
th re was a sign displaye on tho ir1n
Gaze IN which Il WAS ooaanei, s4yin 3:
don fool with tbs rat. 4 his in uuG-
ton was rath. unnecessary. lor all tho
customers wNlta1y rsirained .rJm polk