The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-11-07
DRIVEN FROM TIE WHITE HOUSE.
The Army OF Rats Put to Flight With
Great slaughter.
From the Washington Post


From the Washington Post.
The white house is now about clear of
rats. Two weeks ago no old barn was
ever more infested with rats than the home
Of the Presi lent of the United States. Dur
ing the night the gnawing of the rats in
their efforts to make new openings, aud
their races between the walls and under
floors made sleep well nigh impossible
There is not rat in the upper portion
of the house now, !" said Frank Hosmer, who
has been employed to clear the white house
OF the pests. 81 supp so we have killed sixty
Of them, though that does not represent the
number that were here when the work
began. Most of the rats have been driven
out OF the house into the garden by the
ferretS, and have burrowed in every direc-
ton to find hiding places"
Yesterday afternoon Hosmer was watch
ing ferret as IL went down one hole after
another that the rats mad made. 1t occaa
| sionally chased out a rat that was soon dis (:
patched by the long-haired terrier that was
keeping guard on the outside. The work
has gone on so long now that the catches
are few. and a chase Of several hou does
| not reward the workers with more than one
or two rats. The ferrets would themselves
kill their prey, but they are prevented as
far as possible. When they have once
| sucked the rats blood they are of little use
for three or four hours, as during that time
they lie dormant wherever they happen to
have their feast, whether in rat hole or in
the open air.
Their active chase has, however, the in
| centive of a feast of rats blood to urge
them on. They are not fed until the days
work is done. They are trained, and have
a scent equal to that of any hunting dog.
They VIII manuver about the tunnellings
OF the rats without moment of rest for
five or six hours, but at the end of that
time their work for the day is done and
they go on a rke. No coaxing of any art
known to man can urge ferret to continue
on the warpath after rats or anything else
when it has become tired.
The ch ief part Of our work just now,
SAID Hosmer, sis in clearing the garden of
the pests and in stopping up every possible
hole TO them to get back into the house,
should any not be killed. The rat holes are
well saturated with tar and a poisonous
mixture that will make their feet sore should
they ever attempt to pass through them,
and it is safe to say that Mr.. Rat will make
himself scarce for long tins to Gomez
The chief means that have aided the
rats In their maneuvers about the white
house have been the ducts laid for supplying
fresh air, and also for water and gas pipes.
by Inese means tney could travel wherever
they pleased, but now their roaming
grounds have been well stopped up.
Mrs. Harrison was yesterday looking at
one of the ferrets when it brou ght its teeth
together through the finger of its owner.
who was showing it. Both stewards aud
cooks Of the white house are now relieved
that no longer chickens are found dead and
eatsbles dragged from the table while be-
ing prepared.
The white house has been a sheltering
place for rats ever since anyone connected
with it can remember. They have shown
themselves to be too cute to be caught in
the ordinary traps set for them, and find
sufficient to eat without risking their necks
between the steel wires of trap.
The last rat fight in the white house took
place during the latter part Of Gen. Grants
administration, when ferrets were used as
at present The pests gradually crept back,
and we're somewhat annoying during the
Cleveland re line.