The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1891-11-28
THE LITTLE RAT MULE.
DISAPPEARING FROM THE STREET
RAILWAY SERVICE.

Where He Comes from and whence He
Is Going--WhHt lie Costs, Broken and
Unbrolsou-A Hardy Little Bruto-His
Work and Years of Service.
How often one hears the remark,
'Just look at those mules drawing that
car; they look like rats" They have
thus become known very generally as
little rat mules, and the description is a
good one certainly. Many of them don't
look much larger than a good sized billy
goat, being so small that they are hidden
from the people in the car by the dash
board in front. 1t certainly does look
cruel to make them pull car loaded
down with people, load that would
strain powerful horses on an up grade.
1t is like a great many other things,
however.
1t is cruel only in appearance. The
little mule is equal to this and much
more. If the car would hold more peo-
pie he and his mate would pull it any
place, and on level would take it skip
ping along so fast that you would almost
begin to think no other motive power
was required to realize rapid transit. BE
has endurance, speed and strength, and
thrives where an animal more hardy aud
stronger in appearance would soon die
In rapid motion he goes by jumps and
jerks, but he accomplishes the desired
result, and is one Of the most servicea-
bic animals to be had in the street rail
way business.
He is, however, rapidly disappearing
giving way to mechanical motors. As
the old darSy said when he saw the cleo
tric cars, "The Yankees is great peo-
ple they want satisfied ter free de
nigga, and now they've done gone and
freed de mules" That is about the case.
In st. Louis, for instance, the little rat
mules-and, for that matter, the larger
mule and the horse-are few in number,
not one in thirty for those employed as
recently as three years ago. With our
increase in population, new industries,
ETC., this 10 a somewhat remarkable
statement, but it is correct.
The little rat mule is peculiar ami
nal. Born and raised in the southwest,
Texas and Mexico, he is now going to
the south and southeast for service on
the plantations. In the very recent past,
when all the street cars were drawn by
horses and mules, the demand for them
was very great for that purpose, but as
things generally equalize themselves, so
has the demand for horses and mules.
The street railway companies which
have changed to cable or electric motor
power have generally disposed of their
live stock to very fair advantage, though
there are still on hand some Of the little
rat mules that are unused.
This little animal is one of some value,
though he does not look it. Twenty dol.
lars would be a very fair valuation, but
in fixing that estimate you would be
away off the mark. Unbroken he com
mands considerable more than that.
The cheapest lot that ever came to st.
Louis, probably, was one of 200, the
price paid for them being few cents
less than twenty-six dollars per head,
but they were unbroken. He is g stub.
born little brute, and there is considera.
ble labor in breaking him so he can be
put ahead of a bobtail and trusted tC
the average driver. Thus broken he
has a value of sixty to seventy-five dol
lars.
One would naturally suppose that his
raiser would break him, and get his en-
hanced price, but, as a rule, he has CONF
TO the St, Louis railroads as Wild a.
could be, and also as stubborn, but the
, employees of the companies have had {
great deal Of fun in breaking them il
and reducing them to tractability. They
have also had some exciting experiences
too, as the little fellow has heels quite al
serviceable as his larger relative, and hi
knows how TO use them too, You have
got to look out for them, and you havt
: got to put some muscle into use wher
you think you have an easy task to holt
them with the lines. This is not at al
easy sometimes, as he has strength ant
: frequently a very hard mouth-har(
enough 10 pull bobtail car by it witt
the traces slackenod.
1t has been said that it seems cruel t
p run these little fellows to a street ca,
.oaded down with passengers, To tn,
t contrary, there are few animals which
e nave an easier life. The pulling of tn,
Z sar Is nothing to them. They can laugl
o at that and grow fat. Twenty-Five tc
o thirty miles a day for them Is nothing a
+ al, and that IS about what they GOV
e sr, with rests between trips Through
y with their days work, they are turnet
t nto a big yard, where they run and rol
n As they please. They never die, or al
y east the employees Of the street rail
y ways never hear Of their dying. WheI
e hey approach that period of life they
a are sold or sent off to the farm, wherI
d ihoy may still be Of some use.
e They are aged before that time comes
d however. There are, for instance, Httll
rat mules as much as 90 or 25 years ole
b still IN service here, and some whiel
o, have been in the service twelve an(
le fifteen years And still they are, to al
1t Appearances, good for several years yet
10 They are as strong and active as ever
1t apparently, and will likely year from
"a low start in for a second life on a south
Fl srn plantation. This is a long time 70
ID m animal TO tramp over granite an,
s, 'ther kinds Of paving, through mud ant
ID n all kinds Of weather, but the imi
s. aas seemingly never been reached witt
a !his hardy little fellow. He might b
J. subjected to twice as much, possibly, AM
still not fall under 1t.
at In addition 10 performing Eervio
N squal 10 that Of the horse or the larg
m mule, the little rat mule Is one Of tn
at FASTEST animals known in the care re
f. Iuired. II might, in fact, be said tina
N be really does not require any care. H
ps lourishes best when allowed to rough ii
" dc Is, Of course, fed grain and hay, bu
te he is not in the least fastidious about hi
er 'ood, as is the horse, and in the absenc
ir If anything else would probably manag
at % live on old boot legs. He likes moth
M ng better than 10 run to fodder an
y ;heap food.-St. Louis Globe Democrat
y. what He Would Do.
Isabelle-n you loved Tom Barry
an much as ! DO wouldn't you marry hiI
IN Uncle DickG
Z. Uncle Dick-No, ] would not.
Nu~n.aHn..