The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-01-15
CATCHES RATS FOR CASH
HOW HOUSES ARE CLEARED OB
THE PEST IN NEW YORK,
Traps Which Charm Their Victims
and Deadly Foes Whose Work is

uc hunting SeaSOu Is III luU uiitSI
now. But. as many sportsmen fail to So
cure any game with their expensive guns
and methods, perhaps they will DO glad
to hear OF fine ,nting opportunities
right in New York The only draw
back that the game consists altogether
of rats, but apart frem that there is a
lot of excitement and satisfaction to be
had, aud count of heads will generally
show surprising results. Such hunt
was recently held in the Stats ZeitunJ
Building, and one hundred fine large
fellows were bagged. This wholesale
destruction of the unpleasant animals
paratively unknown but thriving bust
ness, that of the professional rat-catcher.
The man who took the contract for
the extermination Of the Stats Zsitun9
rats was "born into the business" and
for the last thirty five years he has KEEP:
quaint little place in Fulton street.
Adolph Isaacsen is his name, and he is
still to be found in his store daily,
though his son Charles has succeeded
him in active business. Surrounded by
his traps, ferrets and fox terriers, the old
man is full Of interesting "reminiscences,
and is always happy when he can tell Of
some of his experiences in his rat
catching trips, which have taken him
all over the country from coast to coast.
"What is the first thing you do when
you go to place to kill off the rats7" lie
was asked the other day. "Ah, that i,
a good question. see wo must bagiu
at the beginning. Well, we ask Kate
where the rats are. You know wlo
Kate isl Well, Kate is the finest fox
terrier for that purpose in the whole
country. I've owned her for teu years,
and she is eleven years old, and what
she doesn know about rats isn't worth
knowing. As soon as she gets in the
place she shifts around. When she To-.
Gates place where the rats have come
out, she just turns her head to nc and
wags her tail. Then 1 know she has
found the place. She doesn't bark or
growl, for she knows rs we'll us do that
we mustn't make bit vf oise or get ex-
cited. View to kill the rats not to
scare them. Then when we locate all
the holes, we set traps at each one, il
there are many rats. Ii there are not so
many rats we use different metho |,
which 1 wilLexpla;n later. The trap we
use is the double-jaw game trap wh;c,l
is used for small game. AS soon "a n rat
is caught we kill it and take it out and
set the trap for another, for we watch
the place all through the night 1--WE
always work a. night when we catch
rats.
"But how do you bait the traps2'
owe don't. Now, Iil tell you n
secret of the traie. We use rat oil,
which wc make as follows: We boil
about 100 rats in large kettle, and
skim oil the oil which rises to the top.
This oil is very pungent, and proves a
great attraction. We oil each trap with
just few drops of it, aud that is quite
enough to lure them on"
And then this modern pied piper said
"Do you know that we can make the
rats go to the traps9 Well, we can.
We walk across the room and, after Q
while, the rats follow in our footsteps.
But it isn't so wonderful when you know
the trick. We simply rub few drop;
of the oil on the so!es Of our shoes, aud
drag our feet as we walk toward th2
traps. See2"
"'rell me what yol do when there
aren't many rats"
"Wcll, VIC take fcrrcts along in case
like that. After Kate finds the holes we
stop up all but two. Kate, she watches
one. She's as good as a man, she is
And one Of my men watches the other.
Then the ferrets are put in, and pretty
soon the rats be gin to move out. Any
rat that comes out at Kate's place il {
dead rat that instant. One bite settles
it. But the man can't bite them. d;
you know what he does, Why, he
simply holds his hand near the hole and
the rat walks right into it. lie
!oesa't grab it then, or hit it. Tia
would make it squeal ani bite. NJ
sir; he simply lifts his hand gently with
the rat 10 it. boldin. the animal as gent
" as he would bird. And the rat
never moves nor gets frightened. 1t will
lie in hand aud never show fight or fear.
He can stroke it and pet it rs il it wero
kitten. You don't believe, that young
man, do you9 Come now, that smile
shows me you think this is a whopper.
But assure you it's quite true. There's
something about some men who have
handled wild aud shy animals all their
lives which gives them peculiar power.
Why, I've often done it myself, though,
mind you, don't say could do it now,
oifland, because haven't tried it for a
lon time, and it all depends on the art
full touch. But my son Charley here car
do it. Can't you, Charley9 Aud my
four men can do it. They never think
anything of it. Now, don't you see
what an advantage this isa There is lie
noise of clubbing or squealing. The rat
is simply tossed to Kate, aud she never
gives it a chance to squea'. Sao senis
it 20 ra: heaven too quickly for that.
This is important, for if there is any
noise or excitement it settles rat catching
for that night. They're cute fellows,
these rats. Mac York Herlta.