The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1894-03-01
RATS IN MINES.
The Generally Disiikcd Rodents faNorites
with Underground Toilers.

The Generally Disiiked Rodents IaVorites
with Underground Toilers.
The first rats were brought TO the
Comstcck from California in freight
wagons. principally, most likely II
the big ''prairle %schooDers, slowed
away among boxes and crate OF
goods, says the Engineering Journal.
Their rapid increase after their first
appearance on the ComStock was as
tonisnirg. From ten to fourteen
young are produced at a birth. and
there are several liltcrs each year:
besides, a rat is a great grandfather
before he is a year old. Then the
rats that colombo the Comstock
towns encountered no enemies. There
were no cats in the country.
The rats soon discovered the mines,
aud found therein a c%ongcnial home
aud a home free from the terrifying
presence of members Of the feline
tIibe. Never was a cat seen in any
of the lower levels of the mines,
though they sometimes prowl about
the surface of the tunnels. In the
first opening of the mines there was
no place for the rats, but as soon as
the timbers began to be set up and
cribs of waste rocks built they were
able be find safe hiding places also
there was room for them everywhere
behind the tagging Of the drifts. AS
they increased in numbers there
was on all sides an increaSh Of space
through the rapid extraction Of ore
by the miners.
They doubtless soon discovered
that, though a man was their enemy
on the surface, he was their friend
down in the underground drifts and
chambers. He shared his meal with
them and they scampercd and
capered about him with perfect i'm
punity. The warmth of the lower
levels appeared to be very congenial
to the rats, both old and young.
Cold is a thing unknown to them. 1t
is as though they had been given
immense lighthouses in which to
breed. Any temperature they de-
sire. from 90 degrees to 1870 degrees,
is at their command. Rats are use.
full as scavengers in mines. They
deyour all the scraps OF meat
and other food thrown upon the
ground by the miners while at lunch,
eating even the hardest bones, thus
preventing bad odor. As the decay
of the smallest thing is uncomfortable
in a mine, the miners never inten-
tionally Kill a rat.
Tho p,innps hnvn u hinh rnipjnp nf
their sagacity. The rats generally
give the miners the first notice Of
danger. When a big cave isabout to
occur. they are seen TO swarm out of
the drifts and scamper about the
floors of a level at unwouted times.
The settling Of the waste rock prob.
ably pinches the animals in their
dens, causing them at nce to leave
in search Of less dangerous ,uarters.
AT times, when a mine has been
shut down for Il few weeks. the rats
become ravenOusly hungry. They do
do not scruple to devour tie young.
old and weak Of their kind. During
the suspension Of work in a mine
that ais not connected with other
mines that are running, everything
eatablc in the underground region is
devoured. even the candle drippings
on the floors. When work is resumed.
the almost famished creatures are as
tonishingly bold and fearless. Then
they will come out OF their holes and
get upon the underground engines
even when they are in rapid notion
and drink the oil out of the oil cups,
quite regardless of the presence Of
the engineer.
\ fire in a mine slaughterS the
rats 10y the wholesale. Few escape,
as the gases penetrate every nook
and Granny Of the underground re-
gions, and often so suddenly as to
asphyXiate them in their homes.
-, TI,