The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-12
WAR ON THE SQUIRRELS.
Spokane Handles More Strychnine IMAM
Any other City in the state.

Spokane SPOKESMAN.
The warfare on the destructive little
ground squirrel has created an unprece-
iented demand for strychnine. The farm
ers are pushing the county dealers FOL
supplies of the poisons. the country deal
ers are pressing the jobhers, and the job
beers ale punching up the Eastern man
ufacturers.
The demand is marvellous" said A. W
Doland yesterday. Spokane now handles
more strychnine than any other city IN
the United States. We take the breath
of the big Eastern manufactorirs with
our large orders. and their plants are uu-
equal . the demand.
To date a single Spokane house has
sold Is 000 ounces, and expects additional
orders before the close of the season that
will bring the total up TO 1900 or 1s.o0t
ounces. There is little profit in the trade
The Spokane johoer pays 80 cents al
ounce at the factory. and In these times
has 10 have delivery made by express
A good deal of money is also spent In
telegraphing hurry up orders. The
Spokane price in large quantities is q
cents an ounce for cash. or 81 on credit
and the margin is SO narrow that the
profits are inconsiderable. In fact, ship
ments are occasionally made at an actual
loss.
The country dealers are growing i'm
partunat re in their orders. Sprague
dealer writes: II have been promising
strychnine for days. Ship anything from
200 to 500 ounces"
From Ritzville comes the information;
II sold in one day % ounces, and ran
out before the demand was supplied.
Send several hundred ounces.
But the Harrington demand is the most
pressing yet received: DO send us some
strychnine. We want 800 or 400 ounces.
For Gods sake send 100 ouncese tonight. "
Wilbur telegraphsd: Hurry strych-
mine. Send 800 ounces
From all sections come reports that
the squirrels were never so troublesome
as they have been this spring. In Lin
coin county they ARE moving north In
vast armies. and as the price Of wheat
advances they seem TO eat With a rising
appetite.
Farmers say they could take care of
thtstr own ground. but the vacant lands
cause the trouble. ON these lands the
squirrels breed undisturbed. and from
the vantage point swarm upon the
growing grain fields. 1t has been sug-
gested. and the suggestion meets with
favor that the state levy a special tax
upon vacant lands, and use the revenue
TO fight the pests thereon. leaving 10
the farmers the care of their own land.
Farmers are also wondering why the
authorities ait the agricultural college
ana the department of agriculture at
Washington City are not experimenting
with the hope of discovering some dis
ease That viii kill off the pests as the
rabbits were killed off in New Zealand.
The present warfare affords only tenn
7,orary relief With the outlay of con-
siderable expense and time, and the ex-
ar,isf. Of eternal vigilance, the farmers
are able to save a part of their crops,
but the loss is enormous, and the pests
are now more numerous than ever be-
fore.
Strvchnine is the favorite weapon,
hut bisulphate of carbon and phosphorus
are also in big demand The sales of
phosphorus are unusually large thas
sea son A great many patented ma
chimes are also being sold. These send
poisonous gases into the burrows. and
have some advantages over strychntne
and phosphorus, but the favorfte de-
s.rllctfve agent is strychnine.