Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1895-04-13
The Ground Squirrel Pest.
Spokane Spokesman.

inoculated tito the troublesome ground
squirrel. Several ATTEMPTS have been
made to breed some kind OF disease
among them but all seem to have been
unsuccessful
In view of these numerous unsucce5s-
full attempts and the interest taken IN
the matter, considerable comment was
caused a few days ago by the report
coming from near Penewawa that there
was some kind of disease which was kill
ing the pests in larse numbers and the
country light hope to be free from Their
devastating ravages.
A Spokesman correspondent has MADE
an extensive trip through tho infested
district in order to investigate the au
thenticity of the reports and the extent
to which the disease is proving tatal'
There seems to be no doubt that there
is a contaglon among them which Is
proving fatal to few, though not TO
LDe extent lIldJ liuS bNSh
The fret effect on the animals IS to make
them dumpy )r stupid, then soabs or
sores appear on the body Of the ANIMAL
and soon they lose the of their nina
parts and are barely able to get around
Very few dead squirrels were found onI
the animals seem to be less numerous
than they were a few weeks ago. 1hls
decrease in numbers Is explained by
some observers by the fact that the fe-
males have gore in their holes to have
their Young. but it has also been no.
ticed in districts where the young spur
rel are old enough to get out of the
holes
The diseased squirrels seem to be-
more numerous in proportion IN those
parts of the country where they are
thickest, although in some places where
they sre very thick there is no sickness
noticeable. In some places about one
third of al the squirrels seem to be al
fected. but it was difficult to estimate to
what extent it is fatal. The district at
fected by the disease is in the form OF
strip thirty or more miles long and SIX
or eight miles wide extending west from
Penewawa to the Palouse river. 1t
seems to be at its worst along Alkall
fat about Henry Ackerman's place.
Some places in this strip the disease has
not been noticed at all.
Already preparations are being made
to spread the disease. Inquiries come
from all over the country concerning the
authenticity OF the reports and the effect
it is having to decrease the numbers and
ravages OF the pests.
But while farmers are anxlously watch
ing the outcome OF the infection, they
are bv TO means idle in aiding nature To
DESTROY their enemies. Traps, guns,
bombs and all kinds II poisens are used
To aid IN their destruction. One Colfax
firm has already sold over 500 ounces of
strychnlne and other poisons IN proper
tion. Arsenic seems to be sprlnglng In
to favor as a destroyer, but some who
have been experimenting with 1t report
rather unfavorably. Since the success
Of the western one-third of this county
depends almost entirely on the discovery
Of some method which will promptly and
effectively exterminate these mlschey-
ans little animals, all new suggestions
ia that end are thankfully received and
given fair trial.
In Spokane county 500 patent bombs
for the determination of squirrels haye
been received by the county commis.
s,oners for distribution among the far
mers.
"They operate" said Commissioners
Thorp. ''on the same principle as the
giant powder cones now in general use
except that they are charged with sui
phur and other paralyzing ingredients,
and at the close Of the process a slight
explosion occure producing pYrotech-
mic display that sends the victims of to
sonirrel heaven in blaze of glory so to
speak, from beneath the depths of the
earth. The only objection we have to
the bombs is that they come too high.