The Penn's Grove record., 1895-11-22
RATS IN A CITN

fhey probably outnumber the u
nj habitants Five to One,
|, A curious friend asks us o curio,
question; How many rats are there
Newark r We really don't know, ar
we don't know anybody who doe
know, but we should say that, upon
moderate estimate, there are at lea,
100000. II is were possible for an
citizen, male or female, old or youni
to take into one view the entire rat poi
ulation within the city limits, that cit
zen would be appalled,. We don't ofte
see the rascally little animal, and W
don't like him when we do see hin
and, apparently he doesn't like us whei
he sees us, but he is everywhere-in tn
sewers, In the house drains, between
the walls, between our floors and cell
lngs-rats burrow under u building,
and In our gardens. They are abovt
us, beside lis, and below us.
Wherever the human is, there thu
rat is; and he is In some other place.
where the human Isn't. 1t Is said that
formerly, in some of the Islands of the
Pacific, he was the only inhabitant
But, speaking generally, the rat asso'
ciates himself with human civilization
he travels from country to country In
ships, and 1t Is not unlikely that he
takes occasional trips on the railways.
Some of the old romancers say that he
is n great swimmer, and that multi
tudes of them have been known to
cross rivers to find fresh pastures upon
which to ~depredate.
There are black rats and brown rats.
+ The brown rat is said to be a native Of
the East Indies or Of Persia, and at
least one naturalist is of opinion that
the black rat Is a native OF North
America. But there Is Il difference OF
) opinion on the subject; and 1t has been
alleged that he is a native everywhere.
Mr.. Waterton says that he belongs TO
Great Britain; at any rate, that he was
a familiar citizen there before the adj
vent of the brown rat, which, he In
forms us, came into the islands from
Germany along with the House of Han
over. He Immediately made war upon
the black rat, with tremendous effects,
although black rats are still found IN
some British localities.
st. Pierre says that the dog Is d
friend and the cat a courtier-that the
dog is attached to the person and the
cat to the house of his master. But the
rat is neither a friend Eor a courtier, he
is for himself, first, last and all tbs
time. He cares nothing either for the
master or his house, except as they fur
nish him with food and shelter, HI
tolls not, neither does he spin; every
thing he gets from the man whose hous'
or grounds he occupies he steals, and
yet he manages to live well; he is al
ways fat and sleek and usually has
large family.
1t takes a great deal of food to feed
the rats of Newark: and how SC larg'
a population manages to keep alive ant
In such good condition Is past all under
standing. The rat is not very particu
lar as to his food, it is true, and If h,
is very hungry he will fill himself witt
iron filings. II he can get nothing else
and when he is dry and a get M
water will drink beer or whisky, ant
will get as drunk as a lord. More thar
once, to our cetrain knowledge, he ha.
depleted u ink well. They are grea
~scavengers; they keep US free from /;
, good deal Of vermin that might other
wise bafie us. and occasionally they ea
each other. 1t Is said that they once at
a bishop. Doubtless, this was a bal
bishop and a mean man, and 1t Is fai
to the rats to say that his reputation
was Of that description.
/ Occasionally a rat Is domesticated
and, in fact, is a handsome animal. l
Is said by n well acquainted with bin
that q close acquaintance dispels on
antipathy. This gentleman says tina
their sharp and handsome heads, thei
bright eyes, their intelligent looks, thei
sleek skins, are the very reverse Of re
pulsive," and that there is a positiv,
attraction In the beautiful manner II
! which they sit licking their paws ant
washing their faces, an occupation II
which they pass a considerable part o
their time" This may all be very true
and probably is; but our office cat Is
very useful animal. all the same.
And we remark that. next to silver
the important question now agitatinI
the Iroquois Club and the police of Chi
! cago Is this: If 1t takes seven cats sever
minutes to kill rats. how man,
cats will it TAKE t kill 100 rats In q
minutes2 There are wide divergence
Of opinion on the subject; when al
agreement Is reached our readers shal
be promptly informed.-Newark Advel
tiser.