The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-09
rHE csoryp SQUIRREL PEST.


sSokza& Spokesman
r. has been the hope ard prayer % al
farmers asE fsss xosfher- and western
parts Of whitman county for several
years past that serne kind % q consax-
soas disease would break oBs or could se
saec9iaFed sfto the troublesome ground
saaarTei. Several attempts have been
made 70 breed seuae kind Of . disease
among them but al seem - have oeea
unsuccessful
IN view % these numerous unsueea@x-
fai attempts ard the saEerest taken IN
the zs&tter. conssderAsase comment was
raasas fe~ days ago BY the report
coming from near Penasaws that there
was some k.xd % disease wSaseh gas Kill
Ing the pests ia large nGEnners and the
country might hope % De free from
their devastating ragzges-
A Spokesman correspondent has made
an extensive trip through the infested
district IN order 20 investigate ne authen-
ITCHY OF the reports and the extent 70
whbca she disease Is proving fatal There
seems 70 De no doubt that there is
eoasagson among them which Is proving
fatal 70 a few. though not 20 the extent
that has been represented. The first ef-
feet on the animals is 10 make them
duupy or stupid. Fhen scabs or sores ap-
pear On the body % the animal. and
soon they lose the use OF their hind
parts and are barely able % ger around
Very few dead squirrels were found. bat
the animals seem 70 be less numerous
than they were a few weeks ago This
decrease tn numbers Is explained by
some Observers By the fact that the fs-
males have gone In their holes 70 have
their young bat IL has also been no
ficsd n districts where the young SPUR
rsis are Old enough 80 get out OF the
holes.
The diseased squirrels seem 20 Be
more numerous IN proportion N taose
parts OF the country where they ara
thLcxest. although IN some places where
they are very thick there Is no Sickness
noticeable In some places about one
third Of ali the squirrels seem 10 De az
fected, ba. IL was difficult 20 estimate 10
what extent IL Is fatal The district az
fectsd by the disease Is In the form OF
strip thirty or more miles long and SIX
or eight miles wide extending west from
Penawawa to the Palouse river. IL
seems 10 be at SIS worst along AIkal
fat, about Henry Ackerman's place
Some places IN this strip the disease oas
not been no1ced a. all.
Already preparations are being made
10 spread the disease Inquiries come
from all over the country concerning
the authenfsctty OF the reports and the
efec. Il IS having to decrease the num-
bers and ravages Of the pests
But while farmers are aaxiously watch
ing the outcome OF the infection. Iaey
are by no means idle II aiding nature 10
destroy their enemies Traps, guns,
bombs and all kinds Of poisons are used
20 aid In their destruction. One Colfax
firm has already sold over 500 ounces or
strycAnine and other poisons IN proper
rfon Arsenic seems 10 be springtng INTO
favor as a destroyer. but some VINO nave
been experimenting with II report rather
uusayorahly. Since the success OF sne
western one-third az this county depends
almost entirely on the discovery or some
method which Will promptly and enec-
lively externlaate these miscalsyous NJ
tie anxnals all new suggestions 90 thai
end are thankfully received and given
fair trial
In spokane county so patent bombs
for the determination OF squirrels nave
been received by the county commits
sioaers for distribution among the Tar
nsrs-
They opsrse," said Commissioners
Thorn. '.on the same principle as the
giant powder cones now In general USE
except that they are charged with sui
rhur and other paralyzing ingredients.
and at the close OF the process sllgL1
EXPLOSION occurs, producing pyroteeAnic
display that sends the victims Oh 70
sauirrei heaven In q blaze OF glory SO 10
sneak. from beneath the depths OF the
earth. The only objection We have 10
.ba bombs is that they come too high.
The owners of the patent want TWO cents
ansece for them We feel that the coun-
~ cannot afford 10 pay that price whlie
practically the same results are obtained
bv the giant powder sufocaiing process
which comes great deal cheaper
ss-rhe fact has leaked out" said far
,,,ar a, the courthouse, that much OF
the opposition 20 the giant powder rem
adv for the determination Of squirrels has
been wrought up by agitators IN the IN
,erest of patented contrivances and ven
dors OF poisons who are travelling over
IN. country secrying the enicacy OF al
methods but their own.
More than 2 dozen farmers TESTIFY TO
the good results OF the giant powder
method. as advised by the commissioners.
o,e wan EXPRESSING the opinion that II
systematically operated there need not
he ground squirrel left in the state OF
washington within two years.