The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-15
A QUESTION OF RATS.
The Little Rodent Il Not Particularly
Popular Fellow.

From the Newark Advertiser.
A curious friend asks MS a curious ques-
ton How many rats are there in New
ark?' We really don't know. and we
don't know anybody who does know. but
We should say that. upon a moderate cs
innate, there are at least half a million
II IL were possible for any citizen. male
or female. old or young, 10 take into one
view the entire rat population within the
city limits, that citizen would be appalled,.
We don't often see the raScally little ami
NAL and we don't like him when We do
see him. and apparently he doesn't like
US when he sees us, but ne Is every where
IN the sewers. in the house drains. be-
tween the walls, between our floors and
ceilings-rats burrov under our buildings
and I'm our gardens. They are above us
beside us. and below US.
Wherever the human is. there the rat
Is; and he Is In some places where the
human isn't. II is said that formerly i'm
some Of the islands Of the Pacific. he was
the only inhabitant. But, speaking gen.
orally, the rat associates himself with
human civilization; he travels from coun-
try 10 country in ships, and il is not UNI
likely that he takes occasional trips on the
railways Some of the old romanccrs say
that he is a great swimmer. and that
meltitudes 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 10 be a native Of the
East Indies or of Persia, and al least one
naturalist is of opinion that the black rat
is a native OF North America. But there
is "A difference of opinion on the subject;
and II has even been alleged that he is ma
tive everywhere. Mr.. Waterton says that
he belongs TO Great Britain, at any rate.
that he was a familiar citizen there before
the advent of the brown rat, which. he
informs AS 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 i'm some
British localities
St. Pierre says that the dog is a friend
and the cat courtier-that the dog is at
tached to the person and the cat TO the
house of his master. But the rat is nei-
Their a friend nor courtier; he is for him
self first, last and all the time. He cares
nothing either for the master or his house,
except as they furnish him with food and
shelter. He tolls not, neither does he SPIN;
everything he gets from the man whose
house or grounds he occupies he steals,
and yet he manages to live we'll: he is al
ways fat and sleek, and usually has a
large family.
1t takes a great deal Of food to feed the
rats Of Newark and how so large popa-
lation manages to keep alive and in such
good condition is past all understanding.
The rat is not very particular as to his
food, II is true, and If he Is very hungry
he win fill himself with iron filings, if ne
can get nothing else: and when he is dry
and can get no water, VIII drink beer or
whisky, and Will set as drunk as lord.
More than once, to our certain knowledge,
he has depleted our ink-well. They are
great scaVengers; they keep us from a
good deal of vermin that might otherwise
battle us, and occasionally they eat each
other 1t is said that they once ate u
bishop Doubtless this was bad bishop
and mean man, and 1t Is fair to the rats
to say that his reputation was of that de-
scription.
Occasionally a rat is domesticated, and
in fact, Is a handsome animal 1t Is said
by one well acquainted with him that u
close acquaintance dispels our anipatny.
This gentleman SAYS that their bright
eyes. their intelligent looks, their sleek
skins are the very reverse of repulsive.' %
and that there is a positive attraction
in the beautiful manner i'm which they
sit licking their paws and washing their
faces an occupation in which they pass
a considerable of their time"
This may all be very true, and probab-
ly is; but our office cat Is a very useful
a considerable part of their time"
And we remark that, next to silver, the
important question now agttating the Iro-
quis Club and the police of Chicago, is
to kill seven rats, how many cats will il
take to kill 100 rats in 30 minutes? There
are wide differences OF opinion on the sub
ject; when an agreement is reached our
readers shall be promptly Informed. Mean
while If there are any problem solvers
in Newark who care TO tackle this weighty
matter, we shall be pleasedato receive their
replies.