Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-03-05
ANTS IN A PHILADELPHIA BLOCK.
For More Than Hundred Years They
Have Overrun Certain Mansions.

For More Than Hundred Years They
Have Oyerrun Certain Mansions.
The Ant Hill is the curious name
given by the residents of the Fifth
ward to a group of houses fronting
on the west side OF Third street and
the north side Of Spruce. The appella-
uon is attributable to the tact that for
some reason unknown the buildings
within prescribed radius are COM
pletely overrun with ants.
The pests seem to confine their at
Third street on the east, Binghams
court Oh the west, Spruce street on the
south, and Vikings alley on the north.
They have occupied this ground for
hundred years to the certain knowledge
OF man, and previous to that probably
held undisputed sway long before Col
umbus stood his egg on end, and was
fired with the ambition to seek I'M
discovered worlds.
Third and Spruce streets were at one
time the center of Philadelphia's gay
life. The houses are all old, and, while
many Of them still retain a semblance
OF responsibility, the majority of the
imposing buildings are now occupied by
Russian and Polish immigrants. Judge
PaXson, after long sojourn in one of
the big brownstone houses on Third
| street just above Spruce, removed his
family to more congenial surroundings
about three years ago. A few other old
families still defy the ants and the i'm
migrants, but most of those who once
lent an atmosphere of refinement and
gayety to the old neighbOrhood have
gone to seek pastures new.
Some of the houses still retain their
appearance of staid responsibility so
far as outward signs are concerned, but
once inside they present a different
aspect. Six or eight, and sometimes as
many as a dozen, different families oc-
cupy them, and the ants seem to thrive
on the squalor. These places are known
by such euphonious names as the
Blazing Rag" the Shovel" and
the Blood Pit"
On the northwest corner of Third
and Spruce streets stands the old-es-
tabEshed drug store OF Thomas J. Hus-
band, Jr. The building, which is one
of the oldest in the vicinity, was con-
strucUed over 100 years ago, and from
the day the first foundation stones were
laid the ants have simply sWarmed
over the entire block.
buildings on the other side of the
OH
never been invaded. But from tie
time the first piece OF ground was
turned the ants have asserted their
supreme contempt for mankind.
Mr. Husband used to run a soda
water fountain in conjunction with his
apOthecary business, but the ants forced
him to dispense with this Saccharine
adjunct. 1t was good thing, but they
abused it, They used simply to drown
themselves in the Varicoiored sweet
stuffs, and, while death in this form
must undoubtedly have been delightful,
the customers gradually grew tired OF
drinking insects in soda water. So Mr..
Husband dispensed with his fountain,
and devoted his leisure time to study
ing the best methods of ant eXtermina-
ton.
1t is estimated that during the many
years of his occupancy of the shop he
has killed millions and millions of
ants. He used to lie awake at nights
thinking of new methods. For d while
he placed bowls of syrups about the
shop, and in the morning the tops of
~, Jc hn
balls of ants, all fighting to get taste
of the sweet stuff. Boiling hot water
would do the rest. ...
The same condition of affairs exists
in all the other houses in the block,
and has existed ever since the houses
were built.
The newcomers do not take kindly
to the ants, and resort to all sorts OF
extreme measures in an endeaVor to
avoid contact with them. 1t is said to
be no uncommon occurrence to see the
/ legs of a dinner table placed in pals
of water in order that the voracious
insects may not swarm over the board
and feast on the meal intended for the
members of the family.
/ 1n6re are Two IueoIIea do " CAo CoA-
tinued presence of the ants in the
locality. One is, that they were origin
ally transported in sand used in lay
ing the foundations of the houses. The
other and the more probable theory is,
that the soil upon which the houses
were built possessed some peculiar
quality which pleased the ants, and
! they have remained where their an
cestors lived and died. At any rate,
they are there in millions, and will
probably stay there. If anybody wants
to obey the injunction of Solomon
when he wrote GO to the ant, thou
/ sluggard," let him move to Third and
Spruce streets-Philadelp Record.
/ Let US make the most of life," ex-