The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-26
BOLD CLIMB FOR 4 CAT.
@Chimmie' is Rescued From the Top
Of q Telegraph Pole.


New York, Dec. 26-eChimmie" is a
cat and an invaluable ratter.
She is called 'sChimnie'' because
Henry Heinz, who owns her, does not
attach any significance to her sex His
great desire is to keep her a prisoner
in his cellar.
From earliest infancy she has been
pent up in the dark cellar beneath
Heinz's oyster saloon and eating house,
Nos. 81 and SO Avenue A, to make a rat
ter Of her. She has developed into
regular terror to rats, and Mr. Heinz
values her at something like SO.
"Ch1mmie" was, however, curious
about the outside world, and so when
one of the hired men went down into
the cellar on Saturday evening to get
some rubbish out she crept softly after
him, and slipped into the street. Al
though such great ratter, she was not
Versed IN the perils and hazards Of the
outside world, and it threw her into a
frenzy of fear when an unfriendly dog
suddenly sprang at her
She made for the nearest and most
secure refuge. and in a fash she had
gained the top of a tall telegraph pole
just IN front of the resta urant. The dog
gave it UP.
From Saturday night-aH day and
night Sunday and Monday, until IL a.
m Iuesday-Miss Chimmie perched on
the cross trees and walled She had
gone up like a streak, but, looking down
at the street, she was afraid to try the
bare pole for a descent
Mr. Heinz sat at his store window all
Sunday and gazed up at the cat on the
cross trees. He was looking out for
some man engaged in the clothes line
business to scale the pole. The clothes
line man was elsewhere, engaged in en-
jOying Sabbath leisure. So Chimmie
spent another day alOft.
Tuesday about a. m. George Steven
son. policeman Of the East Fifth
street station, saw the cat and tried to
coax her down. His efforts attracted a
crowd of at least 1000 marketers. The
Dols5eIous interest OF the crowd threat
ened to impede the traffic and only
made Chimmie more chary of
venturing below. So the police
man sent word to the Fifth ave
nue. station for official inspection. It
came in the form of Sergeant Shire and
a squad of men, who ranged around
and were as nonplussed as the rest Of
the crowd
morseI of raw beel fastened to the end
of a long pole was offered, but the cat
would not bulge an inch.
Then word was sent to truck company
No. in the Thirteenth street fire sta
ton. A man came and viewed the prob
lem, but explained the company would
not help, as the law did not provide for
such emergencies as cats UP a telegraph
pole. The police called upon the sOcie-
ty for the prevention of cruelty to an
imals. A man and a wagon arrived on
the scene but as he had no ladder he
was no more effective than the fire and
police departments.
The excitement had lasted now until
IL o'clock, when Antonio Ferina asked
Heinz if he would pay 90 cents to rescue
the cat Heinz thought this reasona-
Bile for a $40 cat.
Some others in the crowd were so
enthusiastic to see Antonio shin up the
pole that they raised the reward to 81
between them, and up went the bold
volunteer. Like the cat, he arrived at
the top safely, and, avoiding the wires,
seized the cat by the back of the neck
The cat wriggled out Of his grasp and
caught at his coat tails and chung with
a grip of steel. And 50 "Chimmie" was
saved and restored to her owner.