The herald., 1897-11-07

foe quickly learned their dangerous
character and gave them a wide berth.
Idle men and boys so cunning regular
ly for these big rats. earning consider
able money in that way.
Senior Delgardo. the Costa Rica consul
at New York, when questioned about
this extraordinary plague that has
come upon the people of San Jose. said:
1T is only too true. During the past
year the nuisance has become intoler-
able, and the municipality is in despair
over the seeming impossibility of rid
ding the city of these pests. Cats are
afraid of them; traps have proved USE
less; weasels have proved almos. as de-
structive as the rats themselves; and
dogs cannot get into the holes. Poison
would be unsafe, as the rotting car
casses, hidden away underneath the
dwellings, would be apt to breed pes
thence that might be even worse than
the plague Of rats. The bounty offered
by the municipal officials only serves as
a partial check. What the government
wants, and what it would be willing to
pay we'll for, is safe scheme to rid
the city effectually of this destructive
army which threatens to make 1t unin-
habtable.'
Senior Felix Echeverria. resident Of
San Jose, who was recently In New
York on business, spoke very earnest
ly on the same subject. 1T is difficult
for outsiders to comprehend now our
city is overrun with these pests ne
said, but the fact is, the place Is SIM
ply alive with rats.-big, powerful lei
lows, which can eat their way through
almost anything. AS San Jose Is Sixty
miles from the coast line, there was
much surprise at first, but inVesisa-
ton showed that the invasion WAS
probably due to a change in the Gus
tom-house regulations. Until Lew
wears ago it was usual to have all I'M
ported goods examined at Port I.imon.
A change was made by which all mer-
chandise for San Jose was forwarded
in the original packages for Inspection
by the custom officials there. IL Is De-
lieved that in this way the first specA-
mems of the gray rats We're brought
in from some foreign land. Since their
number and boldness became a menace
to the city, the authorities have been
ready to do anything to get rlu Oh
them. There have been many instances
where hungry rats have attacked sleep
ing children. A strange and sad case
was that of twin babies, three days
old who died suddenly, and whose
father was accused of killing them. An
autopsy showed the marks OIL rats
teeth on the bodies of the little ones;
the flesh had been badly gnawed ana
torn away in places.
THE pet animal with all classes IN
San Jose, Just now, is the small black
and tan terrier, which is fearless in
tackling the rats and very useful In
households so fortunate as to possess
one of them. Their scope is limited,
however. by their inability to follow
the rats to their hiding places. 1t Is
very serious problem for our people
and whoever can solve it satisfactorily
can almost dictate his own terms
San Jose. founded in Isl, contains
abo1t 90 900 inhabitants; it is located
in fertile valley, 3S6S feet above the
saa level. The houses are usually one
or two stories in height. but there are
several fine buildings. including the
presidents Palace, the University, the
Cathedral and many good hospitals
and hotels. The city is connected with
the Atlantic seacoast by railway to
Port Limon.
Copyright. 1897 by Bacheller Syndicate