The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-25
RATS DID III.
Why a Package of Music
Didn't Come to Hand.
Rodents as Robbers in PrOvi-
denCe POStOffiCe.
New York Has Corps OF Official
Feline Rat EXterminatOrs.

few days ago young woman called
at the postoffice TO see why sheet of
music about which she was very particu-
lar had not arrived She said IL had been
mailed from the publishing, house and it
ought TO have been received in the office
in this city several days before she called
for IL. IL was expensive music and she
didn't feel like affording more money Tor
something she ought To have in her pos
session II Uncle sam performed his full
duty.
Mail matter seldom goes astray In the
Providence postoffice and the disappear
ance of the music appeared to be a
mystery. Search was made but the music
could not be found. A few days after the
report had been received clerk found the
remnants of "a package back of a radiator
and on pulling IL out the mystery OF the
missing music was explained. Rats had
pulled II from where IL had been de-
posted by the mailing clerk and after
they had looked at the score and found
that 1t was good music they proceeded to
make "a meal Of IL. Their appetites were
appeased after tho lower half of the sheets
had been destroyed and then they had fun
with the remainder until they tired of IL
and 10 was left behind the radiator. The
music was rendered valueless because the
bottom half Of each page had been fed to
the rats.
How to get rid of the pests Of the post
Office has been question of some impor-
tance for some time as mail matter has
been reported as lost and its disappearance
has been charged To the hungry and silent
prowlers about the premises after the
busy part of the day Is done. RattrGps
will not do the work because the cute
things seem to know that traps are to be
avoided. The other day Postmaster Hay
ward was recommended to get some
| In HtaV Aal mis- NIL nt
with IL. Rats are fond of Indian meal
and they, not recognizing the qualities of
plaster of Paris would devour the mix
ture. The postmaster was Instructed TO
have plenty Of water about because the
mixture would provoke thirst and
drink of water would settle the fate of
the rats unwary enough to eat the meal
The water mixing with the meal and
| plaster would disarrange the digestive
organs of the rats and they would rather
| die than live with case hardened stom-
| ach. 1t would be as eflicacious In dis
| cnuraging future music eating as the
drinking of the two parts OF Seidlitz
powder separately and having the mixup
| take place internally.
The postoflice rats, however, would not
cat the meal. consequently the plaster was
| wasted The rats were up to the trick
| and preferred music and other things as
| "a steady diet. Various other things have
| been recommended but rats seem to
| flourish and grow strong.
| Cats will solve the problem here as they
| did in the New York postoiiico where they
were put TO work after considerable val
liable matter had been destroyed by them
| Fifty faithful employees Of the United
| States government in New York arc on
! duty day and night in the postoiiice aud
| for large amount OF labor Uncle sam
| appropriates 50 n month for their support
| Administrations have come and admin
iatr
| tion still remains at 81 and no member of
| Congress has yet raised his voice In their
| behalf
1t Is true that these faithful employees
are only cats Of various sizes and breeds,
| but that Is no reason why they should
not DO properly fed; for II 1t were not for
their faithful vigil thousands OF dollars
| worth of valuable property might be de-
| stroyed from year TO year. and more songs
might bo written about letters which
| never came.
The cats in the New York postoffice
are all official animals, and their
| duty is to keep the big building free
from rats and mice II It was not Tor the
| cats the building would be overrun with
these pests: and rats and mice are very
| partial To the sweet gum on postage
stamps and the flaps of envelopes and
| newspaper wrappers.
| These official cats are very interesting
|
| i'm the BASEMENT known as the newspaper
! department; ana there they wander about
| at will. Once in u while one of them,
| who shows by u sort of civil service
examination that he or she is smarter than
the rest is promoted to the registered let
! ter department.; but like all positions
under the government, promotion Is slow
| and very uncertain.
! The postofiice started it's cat family
with but a few members, but It grew and
| grew. and at times the cats are so numer-
| Gus that IL Is necessary to get rid of few.
| one of the means of getting rid of the
| extra cats is to mail them. Tho public
may never have heard of mailed cat be.
! fore, hut it's q fact nevertheless. When q
victim Is selected he is placed in a news
! paper mail sack, which admits Of plenty
of air, tho tip Is given that there is u cat
! in the bag, and so 1t is handled gently.
J The cats pay no postage, travel at govern
ment expense, and are only mailed to
! nearby points. The ancient saying OF
letting the cat out of the bag probably
arose from this practice
| one day last week tramp cat was re-
ceived In "a mail bag from the Brooklyn
poS,oilcc. Ii was tramp OF the worst
| kind. The Brooklynite looked as II It had
not had IA meal in "a year. Its ears were
| frayed, and 10 had the appearance of hav-
ing had personal encounter with u troll
ley car. he wanderer was kindly re-
cclNeu, properly lntrOuuCeu anu IL now
ono of tho star rat catchers Of the depart
ment.
The man who feeds tho cats Is George
W Cook. Ia has been thirty years In
ito employ Of tho government and every
cat I'm the building loves, admires and
respects him. They brush up against his
legs, pUrr about his feet, and follow him
about with looks Of fondncss In their
grcon eyes. When ho wants the oats to
assemble he gives long, low whistle,
and then from behind mail bags, RACKS,
ncwpaper eases. from under counters
and from behind boxes comes n perfect
whirlwind of eats, and range about him
ready to bc fed
In speaking about the cats few days
ago MIR. Cook said II had charge OF
them I'm the old postoilico I'm Nassau
street wears ago, and have looked after
them ever since we moved here. III it
was not for those cats we would lie over
run with rats from the sewers. They do