The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-05-14
RATS ENDED THE STRIKE.
A Combination Against Striking M1ners
Which They Could Not Resist.

A Combination Against Striking Miners
Which They Could Not Resist.
"Not one of the biggest but one OF
the most stubborn strikes that ever
occurred in the Pennsylvania coal
region" said a former mining
engineer" was ended by rats. Inc
rats that infest coal mines are OF
enormous size and as ravenous as they
are BIG. The miners not only tolerate
them, but stand in awe Of them, for
il is a firm belief with the coal miner
that these rats can foretell disaster
and give warning to the miners OF
their danger by scurrying out OF the
threatened mine in droves IN ample
time to enable the miners to make
their escape also. So careful are the
workmen of these great, hungry rats
that it is not an uncommon sight to
see miner feeding half a dozen or
more from his dinner pail. They some
times become so tame that they will
climb on miners lap as he sits at his
underground meal and crowd around
him to receive such portions OF his
meal as he cares to toss to them.
"These rats never leave the mines
so long as work is going on. The
food Of the mine mules is kept
in the mines, and on this the rats
largely subsist. They swarm about
when the mules are eating, and some
times the mules have to fight the rats
to save their meal. Often scores OF
dead rats will be found in q mules
stall in the mines, when they have
been trampled to death in efforts to
secure of portion Of the mules feed:
When a mine lies idle any length OF
time, and the mules are taken out, the
rats abandon it and become a great
pest in the mining villages.
"The strike refer to was caused
bv the refusal of mine boss to rein
state miner he had discharged. Th'
men quit work. The mine owners de
clared they would let grass grow an(
choke the mouth of the slope befor'
they would give in to the mon, AM
the men swore that they would GU
the grass and eat it, if necessary, be
fore they would yield their point Th
mules we're taken from the mine an
turned out to pasture. The rats, bein
, thus deprived Of their sustenance
r abandoned the mine and took up thel
quarters about the miners shantles
l where they soon became a terror t
Q the families. The strike continued
, and the supplies Of the men becam
: exhausted. Miners at neighborin
4 collieries who were at work responde
to the requests of their strikln
q brothers for aid ani sent two WACO
Il loads of provisions and supplies
various kinds. These were taken
9 charge by committee appointed IL
o the purpose and were stored in
building, from which they were to |
;, distributed to the neediest OF tt
$ miners. The very first night the SUI
l plies were in the building it was raide
by q horde of rats and everything "!
,, deyoured or carried away. Four dl
o ferent loads Of provisions were COZ
n tributed by the sympathetic worklr
Q miners, but it was impossible to SO,
II more than one-third Of them from tt
rats. Some Of the miners kept Gov
at that time, there beingplenty OF IT.
pasturage, but soon after the strl]
IS began the COWS began to fall short
IS their yield of milk. This was a my
At terry until one morning miner d]
8, covered half dozen big rats sucki1
r. the milk from his COW as she lay
l. the ground complacently chewing b
l. cud. These combinations again
re them at last forced the miners
le weaken, and they were compelled
" and by to resume work on such teri
70 as they could obtain, absolutely beat
% by the devouring horde Of rats. "
lg New York Sun.