Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-04-07
AhAomANcEs rOR CATS.
Many on the Salary iioIi of the fostofiice
department..


Department..
New York Sun,
Evcry large POSSIBILITIES in ths country
has an Official cat, whosn duties are
clearly defined. The cats are expected
to keep the offices free frum rats, and
II they do not they are sumInarily dis
missed from thu service. George w.
Beavers. chic! of tho Division of Salaries
and A Allowances, ia disposed to BIO liberal
in making appropriations for these cats
In speaking of them to Sun reporter
he said:
1.-The custom Of making allowances
for cat meat has been followed by the
department for some years. Tho name
OF the first postmaster 10 discover that
he Geedci cat, and then that no could
obtain an appropriation for it, 10 not
Cd the records Of the department, hut
some OF tho most interesting cores
pondvnce in our files relates to Tabby
and Tom and their suetenancc. Some
of the officers apply for money to buy
| cat meat others feed their cats on milk,
and put the request under that head.
OF course, the allowances for these cats
are not nearly sufficient to pay for their
keep, but, then, the department does
not wish them to get too fat, or they
would becUme too lazy and let the rats
run at large They supplement their
allowances from the government by
catching rats and mico, and alau 70.
ceive many perquisites from the clerks
in the shape of tidbits from lunch
baskets.
More cats arc employed in New
York than in any other city, the general
postnifice having quite a number, ami
others being allotted to the different
stations. 1t is quite amusing to sac the
cats at the main Office receive their
food svory morning. A man is assigned
to 60 to market for the cat meat, ana
the Gets know to minute what time
he il due. They gather in one room
and walk impatiently about until he an
pears, and then the noise they make il
tremendous. After the meat ia dis.
tribnted they disappear 10 the dark
corners Of tho building, and do not
assemble again until the next day.
Each cat has several names, the day
clerks calling them by one name and
the night clerks by another, so that
Tabby in the daytime may be Thomas
at night. The main Office ia allowed
about SIG year for cat meat. Some
time ago 40 appeal was received from
the st. Paul office. 1t was addressed
to the postmaster. and said:
. Is 1t possible. in making your esti :
mate and allowances, to secure $40 cat
fund? Five dollars, as at present, is
not enough as the following figures
show: The cat ought to have ono pint
of milk day--'65 pints year. The
prics is elk cents per quart in the
winter and five centa in the summer,
This would make the exact cost $40. Oa,
When kitten harvest il on more mill,
ought to he given, 81 above estimate ia
not extortionate. Kittens ought 10 be
KEPT until able 10 set up housekeeping
ON their own account. as an INCENTIVE
for their mother to keep up hsr rat.
killing. Our cat tho past two months
hdN killed not less than 1876 rats. The
two highest runs were nine and seven
which yen will admit we're both good
night's work. OF course. abe and her
two kittens could not eat all these. but
it elbows what good working cat can
do when she has the proper incentive,
The letter was forwarded to the de.
partment, aud the cat received her in.
crensel allowance. I" ..