The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-04-20
RATS ENDED rhe STRIKE.
A Continuation Against striking Miners
which They Could Not Resist.

A Combination Against Striking Miners
witch 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 former mining
engineer" was ended by rats. The
rats that infest coal mines are Of
enormous size and asravenous as they
are big. The miners not only tolerate
them, but stand in awe of them, for
IL is 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 dozen or
more from his dinner pail. They some
times become so tame that they will
climb on n miners lap as he sits Mt 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, aud 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 n mules
stall in the mines, when they have
been trnmpled to death in efforts to
secure of portion of the mules feed.
When mine lies idle any length of
time, aud the mules are taken out, the
rats abandon IL and become great
pest in the mining villages.
"The strike refer to was caused
by the refusal of mine boss to rein
state miner he had discharged. The
men quit work. The mine owners de.
clared they would let grass grow and
choke the mouth of the slope before
they would give in to the men, and
the men swore that they would cut
the grass and eat il, il necessary, be.
fore they would yield their point. The
mules were taken from the mine and
turned out to pasture. The rats, being
thus deprived Of their sustenance,
abandoned the mine and took up their
quarters about the miners shanties,
where they soon became a terror to
the families. The strike continued,
and the supplies of the men became
exhausted. Miners at neighboring
collieries who were at work responded
to the requests of their striking
brothers for aid and sent two wagon
loads Of provisions and supplies Of
various kinds. These were taken in
charge by committee appointed for
the purpose and were stored in
building, from which they were to be
distributed to the neediest of the
miners. The very first night the sup
plies were in the building it was raided
by horde OF rats and everything was
devoured or carried away. -Four diff
ferent loads of provisions were con-
tributed by the sympathetic working
miners, but it was impossible to save
more than one-third of them from the
rats. Some of the miners kept cows
at that time, there being plenty Of free
pasturage, but soon after the strike
began the cows began to fall short in
their yield of milk. This was mys-
terry until one morning q miner dis
covered half dozen big rats sucking
the milk from his COW as she lay on
the ground cumplacently chewing her
cud. These combinations against
them at last forced the miners to
weaken, and they were compelled by
and by to resume work on such terms
as they could obtain, absolutely beaten
by the devouring horde of rats. -
New York Sun