The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-30
THE 4
Luminous Faint Does tho work That Bells,
Tar ana Trnps Have Failed to no.

Luminous Faint Does tho work That Belis,
Tar and Trnps Have Failed to no.
Habitues OF Riverside Drive. between Seventy.
fifth and Eightieth streets, on very sunny days
have noticed a middle-aged man carrying a case.
which appears to DO about three feet long by
ono foot deep and two feet wide. 1t is appar.
emily a black leather case with m ordinary grip
handle to the upper part, and the man. seeking
some unfrequented piece Of wall. generally ono
OF the embrasures. places his case on the wall.
smokes his pipe. and loiters around. looking at
the everchanging river and its traffic. II
others come around he moves on. but IL not, he
may stay there from two to three hours in tho
full sun. He 10 a rat catcher. or rather o rat
driver. He works only In large warehouses;. and
does not touch the smaller dwelling houses or
flats except in rare cases !
He is a Scandinavian whom nothing will warm
to conversation but his native tongue. His case
is wood on the back, ends. and bottom. and wire
on the front and top. There arc neat spring
shades which roll down over front and top. In
this cage are eight or ten large rats. II any one
comes near, down go the shades: but as long as
the coast Is clear the shades are up and the rats
are running around basking in the sunlight. II
he takes you into his confidence he will tell you
that 1t Is with these rats he clears buildings.
The other day he said:
\ "When I was living In Stockholm the large
granaries were full of rats. and a reward was
offered to clear them. Many tried. Traps were
set by the hundred. One man built n room as
large as an ordinary parlor, cased 1t with tin,
and fed the rats with oatmeal scented with oil
OF ~aniseed, gradually laying trains of this feed
to the room until he had all the rats on n string.
Then he fitted on drop to the on
trance, and when his rats were fceting he Gagged
them all. several hundreds. The first man who
did this went into tho room with dogs to kill
them, and was nearly eaten himself. like that
farmer out West q few weeks ago. The second
man starved and. then poisoned his. but In a
week there were 9ust as many rats as ever; tho
supply wps inexhaustible from the river and
quayB. Poisoning was no good because of tho
terrific smell. and SO I took the matter in hand.
~ thought y over, and finally set q trap and
round their necks to which slung a little
tinkl!ng brass bell. and then let the bell ringers
hlSoso II the building they had HSn been en- f io'n hin in;
friends and relatives, VINO of course ran from
the bells. The more they ran the more ran the
rat Language and not a rpt would enter.
1 could have lured back my bell carriers
Ing contempt. the rats grew accustomed to
them. and n a few months were ,6 back again.
S Spd th as t srieG. tse a.,s Was au not a rat n" in then the city t,'S Wso
did not know OF the bells. Then / tried tarring
some rats With It'll. st aOa s,I1 aHo;s zeal e no ssrb sh nSs
this answered for a while. but a fire occurred.
and q rat, tarcOated, ran out or the blazing
building with his fur ablaze, and. going into
another building not in danger; set it on hre-
t%here-and SO an ordinance was passed prohibit
ing the use OF tar.
had made money and I came to this coun-
try. did well for some years, but in the r-
cent depression my capital ran short and i
failed, so then l took 10 clearing business places
OF rats again, and am doing quite well: The
where the rats come from. II q grain elevator
is near clear the elevator and trap those IN the
other places. Rats very seldom run around
more than one building, except as an overflow.
Then, having determined that point. Try the
tar, then the bell, and after that these Fellows in
the cage. They are, coated with luminous paint.
and being exposed to tho sgnlight here can
will fly through the runs. spreading fear
wherever they go. and creating q, stampede. II
you have ever seen luniinous. paint effects you
can readily understand H.. Tho great beauty OF
this plan Ii that the rats do not 1.-Two moro than
twenty.four to forty-eight hours after a coating
Ii is a preparation OF lime. which discovered
for myself. and has to be newly mado ana mixed
like a yarnish. This closes tho pores OF the skin.
and after chasing around 10 catch uD Win tho
flying relatives. tho rat 10 In ~ sweat. ana mai
finishes him. aud they never get used 70 y. WIZ
a rat sweat ! We'll, you cage u rat ana then Let
a terrier roll tho cage around Tor a few
damp as II dipped into n pail Of water. got as
hiRh as $50 a month for keeping some placrs in
his city clear OF rats, and i work several other
clties as well. The only thing ! am afraid OF Is
tho Society prevention OF Cruelty 70 Animals,
but l. have nearly made enough 70 start In my
driving, Sell my businessf No; ! may want
nvnin m This city of upS and dOWn1.'