The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-05
Shipped TO the Philippines to
Kill the Rats
THAT EAT THE RATlONS
That Lie in the Government
Warehouses There.

New York, Jan. s.-The Journal says:
The United States transport Sumner
will carry to Manila cargo of enter
| prising American cats-the queerest car
go that a ship ever carried.
They are all up-to-date, aggressive
American cats. They are all expansion
lists. They are going to exterminate the
Filipino rats.
1t all grew out of letter written by
John Montgomery citizen of Manila, to
Frederick w. Butler, citizen of New
ark. Mr.. Montgomery had conference
with General Otis. and while his brain
was still charged with memories of the
conference he wrote:
My Dear Fred-I am going to spring a
surprise on General Otis, and I want you
to help me. You see, the Government
warehouses here are overrun with rats
1t isn't stretching the matter at all to
say there must be 1,5OO of them in the
building here, and they have teeth that
can gnaw steel. The, rascals are eating
the army out of house and home. Gener-
al Otis was looking at the traps, which
are very inferior affairs, and he said:
l don't see what we can do to stop them
l wish we had some hungry American
cats to open an engagement with them.
1 want you to ship 500 cats on the
next transport that leaves New York.
Enclosed find s75. That ought to buy
all the cats in Jersey. The transport
officials will be glad to feed them, so
that the army at this end can be fed.
TRY to get them off by the first of the
year. Your old friend,
y JOHN MONTGOMERY"
Mr. Butler set to work at once. He in
serted this advertisement in all the New
ark papers:
WANTED-Five hundred full grown
cats for the Philippine Islands. Deliver
Friday and Saturday, to p. m. Price
10 cents each. Call 103 Roseville Ave,
Newark, n. J.
Readers at first thought it a joke, but
those who made a sortie upon the yellow
cat in the alley and the gray cat on the
back fence and carried their plumber to
No 103 Roseville avenue found that
Frederick W. Butler was very much in
earnest He paid 10 cents apiece for the
cats and asked no questions There was
but one requirement, that the cats be
full grown. All kittens, no matter how
cunning, were denied the privilege of a
trip to the Philippines. 1t would require
a large cat to successfully battle with
the Filipino rodents.
cellar and waited for more callers. They
came apace. Women brought pet cats in
their arms. Men carried them in bags.
Children in baskets. Every citizen of
Newark, it would seem, came and
brought feline Offering
Many declined the proffered Is cents
and begged Mr.. Butler to accept so cents
instead for taking their furry pests off
their hands. Major General Plume of
the National Guard of New Jersey, do
mated the Adonis of the collection,
handsome gray warrior named Miles
The cats accumulated In the cellar I'M
til there were 335 living in more or less
blissful unison. They asked and answer
ed many questions about this unusual
proceeding. So loud did the debate be-
come that the angel of sleep left its sta
ton above Mr. Buffers bedposts and has
not been seen since. All the rats and
mice disappeared from the block and
still the cats argued.
They discussed the Philippine question
are the effete Spanish rats that were
waiting there for them. Some of the
more homeloving Toms said they were
70 he friy1 Of
feeding, but declared that they would
be back in time for the first general
Thomas symphony concert by moonlight
in June. 1t would take two months TO
make the trip, they argued. aud two
months for the return. They could re-
duce the rat breed of Manila to a mem
DRY in six weeks. argued these venture
some spirits, and the Drawer spirits pre-
vailed.
The debate over, the music began.
There were mingled solos and tangled
duets and grand ensembles from 335
thoats. The neighbors couldn't stand it.
They went to the Mayor and complained
OF the vocal nuisance.
The Societp for the Prevention of Cru
city to Animals read in a Newark paper
Buffers cellar. The writer declared that
he was present and helped to collect four
bushel baskets of fur as a souvenir OF
the battle The society sent an officer
to reprimand Mr.. Butler, and that I'M
fortunate but entertaining nan removed
the cats TO an empty house in the lower
part Of Newark. where their number was
later swelled to 500.
Meanwhile, his door bell was ring all
day by bad little boys and good tie
girls and soft-hearted women. TIE L.
little boys had a wicked glitter in Their
eyes. They had stolen pet cats in the
hope of clearing IL cents by the trans
action. The good little girls and hoft-
hearted women had tears in their eyes
They had lost their pet cats and hoped
to reclaim them.
The cats were taken 70 the transport
and put in crates. They will be accord
for exercise. They viii be red raw beef
and stale bread. There viii be 10 milk
The Conmissary Department does not
include that beverage in it's menu Be
sides. milk is mild diet for warriors. and
John Montgomery wants the cats 70 be
IN good lighting trim when they arrive
The cats are under strict navy discip-
line. All beiigerant cats are Isolated
They are kept in small wire cages and
on slight diet. which soon so<tens their
cravings for civil war.
Exercise hour viii be che feature ~
the trnsport Journey 70 Manila Il will