The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-06-05
NEW YoRK's RAT POPULATION.
Ceas~less warfare Is Made with
Ferrets aud Traps.

The rat census OF the city VIII never be
taken, hut n II could be obtained Just now
the population of black. brown, and tawny
rodents would he found large There has
been an unusual irfux OF rats into the
warehouses and stores along the river
fronts this year. and about every ferres
in the city Is in daily demand. There ara
more than q score OF ferret rat chtc,tcrs
who make IL "A business TO clean buildings
OF rats, and this Is best accomplished IN
winter, when the cold weather drives the
rodents into the houses and stores. IL IL
not always possible for the terreis to
capture them In warm weather. for along
the rver front every rat hoe leads ultt-
matoly 10 the water and II hard pressed
by ferret the rats will plunge into tho
river and swim for the next nearest dock
or floating raft. Tho ferrets viii not fol-
low their prey into the water, and In this
way they are frequently hafiied In thu
winter months, especially on cold days. the
rats cuddle up in the warm buildings. aud
they can hardly be induced 10 take 3
plunge into the iee-coid river. The ferrets
consequently make rich hauls IN winter.
and the slaughter OF single ferre, viii
some days amount to round dozen or
more.
Another cause OF the death rate among
the city rats in winter IL the unusually
high tides which prevail at times They
water backs up from the sea and sxetis
the river ~ high that thousands Of rats
arc drowned, The water floods the wharv.s
and warehouse Easements before the rats
can escape. and they soon expire In the
cold water. In water OF a moderate tom-
perature the rodents can swim about for
"a long time, but the low temperature of
the river water ch'lls them through ana
soon rohs them OF all power 20 Hght for
existence
1t is estimated by rat oatchers that there
.ssIli
probably half as many mice The rats
predominant along the river fronts and IN
the large stores ana warehouses Their
numbers are constantly added TO by the
whole regiments from the ships that come
into port Every vessel brings with 1t
large complement of rats. and when the
ship touches dock there is an exchange
~ courteries between the ship rate aud
dock rats.
SOME come ashore 20 stay and remain
with us, and others of the wharf rats de.
eide 20 take voyage on the ships ia
place Of the deserters. In this way rats
have been carried to every port OF tho
world. and their spread over the globe
has been by this meihod. originally tho
brown and black rats had certain limited
ana well defined locations IN northern
Europe and In tho tropical countries. but
today they are omniprosent and wher-
ever the ships of civilized nations touch
thare you md the modern rats Of Europ~
and America The worst ships for bring-
Ing rats TO this port are the wooden ves-
sells from the tropical ports. They #nme-
times come into the city So heavily laden
with rats that the sailors dare not 90
down into the dark hold of the rhip until
port iE touched. Then tho animals swarsn
On tho ship In companies Of n score az a
time. Thousands ~ rats arr added 10
our city population Ia this way every year
and the number we lose by leaving on
ships IL small IA comparison. FOR some
reason sha rats eesm 10 like New York.
except in winter ana they are so wei,
fed that they seem 20 spread the news
TO others. -- New York Times