The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1900-02-15
THE RATS OF CHICAGO
Five Rodents to Every One Of the
City's Population.
Poison ana Cats Are of Little Avail
t. RID ehe City OF the Rap
Idly Multiplying
Rodents.

When the Englishman who recently
wrote bird book called the sparrow
the avian rat, doubtless he had the
great numbers OF The birds In mind as
well as their rodent-Ilke habits of life.
Yet, as matter OF fact, the sparrows,
though in multitude they are like the
leaves on the trees before the army
worm arrived, are in reality far less
numerous in this big city than are the
great gray rats. There are in Chicago
probably about five rats for every man,
woman and child within the city's con
fines.
Rats are repulsive at best, and nearly
everybody is afraid of them. Possibly
not much cheer will be derived from
this statement that there are living in
and about the city's houses, stores and
waste places some t0,000,00O of these
cruel-toothed, sleek, sharp-eyed crea-
lures.
The rat probably has more enemies
than any other animal on earth. Its
prosecutors, animate and inanimate,
come in the form of poison, traps cats,
dogs, birds, terrets and men. Some or
all of these agents are at work con-
stantly, and YET the city rat thrives,
wakes fat and raises a large family.
1t is asserted by authorities that Chi
cago has more rats in proportion to its
size than any other city on earth. The
conditions here are peculiarly adapted
to the preservation of the species
Under the wooden sidewalks, which are
still to be found at places even in the
heart of the city, the rats have haven
of refuge. When driven from buildings
by cats or by ferrets kept for the pHr
pose, the Chicago rat makes straight
for the nearest wooden pavement and
under 1t digs burrow. The rat is a
true gamin-sharp, cunning and, when
necessity requires it, bold Boldness is
the Chicago. rats birthright, for in its
veins flows Viking blood. Chicago's
rat came from Norway, and its first act
was to kill or drive out all the black rats
which were indigenous to the Amer
lean soil.
If anyone should wonder why it is
that despite all its enemies the city rat
manages to increase in numbers he may
satisfy his curiosity and gam wisdom
at the same time by taking a spade and
digging out q rat hole at almost any
time between Aaph | and October |.
These month are the family rearing
times, and 4u1laE his period three
broods are sent out by each old pair to
begin their predatory existence.
If the man with the spade succeeds
in reaching the end Of the hole he will
uncover a family Of young rodents
which never numbers less thar ten and
frequently exceeds IS members TAX
ing IL nee aa the average family.
each goor -as liro OF Ii. eisl.Ged
gray rai reseat 10 ctt Il
year 80 lls Now -aa .aya Vi
10000. 80. of ats il win * tsn
thai eac scar tneie is added IL me rat
popu..a9n Of Chicago something like
1905 40 Of you4g rodents
In the face OF these figure il ceases
to b, q cause Of surprise h., .oison
and cats and othe things a1al en-.
tireiy DO with the e,.l S ~ pest.
1t Is - caneratuiatien to the
cll'+alia y ~-is"s has ana
other cptj2ics he NC. as \
as th ot e
would not content itself NitH aun4-
missariat bread meat eGd cheese
and scraps but would turn, ,4iacl. and
subsi5l On the Chicago citizen himself
Chicago Tribune,