The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-26
MILLIONS OF RATS.


London Mail.
A rat plague unprecedented In the annals OF
London. has broken out on the north side of
the Strand The streets principally infested are
Catherine street. Drury lane. Blackmore street.
Stanhope street, White Hart street. Clare Mark
ct and Russell street.
Something akin to a reign Of terror prevails
among the inhabitants after nightfall.
Women refuse to pass along Blackmore street
and the lower part of Stanhope street after dusk,
for droves of rats perambulate the roadways and
pavements and may be seen running along the
window lodges of the empty houses awaiting
demolition by the County Council in the Strand
to Holborn Improvement scheme
The rats, indeed. have appeared in almost in
credible numbers. There millions of them,'
said one shopkeeper. and his statement was sup
ported by other residents. The unwelcome visit
ors have been evicted from their old haunts by
the County Council housebreakers, and are now
busily in search Of new homes.
The Gaity restaurant has been the greatest
sufferer Rats have invaded the premises in
such force that the managers have had to close
the large dining room the first floor and the
grillrooms on the ground floor and in the base
ment Those three spacious halls which have
witnessed many assemblages Of theater goers are
Behind the wainscot of. the bandstand in the
represents us serviettes carried there by the
rats. In the bar the removal OF panel dis
ne for Of u E yars
some thirty or forty beer and Wine bottles and
Portable sleeping places. Mr.. Williams the man
ager of the restaurant. estimates that the rats
the Gaity restaurant dined 1900 persons daily.
No business whatever is now done in this drec-
one Of the tarmaids relates some thrilling ex-
The the bar wSsn she eSe Of
tlemen in the cast of The Toreador' called for
sat tn wa
empty. The barmaid glanced suspiciousy at the
gentemen but rsey pore s No evidence guilt
board as sss.ps her IL, lsrss ss va. quietly
More thrilling still was another experience
matter-of-fact and impudent manner a rat
climbed on to her skirts, evidently With the idea
to ' see the young woman holding writhins rat
purpose was quickly the spot and the rat
Dozens of lemons and fresh eggs have been
eaten by the rats who also have Partially for
m @ Rats
eaten the leaves of the plants used for decorative
ons sa fwss the ons Say
ali night. BIT it was the dog that died. The
e sassh which haS 5sEsn refuge sss
and bit one Of the amateur ratcatchers fingers
Yesterday afternoon an excited crowd gathered
around the windows Of an empty shop in Black
moor street They were watching the gambois
of IN this TeG has Sa to Be
underneath the earth to such an extent that the
The female occupants Of a tenement house in
Stanhope street were faced the other night with
the alarming spectacle Of body Of rats which
refused TO bulge. The women appealed TO the
policeman on the beat, and the invaders. pre- re-
scampered away. The constable himself soIemniy
youches for the accuracy of the story.
A woman who lives in White Hart street states
that she is kept awake at night by the screams
of the rats. They make noise like the crying
ter who lives with her, a few days ago
lying i'll in bed, when a rat perched himself on
the edge OF the fender. The invalid, who was
eating fruit ct the time. threw pear at the WIS.,
two dogs and two cats employed to destroy
A more ingenious method OF discriminating the
creatures is being employed by shopkeeper in
takes with her into her room a dog and an air
gun With the latter weapon she '.bagged''
three rats in night
In Catherine street is one of the branch shops
The rat. have eaten their way through the win
dow frames and mounted to the rafters. The
other night nun which was being made for a
well-know actress was left on the table The
was FOUND in it, Two expensive fancy dresses
had also received attention. ono with extraordi-
nary Appropriateness a Covent Garden prize
'eonfectien 3risinsJly, dssisnsd for Mis. Marie
So extensive is the plague that the inhabitants
despair of discriminating the unwelcome visit
ors- Professional ratcatchers. however. are crap
ping with the problem 1t fourpencs . head