The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-12-26
4 NOVEL RAT TRAP.
Rodents Killed by Electric Current in
 Rochester Warehouse.

AoUentS hlilea by EtectTlc current III
 Rochester Warehouse.
 The latest and most efficient as well as the most humane method of getting rid of a pest of rats is by the use of electricity. Such. at any rate, is the opinion of the proprietor of a large grain warehouse in Rochester. where the rats until recently were so abun- dant that their depredations were an ae- tual source Of financial loss. Since the introduction Of scientific methods, how ever, the rats have been killed off So rapidly that within a short time they will be practically extinct.
 When the rats began to overrun this particular warehouse the aid of their time honored enemies, cats. was first called in, The cats meant well and were energetic. But they could not fol- low the rats down their holes, and the rodents were so sly, as well as nulner- ous, that it was soon evident cats could not solve the problem of getting rid of them.
 Traps of various kinds were then tried. At first they worked well. But after little time the rats came to un- derstand and avoid them. The same proved true of poison. In the mean- time the rats who had first selected the grain warehouse as place where an easy living could be procured, had evi- dently informed their rat friends. and these called in others. until 1t seemed as if most of the rats in that part of the state must have established .headquar- ters in that storehouse.
 Then a clerk with an inventive turn of mind tackled and solved the rat question. The warehouse is lighted
 with incandescent electric lights, which,
 however, are seldom used at night.
 First. the clerk placed flat piece of copper on the floor in one of the corners of the building, and wire was run to | 1t from the incandescent light circuit. | On this copper plate was placed large and appetizing piece of cheese. Then a ] second copper plate was placed on the ! floor, almost, but not quite, touching the
 first copper The return wire of the in- candescent light circuit was connected with this second plate. &.s.~ The cheese, of course, was in full view
 on the floor. and nothing could have looked more innocent. But to reach it 8 rat would first step on the copper plate connected with the return wire.
 So far nothing would happen to disturb | the peace of midn of his ratship. His
 next move, however, would be to place
 his forefeet on copper plate number one,
 on which the cheese had been placed. ! The instant the front feet of the rat | touched this piece of copper as his hind | feet would still be on the second copper, l he would complete the electric circuit The current would shoot through his ! body and he would drop dead before he | had time to utter a squeak
 There was nothing about the contri- l vance to indicate trap, even to the oldest.and wisest rat. The cheese was
 in plain sight, and apparently easy to
 get, and by it's smell attracted rats from all over the warehouse. The whole arrangement looked so innocent that even the sight of the bodies of their pre-
 decessors did not frigften away the. | hungry rats. On the morning after the frat electrocution trap" was first tried, , over a score of dead rats were found. The next evening half dozen similar ] traps were set, all meeting with the
 success of the first. It was plain that l the rat question was settled, so far as
 that warehouse was concerned. II think I ought to get out patent for my electrip chair for thieving rats" said the inventor of the novel trap,
 proudly. And, besides any money which my scheme might bring me, I
 think I am entitled to a large medal
 from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. For the rats don't
 suffer the least pain. They are dead before they know what has happened" l
 :, Mr. Subbubs-I sent a girl to see you
 from the employment agency this
 morning. Did she call?
 Mrs. Subbubs-Yes she interviewed me.
 Mir. Subbuhs--And will she take the
 place?
 Mrs. Subbubs-I hope so. She was pleased to say she thought I would be I +n nj.