The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-05
Rats

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| so fnr as we know no census of tho rat
population ever has been taken, but that
| theft numbers have Increased very large
| Is of late years there is good reason 70
| believe Everywhere III this co,,ntrJ, ana
I, ii, most parts Of Europe. complaint IS
made Of their vile presence and destruc-l
| tive work. .ss a Sill
The value Of tho property ruined bS
them amounts to millions Of dollars an
n,,ally. They are at work day and night
no short hours for them--consuming
grain, meal and meats, and other food
stuffs. and gnawing clothes, water pipes
floors. etc.
Their hunger is Unsuitable, and their
capacity to do mischief unlimited, not to
include iii this catalogue Of crimes the
terror they impose on the petticonted por-
ton Of humanity. Worse still-they are
said to be responsible for the dissemina-
ton OF many diseases
Human endurance has been taxed by
them to the utmost, and hundreds OF
rat-traps and rat -poisons have been de-
y.sed to murder them by wholesale and
retail, but with very limited effect me
able and ucquisltve jay Bould, invent
ed n rat-trap, and 1t was expected to 90
much toward Kidding the world OF this
pest but It neither made fortune tor
| him nor proved particularly beneficial To-
| the public. And still tho wonder grows,
| what to invent. what course 70
| purs,e to reduce the rat popuia-
tlon. It seems to grow with the
growth Of civilization. Ships passing
| from one country to another have al
corded opportunity for O mighty COM
| mingling OF the various families OF rats
| II is said that 200 years ago none but
the black rat was known in Europe while
the gray rat, which emigratea from Asia.
Is now in the majority nearly every
where. 81
| Rats can swim rivers and even arms or
the sea, and on occasions they DO so;
but their ability to dead head" passage
| on ocean ships and In boX-cars gives
them nearly all the transportation ia
cillties they need. or could wish for.
Their natural tendency is towards those
places where they can find most food ana
where they will be least molested. Judg-
| inc by what we see, Richmond Is one
OF thelr favorite resorts.
we learn from a late number Of the
Literary Digest that the subject OF me
] NIethodcal Destruction of Rats has been
tho subject OF investigation and report
upon the part Of M. Leon Lefvre. Ill La
Science Illustree, Paris. Lefvre finds that
| tho bubonic plague, Influenza and flush
(. have been carried to households by rats
q and widely disseminated. It seems that
q they flee from famine and -pestilencc with
an instinct that Is truly wonderfuE.
J Lefvre says that the necessity of de-
stroytng this pest is evident; but how"
i to do it Is a question. He describes the
j efforts made by NJ. Emile Zuscheg,
a distinguished engineer Of Copenhagen.
n who formed a committee and raised a
fund Of $500 applicable to his purpose.
His plan was to pay to men and boys
three cents for each dead rat brought to
the fire engine house Of the city Of Co
nenhagen or Fredericksburg. There the
bounty was paid and the dead bodies
were disinfectcd and buried. This plan
, continued in operation from August 81
to December 9th, last year, and lo5,1St
bodies were delivered and paid for. Most
OF them were brought in by boys, of
course. Why the work was discontinued
We do not know-for lack of further
means, we suppose
Mr.. Zuschleg reports that OF all the
plans tried for the determination of rats
! the bounty system Is BY far the best
, He cndcavored to have the work done by
the municipalities and made charge
upon public treasures, but failed We
dare say his trouble was that the towns
feared that as soon as their own rats
were destroyed. others would come n
: from adjacent towns to take their places
b His scheme, It seems TO us. Is entirely
8 aependcnt upon widespread co-opera
ton.
: It will do very little good to Kill the
rats in one town IL their places are L
:. be Immediately filled by newcomers from
. the vicinity
NJ Zuscheg has now organized az
international society to arouse the attcn
ton of the world TO the immense dc
structlvcness Of rats, and with the view
= of devislng measures TO lessen their mum
: bers and thus give relief to the afflicted
), communities.
:, 1t seems that rats prefer cities to IN
- country. 1t is true that In the countr!
= they can get food supplies from stable
and from gralnares, and that they hav
: plenty of water to drink, while the tow
- rat often goes thirsty But he Is com
;" pensated for lnat by luxurious living Il
city Kitchens. store.ccllars, mills. ware
:, houses etc.
- While we beg leave 10 doubt If NJ
9 Zuschcg can raise the subject TO the dis
~ nifty OF an International question, 1t IL
- matter in which millions of people ar
y interested, and where an effective RENE
W Sy would gave ,nillionB OF urODerty frOT