New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-22
PHILIPPINE RAT CATCHERs.
Bounty for the Capture of the Animals in
Manila.

mania.
The Manila rat IS much mors IN demand than IS
the Buffalo rat. Since the American occupation Of
the Philippines rat catching has become big in
dustry- 1t has thTfved so much under patsrnal
form OF government that 100 900 o. the animals
were caught in Manila during the last year. Incl
dentally, that meant 10000 deaths IN tbs rat col
ony, for the only good rats IN Manila dead rats
This wholesale slaughter OF rats Is carried our
under the direction OF the Philippine Board OF
Health. 1t IS Of the means used to prevent the
much dreaded Asiatic plague.
In an informal discussion that Buffalo ply
sicians were having the other night Dr. r. H. Nc
Mullen, recently returned from the Philippines,
told about the inroads the United States govern
ment had been making on the pest carrying rat OF
Manila. Dr.. Mc3Iullen was attached 10 the Board
of Health there.
Although it is an established fact that rats aTs
carriers of the infection Of the dreaded Asiatc
plague. vet comparatively few Americans in Mania
are alive to the importance which the Board OF
Health authorities attach to the trapping Of 70
dents. aware that the city has an organise"
corps Of seventy-fve rat catchers, and that tney
trap about hundred and fifty thousand rsts
year, said the doctor. Such is the case. ns'sl-
theless. and 1t not for this rat brigade II
would be difficult to say where the pest would stop
II one pauses TO think that bubonle piaSSS S- =.
epidemic in Hong Kong and other ASiaIc, p NJ
MA oy reason or the immense freight anu ~ 11r
ser traffic between the mainland OF Asia ana oC q,
possessions.
occasional sporadic case. he will readily rea, .,
that every precautiou must be taken 20 PrsSsh'
the spread OF the disease in the islands "a.
ITO what extent the system OF rat-Catching nolas
In check the plague is only matter OF con}ectS ns
but IL Is undoubtedly great. and we'll. under coz
dtttonS ante-datfnE American occupation. tHis a.
tive rodent largely responsible for the 1e-
structOn Of an immense amount OF properly.
The corps of catCheTS IS divided into ssI ,sS
sections, one being assigned to each or the HSsls
stations. Zach man. who In turn hires SIiiaA
to do the actual work. receives monthly s SS-Ss
OF 10 pesos which IS S. and In addition. 49,
centavos az centsl for every rat he catches Teis
he receives an income Of l6 pesos a MONTE
average Manila clerks salary, rat catcher I5i-si
be industrious. He is hired by the diStrict msSSsr
inspector, and II he falls to corral certain n--
~ animals he is promptly succeeded BY ne" -
pIrant -. tn
This Oriental professional resorts to many ~
genious WAYS in attempting TO fool the ottclshls
and incidentally, increase his revenue Wn sS ~,
trapping was started the officials were hoISS IVA
strict and II was soon noticed that sons -oansT
trappers were making quite an amount - oss
Investigation revealed the fact that oftentS rsst
rat was made to do duty several times, oeins mi
on the grounds earning bounty Tor us irs9ec-
accommodation set In To remedy this the lhSFtSs
tors make each trapper bring ms r atSS frSrt
station every morning, and there the ,s.st,b the
street and the number Of the nOUse lIoI,I
came. All rats then taken 10 the cIellsse Of
But the clever native found rev 'startiug
evadng the law. He conceived the IDEA VL aware
q rat farm and before the authorities WtIs~ 70
of IL the business Of breeding rodents ln ions
collect the bounty assumed goOd!y pfoputt.. ohlch
time all the trans which are furnished ol rcrs
thorittes must be accounted for on tIt iranla t.
lone OF the principal acts IN thls l.te' -rautiGa
enacted at the Waterfront. WheIc 49, shore from
Is taken to prevent rats from c0lhlls 49, ~ Asia.
shpS arriving from plague mtecteu ~ tbav are
CaFEoes closely watched. anu ~Sia~sd on TIE
hawsers 10 prevent the rodents from leaeN
wharf. "-(Buffalo EXPRESS