The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-08-27

- n N ton is regarded as
the cleanest city
on the American continent, a census
of rats would show that the national
capital has about as many Of these
pests as most Of her sister cities.
II is said that the surroundings are
peculiarly adapted to the preservation
of the rodents, and there are mer-
chants around the Center market who
are willing to make afidavit that there
are rats in that vicinity fully 20 years
old, and that they have thwarted every
effort to exterrninate them.
The rat has probably more out and
out enemies than any other four
legged thing on earth. It's prosecutors,
animate and inanimate, come In the
form Of poison, traps, cats, dogs, fer
rets and men. Some or all Of these
agencies are at work constantly, and
yet the Washington rat thrives, wakes
fat and raises large family.
Rats are repulsive at best, and near
ly everybody is afraid Of them, espe-
cially the great gray fellows which
seem to have taken possession Of some
sections Of the city These monster
rodents put up a game fight when
cornered, and they are cruel-toothed,
sharp-eyed creatures. They are by
nature true gamins-sharp, cunning,
and. when necessity requires it, bold
and fearless, fighting any and every
thing with a savageness seldom
equaled. There is no question that
the Norway or wharf rat-the bic
gray ones-drove of and killed the
small black rat which was SO common
in Washington two decades ago.
A rat exterminator in Washington II
authority for the statement that wher
rat is attacked he will first make
break to scamper out Of the way o
the enemy, but II he sees that success
fnl retreat is out Of the question thel
he boldly and defiantly tries to put ul
a winning fight for freedom and lib
erty. Rats have been known to attacl
human beings in many instance
where they were not first assaulted
Large rats are often rendered boil
through force of numbers and whel
j hungry through enforced abstinence
The large gray rat is a cannibal, tn
male rat not hesitating when hungr
to make a meal off his young. Thii
however, he never does without frs
having a battle with the mother ra
who always fights for the babies.
A Louisiana avenue commissio
man says that about the fiercest battl
he ever witnessed between animal
was few weeks ago, when he saw
large gray rat kill a young one. Th
mother rat went to the rescue, an
for 15 minutes the two rodents e
gagged in combat which for ferocli
would rival almost anything ever wi
messed In the arena. A large CROW
Of men and boys gathered around Il
fighting rats. but their presence d
not stop the battle, and 1t was n
ended until one Of the rats was kilt
by the other, the mother rat rscel
ing a bite In its throat which /
suited in almost instant death.
If any one would wonder why It
that despite all their enemies the ci
= rats manage to increase in number,
may satisfy his curiosity and ga
wisdom at the same time by knowi
that the gray rat sends forth thr
broods a year to begin their predato
existence. Seldom 1t is that each ia
ily numbers less than ten babies a
frequently it exceeds 16.
Taking 12 nestlings as the avera
family, each good, healthy pair Of VIII
kered gray rats will present to [
world each year SO of its kind. Nc
on a basis Of 100000 pairs Of RI
II will be seen that each year tn,
are added to the rat population
Washington 12,OOO,OOO young roder
Rats send out sentinels to sig
danger, and they act as soldiers
the alert while other rats hus
: around for something to eat WI
~ things are quiet during the day arol
the market 1t is not an unusual th
to see rat quietly walk out
take a view of the situation-walk
around among the stalls, and if eve
thing Is satisfactory for foraging
pedition he viii stand on duty wi
others come out and begin pilferi
Should person go near the sen
. rat he viii give a loud squeal and
entire rat horde will disappear
stanter