MILLIONS OF RATS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12242, 11 April 1903, Page 2 (Supplement)

MILLIONS OF RATS.

STARTLING RESULT OF THE STRAND DEMOLITIONS.A eat plague, unprecedented in the annuls of London, has broken out on the north side of the Strand. The streets principally infested are Catherine-street, Drury Lane, Blackinore-street, Stanhope-street-, .White Hart-street, Clare Market, and Russell-street. Something akin to a reign of terror prevails among the inhabitants after nightfall. Women refuse to pass along B.ackmorestreet and the lower part of Stanhope-street after dusk, for droves of rates perambulate the roadways and pavements, and n"Jiy be seen running along the window ledges of the empty nouses awaiting demolition by the County Council in the Strand to H0..born improvement scheme. The rats, indeed, have appeared in almost incredible numbers. " There are million's of them," said one shopkeeper, and his statement was supported by other residents. The unwelcome visitors have been evicted from their old haunts by the County Council housebreakers, and are now busily in search of new homes. The Gaiety 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 on the first iloor and the grill rooms on the ground floor and in the basement. Those three spacious halls which have witnessed many assemblages of theatre-goers are now quite deserted. Behind the wainscot of the bandstukd in the "grill room is a large mound of linen shreds. This represents 1728 serviettes carried there by the rats. In the bar the removal of a panel disclosed the astonishing fact that the rats have dragged for a distance of seven or eight yards some thirty or forty beer and wine bottles and stacked them in such a fashion as to make comfortable sleeping places. Mr. Williams, the manager of the restaur? ut, estimates that the rats have destroyed £200 worth of linen. Formerly the Gaiety Restaurant dined 2000 persons daily ; no business whatever is now done in this direction. One of the barmaids relates some thrilling experiences. The other afternoon she was eating her lunch behind the bar when a couple of gentlemen in the caste of '* The Toreador" called for drinks. When, after supplying their wants, she sat down to resume her meal the plate was empty. The barmaid glanced suspiciously at the gentlemen, but they bore no evidence of guilt. Then she heard a rustling in a cupboard behind her. A large rat was quietly munching the. missing Jieef, while it held a boiled potato between its claws. More thrilling still was another experience which befell this same attendant. In the most matter-of-fact and impudent manner a rat climbed on to her skirts, evidently with the idea of going to sleep. A scream startled the customers, who on turning round were astounded to see the young woman, holding a writhing rat by the back of the neck. A dog, kept for the purpose, was quickly on the spot, and the rat was as quickly dead. Dozens of lemons and fresh eggs have been eaten by the rats, who have also a partiality for cigarettes, which they abstract from the boxes as neatly as an inveterate smoker. Rats have even eaten the leaves off the plants used for decorative purposes, leaving onjy bare twigs. One day a dog of rat-killing fame was left in the restaurant all night. But it was the dog that died. The poor creature was found terribly mauled the following morning. A well-known city man essayed to catch a rat which had taken refuge in a cupboard behind the bar. The rodeut showed fight and bit one of the amateur rat-catcher's fingers to the bone.