Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 July 1901 — Current Topics [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Current Topics

War on "Rat*. The war of extermtnattion o* rate, which was recently proposed in the United States, is being carried on with relentless energy in Cape Town, South Africa. The rats are charged with re-

sponsibility for the introduction of the bubonic plague into South Africa, and some weeks ago a central “rat office'* was established on the docks at Cape Town, where a government official was stationed, with instructions to pay six cents for every

rat delivered there, dead or alive. For a while it seemed that a third of the people of Cape Town wore busy turning captured rodents intp ready cash. Then the supply of rats fell off to a considerable extent, and in order to stimulate the hunters the bounty was doubled, so that to-day a rat of any kind is worth 12 cents when delivered at the rat office.