Wednesday, September 19, 2007

River Rats

Fulton Journal April 20, 1923:

DRIVE AGAINST RATS

Business Men Employ Harold Blodgett to Take Charge of Extermination Effort

WARNING TO DOG OWNERS

CATS ALSO SHOULD BE PROTECTED AGAINST DANGER OF EATING POISON PLACED FOR RODENTS

A city wide drive against the rats will be on in Fulton next Wednesday and Thursday, and on those days poison designed to bring many of the rodents to their end will be placed at the dumps nearby and about town generally where it is thought results can be obtained. The business men have contributed a fund and employed Harold Blodgett, who will have the work in charge. He has recently taken a course in the science and art of exterminating rats.
This work is similar to that being undertaken with good results in other cities. Nearly every merchant has been making his own campaign against rats for years, and it has come to be understood that a general drive is the thing that will really rid the city of these pests. Fulton is no more troubled with them than any other place, but there are enough of them here to make well worth while to try to eradicate them.
W.H. Mitchell and John E. Ferry made the rounds of the business houses this morning and obtained the required amount in subscriptions to make the drive effective.
They said it would be well for owners of dogs and cats to look to these animals next week and keep them away from the dumps and other places where poison for rats will be placed.