Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Story
October 21, 1927
The Midland Journal
Rising Sun, Cecil County, Maryland
What is this article about?
The brown rat, likely introduced to the US from England around 1775, has spread to infest every state by the 1920s, with Montana as the last, first reported there in 1926 though present earlier.
Clipping
OCR Quality
100%
Excellent
Full Text
RATS SPREAD TO EVERY STATE IN THE UNION
The brown rat, probably brought to the United States from England about 1775, has spread until it now infests every state in the union, says the Biological Survey of the United States Department of Agriculture.
The last State to become afflicted with this pest is Montana.
Economic mammalogists in 1924 failed to find a single record of the occurrence of house rats in Montana, and on June 1, 1926, O. E. Stehli, leader of rodent control in that state, stated that he had received no such records. but on August 28 he reported finding a few rats at Lewistown and Fort Benton. It was learned, however, that the initial infestation at Lewistown took place about three years ago.
Rats were first reported from Denver, Colo., in 1886, and by 1907 had entrenched themselves in most of the large towns of that state. No rats were known in Utah prior to 1888. It in that year they were reported abundant at Albuquerque, N. Mex., and were known to occur in Arizona.
It has been only in more recent years that the rat has visited Idaho. With the exception of Montana, Wyoming has been the last state invaded, the first rats there apparently crossing the border from Nebraska about seven years ago.
The spread of rats has been more rapid in temperate climates, although they are abundant in most northern states, and are reported common in parts of Alaska, Canada and Newfoundland.
The brown rat, probably brought to the United States from England about 1775, has spread until it now infests every state in the union, says the Biological Survey of the United States Department of Agriculture.
The last State to become afflicted with this pest is Montana.
Economic mammalogists in 1924 failed to find a single record of the occurrence of house rats in Montana, and on June 1, 1926, O. E. Stehli, leader of rodent control in that state, stated that he had received no such records. but on August 28 he reported finding a few rats at Lewistown and Fort Benton. It was learned, however, that the initial infestation at Lewistown took place about three years ago.
Rats were first reported from Denver, Colo., in 1886, and by 1907 had entrenched themselves in most of the large towns of that state. No rats were known in Utah prior to 1888. It in that year they were reported abundant at Albuquerque, N. Mex., and were known to occur in Arizona.
It has been only in more recent years that the rat has visited Idaho. With the exception of Montana, Wyoming has been the last state invaded, the first rats there apparently crossing the border from Nebraska about seven years ago.
The spread of rats has been more rapid in temperate climates, although they are abundant in most northern states, and are reported common in parts of Alaska, Canada and Newfoundland.
What sub-type of article is it?
Curiosity
Historical Event
What themes does it cover?
Nature
Misfortune
What keywords are associated?
Brown Rat
Rat Spread
Pest Infestation
Montana Rats
Rodent Control
What entities or persons were involved?
O. E. Stehli
Where did it happen?
United States
Story Details
Key Persons
O. E. Stehli
Location
United States
Event Date
1775
Story Details
The brown rat, introduced from England around 1775, has spread to infest every state in the union, with Montana being the last state affected in the 1920s.