Back in the 1940s, during the war years, there was a large population of mice and rats that concerned our City fathers so much that there was talk about putting a bounty on each mouse or rat pelt. That was exciting news, I dreamed mightily about becoming very wealthy, I lived in a house on Vista that had an unending source of income that would had put me in the upper income bracket easily. There was much concern about the rodents of the area stealing food supplies that should have been sent to our soldiers overseas fighting to save the world from an awful foe. As I remember it, the area of most concern was down on South Broadway near the Street car barns just across the street from the old Workhouse. I admit that those rats in that area were huge but for shear numbers our house near Manchester and Taylor held its own, population wise. My dad battled those mice and rats constantly and fought the good fight. He tried everything new and I used to think, "Wow," if we could only sell them. Then when talk started about a bounty, I knew Daniel Boone, Davy Crocket, Laclede and Chouteau would fade into the shadows against my prowess as a trapper, I knew all the tricks. Boxes with drop lids, snap traps, grain up a plank and into a barrel of water that caused them to commit suicide, even that horrible smelling paste that they seemed to enjoy that poisoned them. But alas, I was never able to find the address of the bounty office and my dreams of great wealth faded, but the mouse and rat population did not. Now I'm told that squished rats have been seen on some road ways but not often. Also that there are more chemical plants around St Louis with advanced poisons that have helped with irradication. One young lady speculated that aliens might have lent a hand. One playful young lady thought I may have been comparing my tree to these pesty rodents. One interesting thought was there may be a comparison made to the human population that should be taken seriously. Then this thought was given: "I would imagine better trash containment and sewage disposal has played a large part in the decrease in numbers." All these suggestions were factual and full of worth, but no one has said a thing about my Dad. If you will remember the "McQuillen Saga," I discussed my Dad's efforts in trapping mice and how he decreased the Mouse and Rat population on Vista. Could the lack of these rodents be because Ralph W. Brasher Jr was responsible? I am still searching for population numbers.