The Portland daily press., 1879-07-17
Brief IQttinpS

ollOl OOoUAuSS
The most trying day of the season yesterday.
No life apparently in the air. Mercury $50 at
sunrise, $50 to 500 at noon, Sc at sunset; wind
southeast, with shower
The hop to the naval officers, we learn, will
come off tonight.
Yesterday the Holy Scapulary was celebrated
in the Catholic churches.
There was a large number of arrivals at the
summer houses on Peakes' Island yesterday.
Mr.. Carter found a boat on one of the
islands hired from him the other day ard not
returned.
The Trojan Hook and Ladder Company of
Troy, n. Y, talk of visiting Portland about
September 1st
Capt. Knowlton has made arrangements to
havesmusic on board the Minnehaha on her
regular trips
A boy named Bradish fell from boat in the
harbor, Monday night. and was rescued by
passing sail boat.
The Portland Chorus Choir go on their an
nual picnic excursion to-day on the steamer
Minnehaha, Custom House wharf, at o clock
p. m
The swimming match that was to have
taken place at Peakes Island last night be-
tween Martin and Anderson, has been post
poned till Friday evening
The steamer Lake Champlain of the Beaver
Line, from Liverpool for Quebec, was reported
disabled off Anticosti Island, Monday, and
steamers were sent to her assistance.
There will be grand assembly at Sterling's
pavilion tonight. The Independent -Four
f,,r,, icl, ola1.
will make a trip from her wharf at 7.45.
The steamer Florence will go to Harpswell
to-day if pleasant, leaving Portland Pier at 9
p. m. After making her landing at the pier
she will go to State street wharf to accommo-
date the up town passengers.
The Grasshopper Becomes Burden
A gentleman recently returned from the
West, in conversation with one of our old
farmers who was complaining of the damage
done by the potato bug in this vicinity this
year, said: "Wait till you are visited by the
grasshoppers as the farmers in the West are,
and you will think fighting potato bugs trihe
in comparison" 1t would seem his words are
coming true. Scarboro and portions of York
county are literally covered with grasshoppers
that are eating every green thing before them
From whence they came no one knows, but the
fact is that they destroy every green thing as
they move along in countless numbers. The
farmers in that section are thoroughly alarmed
about the matter. Tuesday morning Mr.. Wm
Warren of Scarboro had fine field Of grain
of several acres in extent in fine condition.
Tuesday night the field of grain was worth
less. The grasshoppers had been there. Nor
was this all; potatoes, peas, BEANS fact every
green thing was destroyed. From Mr.. War
ren's field the insects passed into large
swamp. Here their appetite seemed to be as
good for rushes, wild flags, etc.. as for culti-
waited vegetables. They even stripped thistles
and left the stalks standing bare. They move
from field to field in immense numbers, filling
the air with humming sound The farmers
do not know what to do, as wherever they ap-
pear they stop until everything is destroyed,
and the farmers are powerless to prevent it.
We now wait for some Greenback paper to an
nounce that this is one of the results of John
Sherman's financial policy.