Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-01-31
The Telegraph aud Jackass
Rabbits.
New York Time


1t has long been a curious and
accepted fact in natural history that
bass viol playing is fatal to the per.
formers back hair. and that parrots
arc more han usually disposed to
profanity when employed in a clergy
mans family, but that the telegraph
had anything 70 do with the multipli-
cation Of rabbits has hitherto been ua-
known. Yet this seems to be the case
according to the testimony of several
Texans, and, therefore, improbable,
papers, which have recently and
conclusively shown that since the
Introduction Of the telegraph along
the line of the Rio Grande, from
Laredo to Fort Ringgold, the jack
ass rabbit has increased to such an
extent that he theatens to over.
run the country. The iackass rabbit
of that section has heretofore been
upright and ~peaceable in his habits,
and although not of much use, except
to furnish the local dogs with coca.
sionsl healthful exercise, and to sup.
ply the native mince meat vendors
with an able substitute for the usual
wares during the periodical cat
famines which sometimes sweep the
State, was universally accorded to be
es free from guile as it is possible for a
Texan to be. During the day he
oouched innocently in the shade of
the mesquit, the Spanish bayonet and
the prickly pear, and at shutdown
elevated bis majestic ears and assumed
that devout attitude which has always
struck travellers with dumb surprise
as being proof positive that there
we're exceptions to the generally ac-
cepted rule that nothing could pray on
the Rio Grande. Upon the military
telegraph line being built by Lieuten.
ant Greedy, now Of Arctic fame, this
was all changed. The line was ran BY
that officer in 1873 from Fort Clark to
Fort Brown, and passed through a
small but thickly settled, community
Of well disposed rabbits few miles be-
low Laredo. For several years no out
break occurred, but thisis perhapsd due
to the fact that the line did not work.
Lieut.. Greedy, although an able tele-
graph engineer, had unfortunately
been educated 10 Washington, where
the Texan hornet is unknown. He
therefore used in the construction Of
his line an insulator which met the
approval Of the most advanced Wash
iDgton electricians, but which unfor-
tunatly contained a large and comfort
able cavity between the cap and the
shaft. -Four days after the line was
completed it ceased working. Bat
terry power was added in vain, and
Investigation showed no break in the
continuity Of the wire. The insula-
ton was evidently wrong, however,
and it took Lieutenant Greedy three
week, to ascertain that the herder
hornets, laboring under the impress
sion that the line was built for their
exclusive benefit, had filled every
individual insulator with mud and
had established communities in every
post throughout the entire circuit.
This put Lieutenant Greedy into a
frame Of mind peculiarly Texan, but
he finally went patiently over his work
again, this time taxing good care that
the insulators were solid as o cannon
ball. The hornets got in some fine
work on the scientific party during
this process Of reconstruction, but
once ousted, gave no further cleo.
trical trouble. Now, however,
comes the riot and huffusion OF
, jackass rabbits, which, though not az
E stimulating 10 personal activity as
Lieutenant Greely's elected hornets,
are said to be vastly more destructive
: TO property. II seems that from the
r formerly staid and self contained vii
t lage, near Laredo have swarmed untold
thousands of miniacal rabbits to de.
S vastate the border to such extent that
the inhabitants are unable longer tc
: cultivate tobacco, red pepper and
o garlic, and are compelled to exc out q
D miserable existence on crackers
I and whisky. It is difficult &c
account for the phenomenon on known
5 electrical principles, but it is certain
that it is Lieutenant Greely's line
s with the improved ~insulator which ha!
e caused the trouble, and il therefore
Il behooves the authorities at Washing.
d ton to recall him at once from tn,
north pole and set him to examining
D this new and most pernicious phase o.
- ."