Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-18
THE TOPICAL TALKER.
The Wonderful Work of the Pennsylvania
A Plague of Observation-Disclosures, Love
How to Piacate a Mocking Bird.

How to PIacate a Mocking Bird.
IT is really impossible to give the Pennsylva-
mia Railroad too much credit for the way in
which they have repaired the enormous dam
age done by the floods to their main line from
Harrisburg to this side of Johnstown. No
railroad in the world, probably, was ever taxed
in such a way as the Pennsylvania has been,
and it is certain that none could have re-
sponded with the promptitude and energy of
this States great corporation. Figures and
descriptions in words can hardly give an ade-
quate idea of what the Pennsylvania Railroad
has accomplished since death and destruction
made May 81, 1889, a date fearfully memorable.
Several members of the party of newspaper
men, who went to Johnstown and South Fork
on Sunday on special train, have told me that
what impressed them as much as anything
they saw during the journey, was the mastery
railroad engineering which the newly con-
structed tracks of the Pennsylvania exhibited
between Sang Hollow and South Fork.
Exx
SOMETHING definite as to the rebuilding of
the Pennsylvania Railroad from Sang Hollow
to South Fork may be interesting at this time,
and the following statement coming from
Passenger Agent Thomas B.. Watt may be
taken as reliable:
On the night of May 81 the double track be-
tween South Fork and Long Hollow, a distance
of fourteen miles, was almost annihilated.
Three substantial and important bridges were
smashed and swept away by the food, namely:
the iron bridge at South Fork, bridge No.
east of Buttermilk Falls, and the viaduct east
of Mineral Point. On Thursday, June I3, less
than two weeks after the fourteen miles of
track, including three bridges, had been de-
stroyed, through traffic was partially resumed,
and on Sunday, June 16. the regular schedule
of passenger trains was restored with the ex-
oeption Of the New York and Chicago Limited
In the work of restoration the temporary
structures in place Of the bridges destroyed are
most remarkable. There are two trestles; one
50 feet high and 900 feet long, and the
other at Burtermilk Falls, 600 feet long.
Double tracks were completed in the new Sec
tion of road as far as Mineral Point on Sunday,
and by Wednesday will be completed through
out,
To accomplish this marvellous piece of rail-
road building. between 5000 and 1000 men were
drawn from the track forces of the Pennsyl-
vania Company's lines. The reason for draw
ing the men from the Western lines, was that
when the crash came at Johnstown there was
no way to call upon the Eastern divisions of the
Pennsylvania Railroad for help. 1t was just as
well that communication could not be had
with the East, for the damage done to the
Northern Central Railroad and Philadelphia
& Erie by the floods was so great that the men
available for such service on the Eastern
divisions of the Pennsylvania were con-
centrated in repairing those lines. The men
of the middle division, with six bridges gone
and miles of track washed away or rendered
unsafe to attend to, have had their hands full
also. So the brunt of d mighty task fell upon
the men of the Western lines, and splendidly
have they disposed of it.
sx<
Is THERE plague of caterpillars in this
neighborhood? From what have seen in W.
rious rural quarters I should say there is, and
that the maple trees are being singled out by
the pest for destruction as far as their foliage
goes. The destroyer is a small green caterpil.
lar, which resembles that which produces
white butterfly. 1t is not the caterpillar of
what is known in some quarters Of the globe as
the cabbage white, SO called from the favorlte
food of its caterpillar, but is much like it, the
principal difference being in the matter of
size. 1t is much smaller than the cabbage
white caterpillar.
Whole avenues of naples in Edgeworth, on
the Fort Wayne Railroad, are almost bare of
leaves from the ravages Of this caterpillar
The whole leaf is devoured in most cases. In
Sewickley and in the East End similar inva-
noted. Perhaps Mr.. Hamilton, of the Allie
gheny Parks, can give some additional informa-
tion on this subject
LAWN tennis is assuming larger sway over
society in this vicinity than ever this year.
The other night Pittsburger returning home
rather late found his wife sitting on the porch.
He awakened her with the words: "My dear, do
You know what time it isT'
Fifteen love-" she replied.
She had been playing tennis all the even
ing.
HAVE you ever tried to cultivate the friend
ship of a mocking bird?
For many weeks have been trying to win
the good will of talented bird named Billy
Every effort made had been fruitless till
Sunday last. Prior to that day he always sa-
luted me with rasping sort OF snort that COM
bined the om1nous and irritating qualities of
dogs growl and rattlesnake's alarm.
On Sunday last, it may be remembered, the
clouds opened according to the schedule now
40 days old and the rain fell The swarms of
flies which are helping the rain to make this
month the beastliest on record retired from
the rain into the houses, or wherever dry shell
ter offered.
The windows were filed with flies and 1t was
no trouble to catch any number of them. I
picked out about 20 of the largest size and
offered them to the coy and cruel Billy, one
by one, at intervals of about three minutes,
Billy was conquered. He is my sworn friend,
and for my especial benefit will whistle any
thing from the fve-hngered exercise to chaste
limitations of a neighboring ACCORDION which
rends the twilight silence with painful regu-
larlty, whenever appear.