Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1889-06-05
RAID OF GRAY CATERPILLARS.

MATTAwAMKEAG, Me-, May 26.-Ten
days have elapsed since the caterpillar
army commenced its invasion of the
Canadian Pacific Railroad in its course
through Names northern wilder
ness, and still they continue in
their triumphal march toward this
point. There are legions of them,
and the railroad men are almost
powerless in the work of determination.
AS fast as they are slaughtered others
take their places, for the woods are full
of them along the line of the Canadian
Pacific road. The only trains which are
being run east of Brownville junction
are engaged in ballasting the road,
SO as to have it in readiness
for the inspection of the Maine
railroad commissioners, who are ex-
pected to pass over it on Wednesday
next. These trains are being contlnu-
ally brought to dead standsti.l, and
are subjected to vexatious delays on &C
count of the myriads of these pests,
which go lubricate the iron tracks after
they are crushed that all friction is
overcome, and the driving wheels of the
engine only whiz round and round. In
some places the track is two inches
thick with them, and they ale shoveled
off by the bushel. The other day a
train was delayed five hours before the
track was cleared so that it could pro-
coed, and then it took two engines to
bring it through.
Brownville Junction Yesterday, and saw
Mr.. Craig, the timekeeper, who takes
daily trips to Seblois, and sometimes be-
yond. In making these trips he ridesa
railroad velocipede. His experience
has been the worst yet of anybody on
the road. He had been down the road
some 90 miles, and was on his return
when the wheels of the machine be-
came SO cloeged with the carcasses of
the caterpillars that he bad to get off
and push it with all the strength he
could command for over half mile.
Mr.. Craig was sight when he got back.
From head to foot he was completely
besmeared with the green slime of dead
caterpillars. He says that as he speed
ed along the track was so covered with
them that their remains flew up from
beneath the crushing wheels of his jug
gernaut, and it seemed as if he was
passing through a storm of them. In
one place he believed they were not
less than five inches deep. and this is
said by others to be no exaggeration.
Surprising as it may appear TO many,
at Seblois, some fifteen miles from
Brownville Junction, the invading
hosts made their first appearance. A
special train of ten fats and a box car,
which had gone there to load, first en-
countered them. The track was COW
cred with them, some say an inch deep,
and they were growing thicker and
thicker from the woods on both sides of
the roadbed The train was all ready
TO start on its return trip, but it would
not bulge. Alder bushes were en-
ployed to sweep the track, and sand was
plentifully used, but the train could not
be started. As fast as it was cleaned
fresh arrivals of caterpillars would
cover the track again. Anoth-
er engine was hitched on, but
the combined strength of two iron
horses could not start the train. It was
not until after night came on, when the
pests suspended their onward march,
that the train went on its way. Since
then these crawling, wriggling things
have been continually swarming and
joining in the column, moving eastward.
They are of a grayish color, and are
commonly known as the tent cater
pillar, SO called because their habitation
in the trees, where they are Matched,
resembles a tent. They are known to
every farmer who has an orchard of
fruit trees, and who. by the way, is more
troubled by their presence this year
than for a number of years past.
The Canada Pacific folks appear to be
getting more than their share of this
plague. The caravan that is bearing
this way now extends from Seblois to
Madunuounk, a distance of twelve
miles. 1t would seem as if their exodus
from the woods was a concerted move
ment, and that orders had been given
81
Tor the reason that they all appear to be
abandoning their roosts in the tree-tops,
and taking to the railroad track they
drop to the ground in punches, slide
down the almost invisible ropes they
have woven for their descent, or on the
trunks of trees. All along the line of
their march they are stripping trees and
and bushes of their leaves, and leaving
them like skeletons. The evergreen
trees they do not touch, and naples are
spared, but the poplars, white birch and
juniper and the raspberry bushes are
completely cleared of their foliage in
this work of devastation. 1t is queer
sight to see these myriads of insects in
motion.
1t is supposed they take to the rail-
road track on account of the warmth of
the iron rail, which attracts them, and
along WHICH SO many OIL CUOM CRAWL tudG
they climb over each other. They
march in detachments, with big gaps
between them. When the railroad
men give battle to them with their
brooms it causes such slaughter and
such decentralization among them that
these gaps become more frequent. AL
though enormous numbers are being
slain, apparently there seems TO be but
little diminution in their numbers; nor
is their progress checked. They march
with considerable rapidity, crossing
bridges and culverts with apparent
ease. At Whitney's Ridge, twenty one
miles from here. they are in swarms.
The telegraph posts are black with
them. and go are the rock cuttings
eighteen miles from here.
A ballast train was blockaded, yester-
day, and night coming on the men,
tired and hungry, preferred to walk
two or three miles to their camps in
stead Of fighting caterpillars any longer
that day Another train to-day from
Madunuounk was stalled there about
two hours beforeEt could get over them.
The engine was completely covered
with load co tprnillarS and tho Il riVino