The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-15
FLEAs BITING BROOKLYN.
The City Suffering from a Plague
Which Disturbs It's Repose.

TOM the new OFk herald.
The sand flea, an insect closely resem-
bling the ordinary flea of commerce, with
out wings, but with tremendously long
posterior legs and great jumping ability,
has invaded Brooklyn and Is running a
neck and neck race with the city hall fire
cell in disturbing slumber and melting to
profanity.
II has been known for some days past
that the insect 10 which l have referred
has caused no end of trouble in and about
New York Police Headquarters. At first
the reports concerning its ravages led TO
the story that an explanation might be
found in the fact that the Lexow com
mittee had recently inserted a large num-
Der OF these uneasy insects in the faulike
ears of certain police officials. but when
complaints came in from outlying sta
tons there was no longer any doubt that
the tea was not the mere fgurative in
sect, but the real article
And now il has invaded Brooklyn and
lett no doubt that the trouble Is general.
The matter is all the more serious across
the river, because hitherto Brooklyn has
been strong on sleep, and has even been
called the dormitory of New York. And
now It's pride, as well as its comfort, Is
tercely assailed by the insect with the
long posterior legs.
BLAME IT on THE WEATHER.
In looking into the matter yesterday
was told that the dry weather was in a
large measure responsible for the evil.
That the pests have frequently arrived IN
terrifying numbers on former occasions,
when, because of the weather or unusual
police activity on Sundays, Brooklyn has
been dry.
But this time it is worse than ever, but
the insatiate flea has not only attacked
~ IL I
invaded public conveyances as well. And
the dry weather is not only charged with
the flea and all that he means. 1t has led
to our unusual number of small fires, and,
as consequence, the city hall bell has
been working over time for a fortnight
All OF which means that when the I'm
suspecting citizen has wound up the
alarm clock and lain down to pleasant
dreams the flea aud the fire bell relieve
each other in keeping him awake until
sun up. Then when hope is at low ebb,
the alarm clock, which he bought to pre-
vent him from oYersleeping laughSmock-
iugly until the miserable man springs
from his bed of torture and strangles it.
1t is a merciful provision that the evils
are divided, III measure at least, for at
the present writing the flea is at his
worst in East New York and the fire bell
is at the old stand Inspector McKelvey
and about the hall. Sometimes he is
forced to remain all night at police hea d
quarters, and when that happens he at
tempts to sleep.
Ordinarily the inspector is good for ten
hours a stretch, but since small fires
became of frequent occurrence he is a
changed man.
WOES OF THE INSPECTOR.
There is a story going the rounds now
to the effect that when the bell was bus
lest night or two ago the good man was
awakened three times between midnight
and o'clock, and that then he went out
and sat on the stone steps until morning.
He said, too, that he would prefer sleep
ing in a boiler shop to wooingi slumber in
the Mulberry street of Brooklyn. Others
who live therea bouts have shared the in
spector's misery, but not all of them have
been so moderate in giving their anguish
words.
While the inspector and his ,neighbors
suffer at city hall the rank and file Of the
police force and the inhabitants generally
in East New York are doing battle with
the flea. This creature. which asked fol-
an extra length of leg when the wings
/ were handed around, has become regu
/ lar plague in East New York for some
weeks. and at present it's presence has be
/ come Extensively evident in some of thC
! trolley cars which carry citizens TO tnelI
/ flea bitten homes.
| Policemen on beat, too, have been seen
to halt suddenly and go through a serie:
! Of movements not ordered by regulation
from which it is suspected that the long.
| legged invader has even gone to board
with the guardians of public safety.
There seems to be no remedy. In books
flea bane is given mention as an enemy Of
the insect in question, but Brooklynites
whom ! questioned yesterday said hope
lessly that there was no help for it until
it rained for several days in succession,
and that then the flea legions would
20 back into the SAND from which they
came.
And if it rains the fire bell will rest its
wagging tongue. Then, and not until
then, Brooklyn will be a good place to
sleep in again.
Mo- t.