The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-10-08
ABOUT WORMS.
There's Lots OF EN- Eating
the City Hall.
They Were Born Aeons Ago, But You
Can't Prove II.
And II They Keep at IL the Palace
VIII BE Worms.

There is nothing but ruin and des-
truction in store for city tall, according
to the discovery OF the natural history ex-
pert who bas made a careful examination
OF the walls and presented his official re-
port to the chairman OF the commits
sion on extraordinary affairs. The sub
stance OF the report is that the granite
walls and marble flooring, and even the
flag stones of the wide sidewalk sur
rounding the building, arc infested with
granitas municipalis horridens, or COM
mon granite worm. The Latin words
"grsnitss' and "horridens" OF course
explain themselves. The word "'munici-
pals" has besn added to the nomencla-
ture OF natugalists in reference to this
particular worm because II thrives best
in public buildings which are always
permeated with that odor peculiar to
large quantities of old leather bound
documents. For the same reason large
Libraries and book binoing establish
ments, when located in granite buildings,
are often destroyed by this pest.
The odor OF the documents, however,
Is necessary only TO their activity, and
not to their mere existence. That COM
! menced aeons ago, when the rock was In
a state of formation, and bound up within
itself mygiads of miniature creatures to
whom vegetable matter was not neces-
-
miraculous efforts TO perpetuate life, and
because OF her varied resources the little
| animalcules, which would have been the
same as our modern hens IL they had had
| vegetable food, made the best OF sustain
ing themselves on mineral matters and
| became granite worms.
OF course they have multiplied by mil
lions in all these ages, the estimated in
1 crease for eacn female granite worm be-
| ing ID litters year OF between seven and
eleven thousand little worms to litter.
| And, furthermore, each female born be-
| gins 10 raise litters herself almost imme-
&iately, and the average bearing period
Is between 700 and 500 years. Although
these fgures would seem absurdly large
10 the laymau TO science, il must be re-
rendered, that the granite worms are
so minute that 2146 of them have been
placed In the eye OF fine needle at one
time, and II Is impossible, with the most
powerful miscroscope, TO detect any differ
e1ce IN size between the infant worm
and one that has attained the normal age
OF 10, 600 years. That this Is the normal
age has been demonstrated beyond all
reasonable doubt by the number OF rings
or marks ON the projecting lower lip Of
the worm. This lip 10 perfectly rigid,
and harder than the granite in which the
animal lives. Ii Is his one means OF sup
port and defence, and used as a spear in
combat. and as a scoop or chisel in chip
matter that serve for food. AS to the age
telling rings on this lip the report goes
On TO explain that one is formed every
1900 years, and no worm has ever been
discovered with more than four of them.
The formation period of a sngls ring
was determined upon by an experiment
commenced little more than 1000 wears
ago by the Yomahex, highly deyeloped
people OF Yomaha xville in the Orient.
and completed by the scientists of our
own day. This experiment, now fully
understood, consisted of taking q uuan-
tity of sterilized granite, from which
all life had been removed by melting.
The Yamahax are the only people who
ever discovered the secret Of liquefyinQ
granite. Into this molten mass q single
male granite worm, encased in asbestos, |
was placed, and the rock allowed to hard
en-. 1t was then labeled and a full ex-
planation C, ryed upon the surface in the
slmple Ianahax language. 1t is this val |
liable block OF granite that has been dis
covered in our time and broken open. In |
the very center OF ii was found the single |
male worm minus the asbestos, which, |
OF course, II had devoured as soon as its |
prison had cooled off. But on the spear |
or scoop of the lower lip was this light |
brown ring of which no mention il made |
in the Yamahax record. Hence the cer- /
tainry as to the real significance of this |
mark-like the rings OF the oak or the |
cups of the horses teeth il indicates
the age.
After q further discussion OF the ha bits |
OF the worm the expert tells of damage |
that IL Will do in general and of the |
harm 1t will do to the Providence city |
hail in particular. or course, the tiny |
an mails have been in the granite OF this
building ever since the stone took form,
but II was only IL years ago that the
granite was put TO its present purpose
and subjected TO the odor OF leather and
old paper which mas such an eniivening
effect. The actual date of the completion
OF city hall was Nov. Ia, 1873. Since that
time the millions OF granitas horridens
have earned the additional title of "mu-
n cipalis" and have made constant
struggle 10 eat out toward the surface,
and now they have succeeded, leaving a
mass of rotten and honey-combed stone
in their wake. On wet. rainy night,
when the stone In softened to an extent
only TO the hsrd-lipped bit OF
an animal they easily make their way
TO the very surface and that is what gives
the unusually dark appearance which 10
erroneously ascribed to dsmpness. This
phenomena may only be seen at night,
RS the worms, after being shut up in alb
soute darkness for so many centuries,
can not stand the glare OF day.
The report OF the expert is accompanied
by accommodation Of one or two rem
edies. M
The rays OF powerful search light
might be played over the exterior surface
OF the walls on rainy nights and kill by
q nervous shock all the worms that are
protruding, or solution of automatic
washing soap ana restaurant coffee might
be poured over the walls each night for
poisoning purposes.
Alter finishing his report the scientist
was Immediately locked up and an hour |
later srraigned. He pleaded nolo and
was sentenced 10 five years service as
president OF the South Water street Re-
form Club, and to the same term OF ser
wee as corresponding secretary oi theAll-
ln-aI Indignation Association, botn sem
fences TO run concurrently.