Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-07-18
DARK DAYSINKANSAS
GOVERNOR MORRILLs HISTORY OF
THE CHRISTOPHER PLAGUE.

Began In 1866 and Ended In 1s75-Terri-
BILE Destruction of All yegetation-B
Men There Never Were Than the Farm
ers of Kansas.
Governor Morrill's favorite story is about
the Kansas grasshopper. Here it is:
Sup to 1866 there had been no grasshop-
pers seen in Brown county. The county
had been settled IL years, and our people
were in blissfui ignorance OF the existence
of this plague. In the latter part OF Au-
gust Of that year reports were brought In
by settlers on the frontier that they had
appeared there in Immense numbers and
were very destructive. Day by day reports
came that they were drawing near, and
about Sept they reached the western
line Of the county, moving from to II
miles per day.
"On Sept. 10 the immense army, which
no man could number, reached H!awatha,
devouring every green thing from the face
of the earth. The cornhelds were literally
stripped, leaving the bare stalk with the
ears hanging to it and the latter often
badly eaten. The corn was too far adj
vanccd, however, for them TO inJure 1t
very seriously, and the only real loss from
them that fall was in the destruction OF
forage They deposited immense quaint
ties Of eggs which Matched out in the lat
ter part Of April and early in May 1871
"rhis crop was of course obliged TO
feed upon whatever was within their reach
until they were large enough to travel ana
whenever they Matched in large numbers
near fields of small grain there was no pos
sibility of raising it. Tho beaten paths ana
roads and the newly broken prairie seemed
to be fayoritc locations for depositing Their
eggs Many fields Of small grain were en-
troly destroyed that spring While many
others escaped unframed The corn was
not much injured, though in some locall-
ties the early corn was destroyed, ABOUT
June 20 thoy left and were not again seen
during the season. But small portion OF
the county was under cultivation then
and the total loss was small compared with
that of 1874
I'm the fall of 1868 they again appeared,
but far less numerous and causing FAR less
loss Their appearance Mt this time caused
very little excitement, and but slight i'm
portanco was attached to 1t. lew eggs
were deposited, and the following spring q
few gardens were injured, but nos much
attention was PAID 10 IL.
I'm the early part of August, 1874, they
again appeared. At this time the country
west was much better settled, and the rail
roads penetrating to the Rocky mountains
brought tho news of the approaching hosts
whilo they were hundreds of miles away
and weeks before they reached here. The
season had been a very dry ono, with IRE
qucnt hot south winds, so common an at
tendant of droughts and so exceedingly
disagrceable. The corn at best would have
been nearly a failure, but what little there
was Of grain or foliage speedily disap-
peared. Trees were stripped OF their leaves.
Apple and peach orchards Gould frequently
be seen loaded with rich fruit but without
leaf to protect it from the hot sun. In
many cases the fruit was much injured,
and 1t was u common sight to see peach
trees hanging full of pits, the meat of the
fruit having been neatly nibblcd OIL. In
some cases tho burk was eaten from trees.
Nothing escaped, for they seemed quite in
different as to the quality of their food.
Tomato plants, onions and even tobacco
plants were utterly destroyed
Again they laid their eggs in immense
numbers. Heavy freight trains ON the
railroads were frequently delayed for hours
by their gathering on the track in larg,
numbers, the wheels crushing them and
forming an oily, soapy substance
"Tho spring of 1878 but little apprehen
sion of much damage was felt, and the
farmers put in an unusual amount OF
small grain. When the warm days OF
spring came, the little pests hatchod out it
numbers far exceeding anything before OK
pcricnccd. The season was unusually fH
vorablo for small grain and on May
there was rs fine n prospect for an abun
,lant harvest as was ever known Ter
days later the myriads of little hoppers
fast developing were sweeping it away
and on juno but few fields Of grain were
left. The corn was much injured; nearly
all the first planting was utterly destroyed
Many replantcd OF once without waiting
until they had passed away and again lost
1t all. In one case a farmer planted 20t
acres four times,
"Those were indeed dark days for tn,
farmers. All hope FOR raising anything fol
the season was well nigh gone. The mid
die of juno came, and still the hoppers tar
red. Tho farmers with wonderful courage
and patience had plowed up their young
grain fields where the crop had been dc
stroyed and We're busily engaged in plant
ing corn. From juno IL to 20 an inmens
amount of corn was planted. In an ordi
nary season this would have been too lat
to make any crop, but the season prove,
most favorable Rains were frequent ant
not too heavy About June 90 the grass
hoppers commenced leaving and 10y tn
25th not ono could be found,
If over men showed true pluck undo
discouraging circumstances the farmer
did during the spring of 1915 Drawer mel
never lived; truor men never bit bread
The season continued favorable and n
immense crop Of corn and vegetables wa
raised.
''Tho plague has not visited Kansa
since, kansas City Times.
Darkest Time In the Revsiution.
Tho close of the wear ESQ was, in tn