Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-07-26
LEAVE IF TO NATURE,

Librarian Bassett Says There Is Nc Danger From Beetles and No Appros | PrfattOn to Fight Them is Made. eu l The court of common council met in joint session in the council chamber lasi night to hear the report of the committee
 on public lands and buildings in references to their efforts on behalf of the eIrns on
 the green, and to pass upon any other
 business that might properly come before the meeting.
 Mayor Kilduff talked on the necessity of taking some action to stay the ravages of the beetles and stated that this was the principal reason why he had called the members together.
 Owing to the absence from the city of Edward l.. Frisbie of the board of compen- sation the matter of the assessments arising from the proposed extension of Washing ton street and the widening of West MaiL street did not come before the meeting as stated in the call.
 Councilman Brewer of the committee on public lands and buildings talked on tn e committees trip to New Haven and re- counted what the members had heard and seen there as published in the daily papers.
 H. F. Bassett of the Bronson library was then requested to give an opinion as to the most successful method of warfare to be used against the pests. and if he had been employed by the beetles and paid a good sum for his services he could not have served their purpose more successfully, and if they are not being attacked on all sides this morning they may thank MT Bassett for it. While he admired the spirit manifested by the mayor and the committee on public lands and buildings In behalf of the eIms, still he thought they were needlessly alarmed and that whil @ they might succeed in killing large num- Der of the parisites by the !use of an emul- sion they would also destroy thousands of other species of parisites that are the natural enemies of the beetle. He believed that while the beetles might injure the foliage for year or two they would never kill the trees and that some time before long they would meet their match in the form of other little fellows who would whip them out of their boots Mature" said Mir Bassett takes those things in her own hands and she handles them very skill. fully" He believed matters would always be arranged so that there would not be a preponderance of any one kind. He laughed tthe idea of some of the opinions express sed by Professor Jenkins of New Haven and said that New Haven had not enough money to destroy the elm leaf beetle. He cited several instances both in Waterbury and other places where such creatures had appeared in large numbers and did con- siderable damage to the foliage of trees and rlants, but disappeared as suddenly and as mysteriously as they came. He would not do anything in the premises, but would leave the beetles to be combatted by their natural enemies.
 The meeting then commenced to crack some jokes about the affair, when Alder. man Cross said that the whole trouble was to find out the winter quarters and attack them there. He also suggested that the trees be sprayed with water from the Branch supply.
 Alderman Barlow was accused of looking for the job of putting bands on the trees and Councilman Lampman told about the people of Massachusetts setting bags for the beetles at the trunk of the trees and catching millions of them
 Alderman Halpin said he thought that some action should be taken on the mat ter and moved that the sum of $500 be appropriated to start the work. The mo- tion was mo- seconded and then a vote that the beetles be lett to their natural enemies was put and carried. This was just to try the fe. ling of the members :"
 Then adjournment was taken and the two boards took up the matter in their re- spectlve chambt h the aldermanic room Mir Halpins mott ,n to appropriate $500 was defeated. Messrs Condon and Halpin favoring it's passage and Messrs Cross. Barlow and Klefer opposing it. The same vote was tabled Tn the councilmen's room.
 A form of water bond for the series iust issued was approved.
 Street Inspector Kelley acted wisely in not purchasing the stuff for the emulsion until after the meeting The whole ex- pense so far will not exceed S25.