The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-07-29
Mosquitoes, the Like of Which
Were Never Seen,
Have Beset the New jersey
Sand Flats.
BABY STUNG TO DEATH
A Soldier Loses Pint of Blood
and FaintS.
A Camp Meeting Broken Up by
the Pests.

New York. July 2s.-Alternating rain
| and sunshine have brought a mosquito
| plague to parts of New Jersey such as
| that state, famous as it is for the pests,
has never before known. The extreme
heat has Matched them out by millions.
A baby was stung to death by mos
quitoeS as 1t lay in it's hammock. A
United States soldier fell in the ranks
at Governors island from loss Of blood
from mosquito bites, and the pests
broke up campmeeting at Hampstead,
L. 1.
a swedish woman living ON Raritan
bay left her baby in the hammock
while she went to field to pick rasp-
berries. Returning. she was Mortified
to find the baby dead. Seemingly a mil
lion insects sWarmed over 1t. Its face
and body were both black and swollen,
and they had even bitten through its
clothes.
At Hampstead, L. L, a swarm of
mosquitoes. appearing like cloud, ap-
parentIy millions in number, broke up a
campmeeting.
James D. Flynn, private. company D,
Thirteenth infantry, stationed at Gov
ernor's island, is in the hospital there
suffering from the most rema rlxable
mosquito bite that was ever inflicted on
man.
Its not a bite" moaned poor Flynn,
its the cut of a knife and it's respon-
sible for the loss of a pint of my good
blood"
The mosquito that did the biting hove
in sight off Governors island on Sat
urday evening. It was dress parade,
and Flynn, with the rest of the bat
talon, stood at attention, eyes front.
not budging a muscle. 1t was the mos
quito's chance. She landed on poor
Flynn's neck. In went her beak
1t was only preliminary sip and
Flynn could feel the pest moving
around for better spot on which to be-
gin operations anew. 1t was soon found.
H.. n went f,, the , beak again. This time it
nounced it good, for il kept on right
| there.
Flynn felt it soon enough The iron
| entered deep into his soul by way of
| the back of his neck. Army discipline
| is infiexible. Poor Flynn didn't dare
bulge for fear of reprimand from the
| 1ynx-eyed lieutenant.
'Ouch!" was all he could say and
that under his breath
Parade restp' cried the commanding
| officer and Flynn with the rest of the bat
talon had to fall into that position,
which must have been named rest
IN irony. 1t is the hardest position to
stand in of all the positions in the book
of instructions for soldiers.
And still the mosquito stayed.
If Flynn had been asleep he would
have walked in short order and killed
there was nothing to do but swear
softly and bear it till the comma nding
officer gave the order to the captains.
Dismiss your companiesW and the
captains in their turns had ordered,
'Sergeants, march the company to
quarters, and the first sergeants them
selves had cried, "Dismissedr' all of
which takes time when such an import
ant function as dress parade is under
way.
But Flynn hoped for the best
In went the beak deeper and deeper
behind Flynn's ear. He would have
mortgage his pay for year in advance
for just one good slap. Something warm
was dripping down his neck 1t was his
blood. A sudden giddiness seized him.
Down clanked Flynn and his gun. A
great lump was fast coming out behind
his ear. Half dozen privates jumped
forth and lifted him into the barracks.
Wet handkerchiefs were cIapped on the
bite, but Flynn bled on and grew weak
er and weaker and at last he was una
BILE to stand.
So they took him to the hospital His
army shirt was wringing wet with blood
that had flowed, while he bit his lip ON
parade and held on to his gun like grim
death. Drs. Topping and Bronson eX-
amined the wound behind the ear.
''It was mosquito that did it,
said DR.. Bronson, but it cost Flynn
nearly a pint of blood. If a large ar
terry had been opened by that mosquito
the man would have certainly bled to
death"
For three days Governors Island has
been plagued with these Jersey pests.
Nights are sIeepless there, and to ven
ture out of doors is comparable to run
ming the gauntlet. The ladies at the
post only dare to leave their houses
when they don thick wells and mufflers
and encase their hands in heavy gloves.
AS for Private Flynn, he was very weak
yesterday from the loss of blood, but he
will recover
Never has New York suffered such a
plague of mosquitoes. The suburbs are
knee deep with dead ones killed by
desperate commuters in their rush for
the trains. These Jersey pests have in
vaded houses all over town that never
knew a mosquito before, and held high
carnival. Nothing scares them away.