The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-19
PEST PLAGUE or A CHURCH.
A Baltimore Congregation to Raise
Money to DestrOy. Insects.
From the Baltimore American.

n b1ttlmOFe 10
Money to Destroy. Insects.
From the Baltimore American.
The rector. congregation and Sunday
school of the Protestant Episcopal Church
of All Saints are almost in despair over
an ever-increaslng pest of winged bugs,
which have made the lower rooms prac-
tically useless. The bugs are here, there
and everywhere In the Sunday school
rooms, and they are not numbered by
hundreds OF by thousands, but by mil,
lions The supply seems TO be inexhausti-
bic. They eat their way through the
flooring, put holes in the carpet, and
spread themselves over the floor so thick
~ as to cover II in places. No one seems
10 know what they are, being totally dir
ferent from the general run OF insecI
pests that infest the households of Balti-
more. Most of the congregation know the
unWelcome settlers, for they are not mere
visitors, as winged ants. Their bodies are
very dissmilar from the general run OF
ants, however, though they crawl very
much like the industrious little fellows
which the careful housekeeper Is always
on the lookout for. The most peculiar
part of the bug, outside OF his audacity
4 H.. III
his wings. These are two in number
about, twice the length of the body of the
insect which Is black In color, and about
the size of an ordinary ant The wings
however, are white in color. When his
bugship first makes his appearance
through the floor Of the church he is equip
ped with these flying facilities, but his
first fly Is nearly always fatal TO his rising
ambition. Before he has gone many fees
he nj
off. and the astonlshed bug drops rapidly
to earth.
DO they bite? Is a question that has
caused more than one animated debate,
but onething is certain--that the Sunday
school Is very restless when the bugs are
out in force. They have demoralizine
tendency on the children also, and more
attention Is often given TO the bugs than
to the lessons. One little fellow, who X
well up on the vulgarisms OF the day. told
his teacher last Sunday that All Saints
Church had cotton extremely burhouse,
and this caused much merrlment The
pests became 80 bad toward the close OF
last Sundays session that the children had
TO be taken into the upper rooms OF the
church.
The Rev. DIR. Edward w Wroth, rector
Of the church, IN speaking Of the matter
recently, said that the insects first made
ttfi appearance dJOuA tour years ago,
They generally begin 10 give trouble about
the first part of April. ana last until the
first real hot weather OF summer sets In.
Every year they have become worse, until
now they are practically countless At
times the carpet OF the infant class f.
white with them In addressing a meet
ing Of the Woman's Mission Rev.
Or. Worth was first obliged
to send for the sexton 20
sweep great mass Of the bugs Off The
platform. Insect powder was tried some
time ago, but, although many were killed,
the bugs sin increased in number. II was
decided TO pour coal oil down the cracks
OF the floor al one time. but this was given
up, as had the church burned down no
insurance could have been obtained
Money Is now being raised for extensive
improvements with the intention Of get
ting rid OF the bugs. The entire flooring
wiz be torn up and layer OF concrete
put In TO keep the bugs from getting
through. New boards will be put over this.
The south wall OF the chruch will also
be torn out, and a new addition, II BY 80
feet, added. There are over 300 children
in the Sunday school, and the enlarge
ment was necessary for comfort.