YORK COUNTY NEBRASKA
OLD SETTLER'S HISTORY

     (21) In the latter part of July, 1876 the early settlers were visited by a new and unlooked for calamity of grasshoppers. In the afternoon of a hot day, July the 20th, a mysterious cloud appeared in the northern horizon, and all were wondering what it was, until suddenly the awful cloud of grasshoppers covered the country, so thick at times that the sun was darkened, and all gardens and green vegetation was soon devoured; much of the small grain was in the shock and mostly saved, to the greet comfort of the pioneer settlers; the grain that was standing was soon ruined, the grasshoppers would bite the straw off just below the head; after they had done all the damage they could they filled the ground with eggs and left. The next spring the eggs began hatching, and the settlers were filled with alarm for the coming crops, and every device imaginable was made for catching young grasshoppers; a petition was filed with the County Board of Supervisors asking them to take measures to exterminate the young grasshoppers; the County Board met in special session April 25th, 1877, and Book No. 1, page 470 shows the following proceedings:

     (22) "After deliberating upon the subject, the following resolution was adopted by the Board, to-wit:

     Whereas, the grasshoppers are now hatching out in large numbers, and believing that the interests of the county demand an immediate action by the Board of County Commissioners to encourage the destruction of these pests, it is hereby resolved by the Board of County Commissioners: 1st, That all persons in the county are hereby called upon to turn out and kill and destroy grasshoppers. 2nd, That for all grasshoppers caught, and killed within the limits of the several Road Districts in the county and delivered to the respective Road Supervisors, the Supervisors shall give his receipt, stating the amount, when and by whom delivered. 3rd, Supervisors shall receive and receipt for grasshoppers every Friday afternoon. and shall at once annihilate them by burning. 4th, On or before the 2nd day of July each Supervisor shall make and return to this Board, in writing and under oath, the amount of grasshoppers delivered to and burned by them. 5th, The holders of Supervisors receipts shall be entitled to pay by the County Board as follows: for grasshoppers delivered on or before May 18th, 1877 the sum of Two Dollars per bushel, in county warrants, and for grasshoppers delivered after that date, and on or before June 1st, 1877, the sum of One Dollar per bushel, in county warrants."

     August 11th, 1877 we find the following proceedings in Book No. 2 at page 15:

     "The following accounts were audited and allowed by the Board, to-wit:

     The Village of York was at that time liberal, patriotic and interested in the prosperity of the county as a whole, and procured devices for catching grasshoppers and used them in the town and country, catching great quantities of grasshoppers and piling them upon the court house square in great piles and burning then free of charge. Mr. H. C. Kleinschmidt tells us he has seen grasshopper piles on the public square nearly four feet high when they were small, and that a bushel of young grasshoppers would make more than a hundred bushels of grown grasshoppers, that one grasshopper egg would hatch out five or six young grasshoppers.

     Much sympathy was created in the cities east of us by reports of the needs of the early settlers, and wheat, corn, flour, potatoes, beans and many things that were badly needed and greatly appreciated by the old settlers were received, and car loads of clothing, consisting of swallowtail coats, plug hats, quaker bonnets, Hoop skirts and other old cast-off clothing was received that furnished a great deal of amusement to the old settlers, and was a great relief to the donors, and brought in free by the railway company.

     The long, cold, wet spells contributed by a kind Providence, and more to rid the country of the grasshoppers than all the devices of man.

     The misfortunes of the early settlers created a bond of sympathy destroyed selfishness, and made all friends and neighbors.

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