1874 Grasshopper Invasion

The following article was excerpted from the book From Thirty Years in Topeka, by F. W. Giles, published in Topeka in 1886.

The year 1874 will long be remembered in Kansas on account of the remarkable incursion of the Rocky Mountain locusts that year. The habitat of this variety of locusts in America is along the eastern base of the Rocky Mountains, from Texas, through Colorado, Wyoming and Montana.

There are historical notions of its having swarmed over the great plains prior to their settlement by white men, and it is probable such events had occurred for unknown ages, though the special causes of its swarming down upon the plains are unknown.

There is familiar talk of seventeen-year locusts and of ten-year locusts, by inference assuming that there exists a periodicity in the going forth from their mountain habitat of this pest, but observations in Kansas for more than thirty years fail to confirm such a theory.

The year 1874 opened propitious as usual for the husbandman in Kansas, having sufficient rains down to the first of July, but from that time a general drouth prevailed throughout the trans-Mississippi States, not only, but throughout the Atlantic, interior and New England States as well. It was a year in the country at large of extreme heat and cold, of damage by floods and drouths, of devastations by locusts, chinch bugs and cut-worms. The marked prosperity in agriculture had called widespread attention to Kansas, and tens of thousands of families had broken the sward and hat spring sown and planted for the first time upon these productive plains, and for the most part were composed of persons of quite limited means, who were dependent upon the year's products for the year's subsistence.

The locusts first alighted, according to reports obtained by the State Board of Agriculture, on the 1st of July, in Ellsworth county, and during that month in Saline, Decatur, Barton and two or three other counties, but through the month of August they continued like storms of rain to almost deluge the land, and scarcely a county in the State escaped their ravages.

It would tax the powers of an abler writer than this to clearly portray the changes that ensued. The tree yesterday laden with its heavy drapery of green, to-day denuded. The peach and pear and apple trees, with luscious fruitage, withered as the fig tree accursed. Gardens with lawns and shrubbery and flowers, now lifeless, seared and fallen to decay. The cottage embowered, now exposed and blistered by the burning heat of the summer sun.

The farmer's fields of ripening grain -- his only promise, his only hope -- now blackened by the countless myriads of the all-devouring plague -- Egypt's dread. A summer scene, in an hour, as it were, transformed to one of winter. To see it, only is it possible to realize it.

There was alarm throughout the State, but especially in those districts of the west but recently settled, and the inquiry went out from every quarter, "What shall be done?" There was a general disinclination to ask aid from beyond the borders of the State, for it was well known that there was an abundance in the State for all if any means could be devised for reaching it. Indeed, any of the organized counties, acting in their public capacity, could have borrowed money to any needed extent, and there were many persons who thought they should do so. But the feeling generally prevailed that the State, in its sovereign capacity, should make provision for such as the great calamity had rendered unable to make provision for themselves.

Under these circumstances, Gov. Osborn issued his proclamation calling the Legislature in special session. The Legislature convened on the 15th of September, and the Governor said, in his message addressed to them on that occasion, that he had taken measures, through the agency of the State Board of Agriculture, as well as by numerous inquiries directly from the executive office, to learn the true situation, and that while his inquiries showed that the State as a whole had an abundance of breadstuffs -- much more than would be needed in the State to feed all the people -- that that portion of the State which had been almost entirely populated during the previous eighteen months would suffer for the want of the necessities of life, unless provision was made for its relief; that from information then in his possession, it appeared that the section of the State for which relief should be provided by legislation, was confined to counties west of the sixth principal meridian. Of these, the greatest destitution seemed to prevail in the extreme northwest, instancing Norton, Phillips, Rooks, Osborne and Smith counties, and the unorganized counties lying west, where immediate aid seemed necessary.

The number of persons who would require more or less aid, as estimated in the reports received, would not, it was thought, exceed 15,000 and many of these would require but little assistance. The greatest want seemed to be of small grain, whereby those destitute people could be subsisted until another crop could be raised. It was thought there was sufficient meat in the counties named to supply the demands of consumption. The Governor estimated the quantity necessary for the subsistence of these 15,000 persons at 120,000 bushels, which could be delivered to them at about $1.00 a bushel, for wheat. Many of the people in those counties would require clothing, but that want could probably be supplied through the agency of societies in the older counties, without cost to the State.

The sentiment of the people was entirely in favor of providing for the emergency, and for doing so at home. The day had gone by when there was need to look to others for assistance.

Various propositions were raised and discussed, and finally a law passed authorizing the issue of $73,000 of State relief bonds, running twenty years, and bearing seven per cent. interest; and also a law authorizing nineteen specifically named counties to issue their bonds in specific sums, in no case exceeding $5,000, of like tenor and effect with the State bonds, and from the proceeds of the State bonds the Treasurer might purchase the county bonds. The Board of Commissioners of the Permanent School Fund was authorized to purchase the State bonds, and by means of these several provisions funds were at once available for relief; and in the opinion of the author, at this day, ample relief for any necessities that existed.

From the State fund direct donations were made to three newly organized and sparsely settled counties, as follows: To Rush County, $1,000; to Decatur County, $1.000, and to Ness County, $500.It was a strange sequel to that wise and beneficent legislation, that only two of the nineteen counties so proffered loans from the State treasury, to relieve the supposed necessities of their people, availed themselves of the privilege --Norton and Reno, each in the sum of $5,000. Still rumors of widespread destitution and want were the theme of local newspapers, and excitement ran higher and higher daily. It was apparent that an indiscriminate and desultory system of begging would be resorted to, and as a consequence an irreparable injury to the moral sentiment of our people, as well as disgrace to the State, would ensue.

To avert these calamitous results, as fast as might be, and at the same time to establish a reliable and responsible agency through which supplies might be received and intelligently distributed, a public meeting of citizens was called at Topeka, on the evening of Nov. 19, 1874, and an organization effected, under the style of the "Kansas Central Relief Committee."

The committee on the succeeding day issued the following address, which, on account of its correct appreciation and truthful statement of the situation, as fully demonstrated by subsequent events, we give in full:

To the Citizens of Kansas and the People of the Eastern States:

The Central Kansas Relief Committee is organized chiefly to secure aid within our own State for those of our citizens who are victims of the grasshopper plague. In order to the more successful discharge of their duty, the committee issue this address, directed specially to the residents of Eastern Kansas, and also to our friends in the Eastern States, from whom communications are daily received requesting authentic information as to our condition.

The calamitous destruction of crops, which will make the year 1874 memorable in the history of the Northwest, has not spared the State of Kansas. Although the reports which have been widely circulated over the country grossly exaggerate the amount of destitution in Kansas, yet information received through the State Board of Agriculture and from other reliable sources in our State, especially newly arrived pioneers in the frontier counties, destitute not only of fuel and suitable clothing for winter use, but also of adequate means for the subsistence of man and beast.

Appreciating the extent of the disaster which had befallen our people, and having full faith in the ability of the State to provide for its own destitute, the Governor convened the Legislature in extra session in September. The Legislature held, that under the constitution it had not the power to make appropriations adequate to the emergency, directly from the treasury. It did, however, authorize certain frontier counties to issue their own bonds in aid of the necessities of their citizens. For various reasons not necessary here to enumerate, the legislative action has failed to relieve the wants of the people.

The destitution is not general, but limited. It is mainly confined to the frontier counties, in which the growing crops were destroyed by the grasshoppers in the months of July and August. In the older counties there is abundance to meet the wants of the people, but if there are deficiencies as to some crops, the people have means to procure needed supplies from abroad. With the exception of the frontier counties, into which the last two or three years have poured an unprecedented tide of enterprising and worthy settlers of very limited means, the proportion of people not able to provide for themselves is as small in Kansas as it is in any State in the Union.

The limits assigned in this address do not allow us to go into details. It is sufficient to say that many persons in the frontier counties are greatly in need of grain, provisions and clothing -- and this need will continue throughout the winter, and until May or June of next year, including the demand for grain for seed and for support of work animals, in putting in crops.

Even in these frontier counties, the lack of supplies exists chiefly among the immigrants who have come into the State within the last year or so, and who had no dependence for living but the sod crops which the grasshoppers destroyed. Strictly speaking, a large number of the destitute are hardly citizens of Kansas at all.

They have but just arrive, with very slight resources, from States east of Kansas. In our judgment, it is the duty of those who live in the older portions of the State to see to it that even the immigrants of yesterday, having pushed on to the border with the honest purpose of making a home for himself and his family, shall not lack the necessities of life. Such a course is dictated equally by justice, by charity and by sound policy.

We are sure that the people of the older and wealthier portions of the State are both able and willing to render assistance to their needy neighbors. One main purpose of the establishment of this committee is to furnish a channel through which churches and other local organizations and societies in this State may send their contributions to those who are entitled to receive them. We earnestly appeal to our own people to take immediate and efficient measures to furnish help to their fellow-citizens who are sufferers, not from any fault of theirs, but through unavoidable calamity. The needs of the sufferers are pressing, and the early arrival of winter forbids delay in efforts for their relief.

We learn that in various parts of the East individuals are soliciting aid for sufferers in this State. We have sufficient proof that in some cases these solicitors are unprincipled persons, that they are actuated by selfish motives, and they are entirely unworthy of confidence.

We but discharge an important duty, devolved upon us by our appointment, when we warn our friends in the East against placing their benefactions in the hands of unauthorized, irresponsible and mercenary parties.

If there are those outside of this State who desire to aid us in supplying the wants of our hardy, industrious but now unfortunate pioneers -- (and generous, voluntary proffers of such aid are constantly being sent to us)-- this committee affords them a medium through which their contributions may be judiciously applied to the end proposed by the donors and fully accounted for.

All persons now engaged, or proposing to engage in soliciting contributions in this State or beyond it, upon satisfying this committee of their fitness for said service, will be recommended to the executive department of the State for indorsement. Such indorsement made by the Governor of the State will be a guaranty of the responsibility of the party to whom it is granted, and the lack of said indorsement in any case should not be overlooked by those to whom application may be made.

Whatever contributions of money or supplies may be sent to this committee will be promptly and judiciously distributed among the needy.

Railroads, probably without exception, will forward relief freight free of charges, if such freight is shipped to the care of this committee.

Individuals or local committees desiring more specific information concerning matters connected with the relief of our people, should address directly the secretary of the committee, and remittances of funds should be made to the treasurer, at Topeka.

With emphasis we assert, that our suffering people are not wanting in enterprise nor courage, no in any of the elements of true manhood. The uncomplaining patience with which even women and children are enduring the misfortunes that have fallen upon them is nothing short of heroic. Our people have not lost faith in themselves nor in the resources and prospects of the State in which they live, nor in Him without whom not a sparrow falls to the ground.

In their behalf, we confidently appeal to the liberality of those who count it a privilege to minister to the wants of the suffering, especially among their own countrymen, their own kindred.

(Signed) E. S. Stover, Lieut. Governor, Chairman,
Henry King, Editor The Commonwealth, Secretary,
F. W. Giles, Pres't, Topeka Nat'l Bank, Treasurer
John Fraser, State Superintendent Schools,
Wm. Sims, Overseer State Grange,
Alfred Gray, Sec'y State Agricultural Society,
Rev. F. S. McCabe, D. D. Presbyterian Pastor,
O. T. Welch, Land and Insurance Agent,
S. T. Kelsey, State Board of Agriculture,
A. L. Voorhees, Russell County,
Rev. W. C. Tenney, Douglas County,
C. H. Lebold, Banker, Dickinson County,
Hon. E. N. Morrill, Brown County,
Hon. J. H. Edwards, Ellis County,
Hon. Thomas Murphy, Mayor of Atchison,
G. A. Thompson, Harvey County,
Hon. M. M. Murdock, Sedgwick County,
Gen. C. W. Blair, Bourbon County,
Col. P. B. Plumb, Lyon County,
Committee.

These circulars were extensively distributed in the older-settled counties, and in the eastern States. On the 30th of November the first response was received, in the form of a package of clothing contributed by children in a public school at Shelbyville, Ohio, and immediately followed by a stream of supplies in great variety, that continued in daily increasing volume. That portion of the committee upon whom rested the labor of receiving, caring for and distributing the contributions were forced to immediately abandon their own legitimate business and devote their time to this work of charity. Provision was made with most of the railroads, not only within, but in many instances without the State, and extending from Boston to San Francisco, to carry supplies shipped to and by the committee free of charge. The commercial value of services in that way contributed by railroads is not known, but it must have amounted to a very large sum. Warerooms were rented to store the supplies till they could be designated and shipped to districts where they were supposed to be most appropriate--a task attended with great difficulty on account of uncertainty as to the contents of the boxes, bales, or barrels coming often unattended by letters of advice as to their contents. Hundreds of these were forwarded in unbroken packages as they were received. The orders of the sub-committee of distribution --"Four boxes and seven barrels to Reno," "A sack of beans and a barrel of pork to Rice" -- were indices to daily occurrences.

The writer and the Rev. Dr. F. S. McCabe sat at their table in private apartments for more than two months, from early morning till at night sometimes, listening to the plaints and importunities of supplants, and giving answers, yes or no, in many cases when seemingly it meant a life saved, or lost by starvation.

Many cases on which it were very difficult to give a satisfactory answer were presented, and the emotions of sympathy and sense of justice were often at war in the hearts of those men. Sometimes when they had given an adverse decision to an applicant, for himself or his neighbors, and he had left the rooms, they would make an order unknown to him, for a sack of flour or some other articles of prime necessity to be placed in his wagon.

At one time towards spring, a little playful rivalry arose between contributors in Boston and San Francisco, over the magnitude of their charities, and pleasant telegrams were exchanged between officers of the committee and friends in those localities in regard to the subject. But San Francisco quickly put a stop to these pleasantries by contributing a whole train load of barley.

There were 407,000 more acres of corn in Kansas that year than in any previous one, and the aggregate yield was 27 per cent. greater than in any previous year. Extraordinary efforts were made, and on the whole Kansas enjoyed, in 1875, one of the most remarkable returns for her industries of any year in her history to this day. Within three months from the time of eating the bread of charity, the farmers in some instances were in anger complaining because the railroads had not sufficient rolling stock to haul away their surplus products to a market.