EATING UP A CHURCH.

Marlborough Express, Volume XVII, Issue 295, 18 December 1882, Page 2

EATING UP A CHURCH.

The " Buildiug News" relates a singular misfortune which occurred toasmall church m Ahdover, Mass., 'which, seems .to beau, process of being eaten up bodily and swept away. The church was erected about six years ago, and is finished with what is said to be ash, but but has more the appearance of chesuut, .which joften closely resembles the coarser kinds of ash. A year or two after its completion the sexton noticed little heaps dust on the carpet near the walls. These grew more and more frequent, and appeared m various portions of the buildiug, so that they had to be gathered up regularly every week, and. on searching for their causa the wood of the base -boards and portions of the pews was found to be completely riddled with holes made by email, ronnd, black or blue worms, the debris of whose borings fell out occasionally upon the floor m the form of dust. Unlike most boring worms, this species seems not to object to the taste of varnish, for the polished surface of the wood is pierced m thousands of places. The stock was regarded as completely seasoned and m good condition when put into the building, but it would seem that it must have contained the embryos of the insects, for the finish of the galleries ia attacked equally with that of the ground floor. If any of our readors adds the " News" met ivith a similar case we should be pleased to receive an account of it, and if any know of a remedy, the trustees of the church would be glad to avail theinaolvs of it.