An open letter has been sent to the various Chinese newspapers here for publication in the name of the gentry and people of the city and district of Such'ien, Kiangpeh (Northern Kiang-ssu). The letter states that all the crops in the northern portion of Suchien district have been eaten up by swarms of locusts and thet yamen runners" sent by the district Magistrate (Chihbsien), instead of helping the farmers to destroy the pest, take the opportunity to impose upon and extort from the people already rendered almost destitute by the locust visitation. What makes matters worse for that region is the fact that the young locusts fare getting able to use their wings and fears are entertained that the devastation that will be caused by them will spread throughout Northern Kiangse unless aid be given to stamp out the pest,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.