An insect plague hit Rome for a few hours Friday night. Although less were out last night, they could not be counted by any human device. Romans attempted to get to their homes Friday night about 8:30 o’clock across the Second avenue bridge spanning the Etowah and Oostanaula Rivers, only to be held up because the insects were two feet thick in places. One business man’s automobile was stalled on the Etowah bridge. His wheels slid around as if he had been on a ballroom floor, and it was only by applying a generous sprinkle of sand that he found it possible to continue home. The insects swarmed on the windshield of another young citizen so had to get down and scrape them off with a monkey wrench. At that he got plenty of them in his ears, eyes, and hair, for they arose at his approach. This young man said the critters emitted an odor as of stale fish. He ran into a meat market for some air. The insects were about an inch long, with wings nearly that length, and narrow, black bodies. They did not bear any resemblance to anything worth while, but appeared to be devoid of stingers. They congregated especially under the electric lights, and there held close communion. All day Friday and part of Saturday myriads of insects thought to have been the same as those infesting the streets gathered along the river banks. They weighted down willows and other bushes almost to the snapping point, to such an extent that many of the insects fell off and broke their necks or were drowned. Great patches floated down the rivers, but did not seem to attract the fish. They looked suspiciously like young snake doctors, but that is an unofficial surmise.—June 19, 1921. 
—A History of Rome and Floyd County by George Magruder Battey Jr (1922)

They looked suspiciously like young snake doctors, but that is an unofficial surmise.

Great patches floated down the rivers, but did not seem to attract the fish.

They weighted down willows and other bushes almost to the snapping point, to such an extent that many of the insects fell off and broke their necks or were drowned.

All day Friday and part of Saturday myriads of insects thought to have been the same as those infesting the streets gathered along the river banks.

They congregated especially under the electric lights, and there held close communion.

They did not bear any resemblance to anything worth while, but appeared to be devoid of stingers.

The insects were about an inch long, with wings nearly that length, and narrow, black bodies.

                                                             *

He ran into a meat market for some air.    

This young man said the critters emitted an odor as of stale fish.

At that he got plenty of them in his ears, eyes, and hair, for they arose at his approach.

The insects swarmed on the windshield of another young citizen so had to get down and scrape them off with a monkey wrench.

His wheels slid around as if he had been on a ballroom floor, and it was only by applying a generous sprinkle of sand that he found it possible to continue home.

Romans attempted to get to their homes Friday night about 8:30 o’clock across the Second avenue bridge spanning the Etowah and Oostanaula Rivers, only to be held up because the insects were two feet thick in places.

Although less were out last night, they could not be counted by any human device.

An insect plague hit Rome for a few hours Friday night.

                                                             *

An insect plague  an unofficial surmise   hit Rome for
but that is   Friday night. Although   young snake doctors
less were out   looked suspiciously like   last night they
fish. They looked   less were out   to attract the
last night, they   did not seem   they could not
the rivers, but   could not be   patches floated down      
counted by any   were drowned. Great   human device. Romans
their necks or   attempted to get   off and broke
to their homes   the insects fell   Friday night about
many of the   about 8:30 o’clock   an extent that
across the Second   snapping point, to   avenue bridge spanning
almost to the   the Etowah and   and other bushes
Oostanaula Rivers, only   weighted down willows   to be held
river banks. They   up because the   gathered along the
insects were two   infesting the streets   feet thick in
same as those   in places. One   have been the
insects thought to   One business man’s   Saturday myriads of
automobile was stalled   and part of   on the Etowah
All day Friday   bridge. His wheels   held close communion.
slid around as   lights, and there   if he had 
under the electric   been on a ballroom   They congregated especially
floor, and it   devoid of stingers   was only by
appeared to be   applying a generous   worth while, but
sprinkle of sand   resemblance to anything   that he found
not bear any   it possible to   bodies. They did
continue home. The   and narrow, black   insect swarmed on
nearly that length,   the windshield of   long, with wings
another young citizen   about an inch   so had to
The insects were   get down and   for some air.
scrape them off   a meat market   with a monkey
He ran into   wrench. At that   of stale fish
he got plenty   an odor as   of them in
the critters emitted    his ears, eyes   young man said
and hair, for   his approach. This   they arose at

                                                             *

The insects were about an inch long, with wings nearly that length, 
and narrow, black bodies. All day Friday and part of Saturday myriads 
of insects thought to have been the same as those infesting the streets 
gathered along the river banks. Romans attempted to get to their homes 
Friday night about 8:30 o’clock across the Second avenue bridge 
spanning the Etowah and Oostanaula Rivers, only to be held up 
because the insects were two feet thick in places. Great patches floated 
down the rivers, but did not seem to attract the fish. They did not bear 
any resemblance to anything worth while, but appeared to be devoid 
of stingers. They congregated especially under the electric lights, 
and there held close communion. The insects swarmed on the windshield 
of another young citizen so had to get down and scrape them off 
with a monkey wrench. At that he got plenty of them in his ears, eyes, 
and hair, for they arose at his approach. They looked suspiciously
like young snake doctors, but that is an unofficial surmise. Although less 
were out last night, they could not be counted by any human device.
He ran into a meat market for some air. His wheels slid around as if he 
had been on a ballroom floor, and it was only by applying a generous 
sprinkle of sand that he found it possible to continue home. An insect 
plague hit Rome for a few hours Friday night. They weighted down 
willows and other bushes almost to the snapping point, to such an extent
that many of the insects fell off and broke their necks or were drowned. 
This young man said the critters emitted an odor as of stale fish.