The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-08-31 00:00:00

THE YELLOW FEVER IN AMERICA.

The American papers received this week give
harrowing details respecting the spread of yellow fever
is the Southern States of North America. Residents
of the infected districts were fleeing to Washington and
to other places outside the line of the disease. At
latest accounts the alarming increase of the epidemic
in the towns and cities along the Mississippi River
had produced great consternation at Washington, and
It was recommended that the baggage of persons
arriving from the South should be disinfected, and that
the passengers themselves should be kept under in-
spection for seven days. At Grenada, Mississippi, there
were 12 cases on August 15, and the white population
was reduced to 700. A telegram from the acting
mayor of Grenada on be 14th of August to the Mayor
of Wilmington, says :—" Help me to pay nurses and
bury the dead. Our town is a graveyard. We need
help. The mayor is dying, and I am the only official
left." From Memphis, the following telegram was re-
ceived : " August 15. To Hon. George W. M'Orary,
Secretary of War, Washington, D. C., —Death is making
rapid strides through our streets. Towns have quaran-
tined us. Can you not order 2,000 tents into which to
remove the poor? R. F. PATTERSON, collector interna-
tional revenue. R. A. THOMPSON, postmaster."

Postmaster Thompson sent another telegram
asking for rations, with a view of supplying and get-
ting all the poor people out of town. Twenty-seven
new cases and six deaths have been reported in the
last twenty-four hours. Thirty-three new cases and
six deaths were reported between nine o'clock last
night and nine o'clock to night. The Memphis and
Grenada and Memphis and Little Rock railroads
have stopped running trains. Nearly all towns in all
directions are quarantined against us. Several of the
largest business houses in the city will close to-morrow,
and remain closed until after frost comes. Gaston's
and the Commercial Hotel closed to-day. Thousands
of persons have left the city, and every train is loaded
down Washington. August 15th.—The Secretary of
War has made a favourable response to the petition
from Memphis for a supply of tents to shelter the poor
people of that city in the country.

- -
New Orleans, Aug. 15.
Ninety-eight new cases of yellow fever have been
reported to-day, with 16 deaths. Seven of the deaths
were children under five years, one was eight, and one
14. The Times says :—" Some of the remarkable fea-
tures that characterized the fever in the incipiency
continue to characterize it now in what may be re-
garded as its natural and developed form. Fully 60
per cent. of the deaths are of foreigners of unacclima-
tized people, and fully 75 per cent, of the remainder
are of children. It is very rarely we notice the death
of an adult burn here or who lived here any length of
time, and of whom it can be said that he or she
received even moderate attention." A schooner, Ida
Lawrence, from Cuba bound for New York, put into
Delaware Breakwater on August 16, with all her crew
either dead or laid up from the yellow fever. The
captain, a son of the owner, and three of the crew had
died, and the remainder of the crew were sick. A case
was reported in New York on the 16th, but the doc-
tors had not up to that time been able to pronounce
a decided opinion; the man had arrived from New
Orleans.

A. telegram from New Orleans under date August 25,
states that the United States Surgeon-General reports
that 771 cases of yellow fever and 295 deaths occurred
at New Orleans curing the past week. At Vicksburg
there have been 400 cases and 69 deaths since the
outbreak of the epidemic, and the number is increas-
ing.. At Memphis 144 cases and 53 deaths have
occurred during the last six days, and the number is
rapidly increasing. Four refugees from infected
diAricts have died at St. Louis, A few cases are also
re; )orted from Cincinnati and Louisville. The Surgeon-
General adds that it is at present impossible t,o obtain
accurate returns of the number of victims at Grenada,
the remaining inhabitants being either sick or dying
anil abandoned by the panic-stricken negro attendants.
Horrible scenes of desolation and Buffering are reported.
Ni,iety deaths from yellow
eeowwfever have occurred at
Ha 7annah during the pas

Madame Anderson finished her task on Satarday
vening of walking a quarter of a mile every five minutes for
six consecutive days, at King's Lynn. At the conclu.sion of
the feat she appeared but little Wiped.

MR. SPURGEON AND HIS CONGREGA-
TION.

Mr. Spurgeon was unable, through illbess, to
officiate at the Tabernacle on Sunday. Another
attack of rheumatism seized him a few days ago, but
its severity was not so great as to deprive him of the
hope, during all day on Saturday, of meeting his con-
gregation and addressing them as usual on Sunday
morning. In the course of Saturday night, however,
the rev, gentleman's pains increased to such a degree
that though, as the subjoined letter will show, he had
prepared his discourse for next day he was obliged to
abandon the ictea of performing his ordinary minis-
terial functions at any of the services. At the morn-
ing service the following letter, addressed by Mr.
Spurgeon to the deacons and members of his flock,
was read.

'Nightingale-lane, Clapham.

"Dear Friends,—Up to the last moment of yesterday
evening I cherished the resolution of preaching to you,
and prepared a sermon accordingly, although I was in
great pain. This morning I found myself quiteunable
to rise, for I am afflicted in head, shoulders, and neck
with fierce rheumatism; and therefore I must lie still,
and endeavour patiently to bear the great Father's
will. I am grieved to the heart to be so often laid
aside, but I am in hopes that in this instance the evil
will not last many dap,. I will be with you on Thurs-
day if able to move. I cannot tell why these affliv-
tions are sent, but I entreat your prayera that they
may he sanctified to my own growth in grace, and your
edification. With warmest love, your afflicted pastor,
C. H. SPURGEON, per C. SPURGEON, junior."