Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1830-04-23
From the Philadelphia Gazette.
4 SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE YELLOW
FEVER IN l79S.
CHAPTER

4 SHORT ACCOUNT OF The YELLOW
FEVER IN l79S.
CHAPTER 1.
State of Philadelphia precious TO the appearance
ofhs Indignant Fsrer-,cith a te,c oJserva-
tions on some Of the consequences Of that ca
lamity.
Before enter on the consideration of this dis
order, it may not be improper to offer few intro
,luctory remarks on the situation OF Philadelphia
previous to its commencement, which will reflect
fght ON some of the circumstances mentioned in
the course of the narrative.
The manufactures, trade, and commerce of this
city. had, for considerable time, been improv-
mo and extending with great rapidity. From the
period of the adoption of the federal government,
AZ which time America was at the lowest ebb of
distress, her situation had progressively become
more & more prosperous. Confidence, formerly
banished, was universally restored. Property of
every kind rose to, and in many instances beyond,
its real value: and few revolving years exhibited
the interesting spectacle of young country. with
u new form of government, emerging from state
which had approached very near to anarchy, and
acquiring all the stability and nerve Of the best
toned and oldest nations.
In this prosperity, which revived the almost ex
ringuished hopes Of four millions of people, Phi
ladelphia participated in an eminent degree
Numbers Of new houses, in almost every street,
built in a very neat, elegant style, adorned, at
the same time that they greatly enlarged. the CT
ty. Its population was extending fast. House
rent had risen to an extravagant height; it was in
many cases double, and in some treble what it
had been year or two before; and, as is general
" the case, when city is advancing in prospe-
rity, il far exceeded the real increase of trade
The number of applicants for houses, exceeding
the number of houses to be let, one bid over ano-
Their; and affairs were in such situation, that
many people, though they had tolerable run of
business. could hardly do more than clear their
rents, and were, literally, toiling for their land
lords alone. Luxury, the usual, and perhaps in
-evitabe concomitant of prosperity, was gaining
ground in manner very alarming to those who
considered how far the virtue, the liberty, and
the happiness of nation depend on its temper
ance and sober manners. Many of our citizens
had been, for some time, in the imprudent habit
of regulating their expenses by prospects formed
IN sanguine hours, when every probability was
caught at as certainty. not by their actual pro-
FITS or income. The number of coaches, coach
ees, chairs, &c. lately set up by men in middle
rank of life is hardly credible. Not to enter in
to minute detail, let it suffice to remark, that
extravaganza, in various forms, was gradually
graduating the plain and wholesome habits of the
city.
However, from November, 1892, to the end of
last June, the difficulties of PHILADELPHIA were ex-
IRENE. The establishment of the Bank of Penn
syvania, in embryo for the most part of that
time, had arrested in the. two other banks such
aquantity of the circulating specie, as embarrass-
ed almost every kind of business; to this was
added the distress arising from the very numer-
Gus failures in England, which had extreme
ly harassed several of our capital merchants
Daring this period, many slneh experienced as
great difficulties as were ever known in this city.
But the COMMENCEMENT, in July, Of the opera
tons of the .Bankof Pennsylvania, conducted on
the most generous and enlarged principles, placed
business on its former favorable footing. Every
man looked forward to the coming autumn as
likely to produce vast extension Of trade. But
how feeting are all human views! how uncer-
tain all plans founded on earthly Appearances
All these fattering prospects vanished like the
baseless fabric of vision.'
In July, arrived the unfortunate fugitives from
Cape Francois. And on this occasion, the libe-
rality Of Philadelphia was displayed in a most
respectable point of light. Nearly $4,000 dol
lars were in few days collected for their relief
Little, alas! did many Of the contributors, then
in easy circumstances, imagine, that few weeks
would leave their wives and children dependent
on public charity, as has since unfortunately hap
pened:-an awful instance of the rapid and warn
ing vicsstudes of affairs on this transtory stage
About this time, the destroying scourge, the
malignant fever, crept in among US, and nipped
In the bud the fairest blossoms that imagination
could form. And, oh! what dreadful contrast
has since taken place! Many women, then in
the lap of ease and contentment are bereft of be-
loved husbands. and left with numerous families
'ofNchildren to maintain, unqualified for the ardu-
Gus task-many orphans are destitute of parents
to foster and protect them-many entire fami-
lies are swept away, without leaving ga trace
behind"-many of our first commercial houses
are totally dissolved by the death Of the parties,
and their affairs are necessarily left in oderansed
a state, that the losses and distresses which must
take place, are beyond estimation.
CHAPTER III.
First alarm in Philadelphia. Flight ofthe Cit,-
gems. G,sardiaasof The poor borne dOOn ,cith
Labour
1t was some time before the disorder attract
sd public notice II had in the meanwhile s,yenf