The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-07-09
Our 81. Louis Correspondence.
ST.. Louis, June "a, 1919.

ST.. Louis, June a. 1919.
Incidents Of the Epidemic.
The earful epidemic which is now ravaging our
city, affords frequent evidences of that callousnes
OF which the human heart is susceptible, after the
long endurance Of an i'll against which il has VAIN
ly commended. Suffering and bereavement, in
stead Of awakening the tenderer sympathies, seem
TO have paralyzed them, and a terrible indifference
appears to have taken the place of that keen anx-
ety and alarm which recently pervaded all classes
of society. Or if there is a care Of life manifest
in the great multitude, It is mainly in desire for
selfpreservation. Member after member Of q
family is hurried to the grave, almost Unattended
and unmouned; settled apathy seeming to have
taken possession Of the survivors. While ,vnsc,
there ISL corpse lying in a house opposite, entire.
~ deserted. The family, ten days ago, consisted
o, or e'ent peJaons one amer another they dropped
only survived. They were sisters. Daring the
day, one was stricken down with cholera and
died. MS morning, the corpse was found lying
the breath had left 1.-THE only living mrmbcr IT
the family having lied from the scene IL death
Great d'ihcuiiy Is experienced in providing the
requisite means for The interment OF the dead A
large majority o the victims are Of the poorer clas-
SEES OF society. and the last rites are required 70 be
performed by the MUNICIPAL authorities The off,
ccrs 10 whom have been Delegated this business
are continually employed, and yet can scarcely ac-
I.
ing the public collin REPOSITORY, containing from
five to SIX collins. The driver makes bis
prescribed round. loads up hts freight Of
dead, and away 10 the public cemetery Few
or none attend these funerals, nor mass IL heard,
nor prayer offered, tor the reposc Of those so
rapidly hurried 10 their last resting places. Nor
with the more wealthy classes of society, is the
scene very materially varied. Mourning coaches
there may be- IN abundance. but few there are to
Ill them. On Saturday, witnessed the funeral of
a most esiImablc lady, the widow of a former
member OF Congress. There was not a sufficient
number ~ male attendants present to perform the
dplcs Of pail bearers, and the assistance of neigh
bors was required to bear the coffin to the nearae
20 great is the hurry to free the dwelling OF
dead bodies, that orders have been sent TO UNDER
takers before the breath had left the body. This
was the case day or two since, up town. A child
had died, and the parents had experienced diff
csliy IN procuring its lntermcnt. Next day. a Sc
cond child of the family was taken vi ct cholera.
and the prosPcci ct It, death being almost certain
the father sent forthwith for an undertaken. The
hearsc and collin arrived few hours after hut
the sufferer was su alive. Disappointed in the iul-
hlment Of his mission, the undertaken was about
TO depart; but the parents begged hun to remain
the child would soon be dead, and his freight Sc
cured. The attendant being pressed for time,
however, departed.
Hand in hand with disease, stalks crime in our
mdst Never, since I have known ST. Louis.
have our criminal records shown such pages "a
they at present exhibit-scarcey day without
the perpetration Of some fendish atrocity: and as
TO the lesser offenders, they swell the record.
ARGrs.