Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1854-08-11
Western Correspondence.
Correspondence of the Lewisburg Chronicle.
MADISON. WIS. AUG. .. 1854


| Mr.. EDITOR The existence of the
Cholera in the West, and the exaggerated
stories Of its extent, has almost entirely
suspended travel, and.hote!-keepers, buses,
&c, are enjoying a season of plenty of
nothing to do. But, as the Cholera is
fast subsiding, and in some places entirely
disappeared, this oppressive stagnation in
travel will soon be superseded by the
wonted tide Of emigration to the West.
The Cholera has not existed to the extent
as it was represented; but it has, in reality,
been bad enough, in all conscience. In
Chicago it was worst, and still fingers
about the city, but is materially declining
in violence and fatality. Even there, the
people were more frightened than hurt,
and fed from the city with dismay at its
first appearance; A gentleman who was
| there about the time Informed me that no
less than ten thousand persons fed from
the city in the course of two or three days.
In Madison, there has not been a case of
Cholera for eight days, yet, not more than
30 miles distant, reports are current, told
as from the most unimpeachable authority,
that in Madison over sixty deaths occur
daily from Cholera, and the city is desert
cd. There have been t,renty cases of real
Cholera here, ten of which resulted fatally;
and from these sprung the big stories.
The greatest fatality l have heard of oc-
CURED at stage-station, kept by man
named Lamar, about l5 miles east of Ga
lena, in Illinois, about two weeks ago.
The first victims were Mrs. Lamar, and
four children, two servant girls, two stage
drivers, the bar keeper, and a man who
had commenced making collins for the dec
eased After nine had died in the house,
"which, by the way" says the Galena
J6ersonitn, is in one of the most beauti-
full and airy situations in the country"
the remainder of the family removed to
the barn, where two more were seized
and <pired Dr. Ladd, Of Shullsburg,
in this State, late Superintendent Of Pub
lie Instruction, one of the attending
physicians, died the next morning after his
return home A friend of the family,
also living at Shullsburg, was attacked but
recovered. Four stage-drivers, who were
in the habit of taking some of their meals
and spending part of their time at Lamar's,
died about the same time at Galena. As
to the probable cause of this singular NOR
tality, the J..fsrsonian says
"This extraordinary mortality is unex-
ampled. We hear that it is accounted for
by the condition of the cellar beneath the
house The bottom, it is said, was cover
ed with water in a putrid condition, in
which were floating cut pieces of meat,
decayed vegetables and other refuse that
will gather in such places. Over this
mass, the meat consumed by the family
was hanging, and through the aecumula-
tions upon it, the disease-whatever it
may have been-is supposed to have been
communicated to the sufferers. 1t is said
that every person who took dinner there
on Monday is now in the grave. Poison
is suspected-with what reason, We do not
know.
"Some local cause operating with dead.
ly virulence has killed serenteen out of
some twenty five persons who have been
in contact with it. Let this warning take
hold Of all whose premises contain the
seeds of disease"
Since my last letter, the weather has
"cleared up" and has been for several
days past, clear, warm, and healthy, and
the destruction of crops, Of which then
spoke, has not been as bad or as general
as was then anticipated. The only re-