Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-09-08
Tho Epidemic in Norfolk aud Portsmouth

Tho Epidemic in Norfolk and Portsmouth.
Gloomy, indeed, is the latest news from the
infected yellow fever districtS-our letters from
that quarter teeming with accounts of the dis
tresses and wants of the sick, the groans of
the dying, the piteous cry Of some desolated
family-a father, mother, brother, sister, or
child dead in some instances but one left of a
large family, and in many cases an entire
family swept off. Sickening are the details,
and We would mot harrow the feelings by
their recital. Our people should pray God
that such another scourge may not visit the
human family.
Among the noble souls in Norfolk down
with the fever are Mr.. Augustus Cooke, the
assistant Mayor, Mr.. John A. kirkpatrick,
Of the provision store, and our fellow-citi-
gen Thomas Briggs. The latter, it will be
recollected, was among the first to offer his
services to nurse the sick, for which purpose
he left this city nearly four weeks since. He
has nobly adhered to his promise, to alleviate
as much suffering as possible; and in the per-
formance of his duties as nurse has received
the blessings of the dying we'll as the heart
felt thanks of the living. Private letters speak
in the highest terms of his valuable services,
md express the ardent hope that he may
speedily recover.
We have 4 letter from Petersburg, this
morning, announcing the gratifying intelli
sence that Capt. Elias Guy, of the Norfolk
police, has entirely recovered from his long
and severe sickness with the fever at Julappi
hospital, near Norfolk. Although still quite
weak, he is making arrangements to leave for
Petersburg, with the view of placing his fami-
~ (all of whom are conyalescent) in the pure
| air of that healthy locality. The scenes
through which he passed are represented as
enough TO chill the blood of any one; and he
hopes to live long that he may extol the heroic
conduct Of the Sisters of Charity, through
| whose constant nursing and attention he is in
lebted for his recovery.
DR.. n. c. Whitehead, the acting Mayor of
| Norfolk, has appointed Franklin III. Clack,
| Esq, captain Of police of that city. Mr.. Clack
| is a son of the late Captain Clack, U. S. n.
he is lately from New Orleans, but was raised
in Norfolk The deplor.blc condition of things
in and around that city (the unburied bodies,
| &c.) was the incentive.
A Norfolk correspondent Of the Richmond
| Dispatch expresses the opinion that the dis
ease is abating in that city, bat not in Ports
mouth, where there is great suffering for the
want Of provisions and necessaries for the sick.
| The writer reports the arrival of ITO collins
| lIom Richmond, $50 from Baltimore. and 40
from Hampton.
G9sin, the murderer Of Murphy, died in the
Norfolk Jail on Wednesday. The Jail was
| :hen thrown open and Il number of mutineers.
who were awaiting trial, Immediately re-
| paired to the hospital and are now rendering
efficient service.
To give an idea Of the extraordinary ex-
ponses now being incurred by the remaining
citizens of Norfolk, correspondent mentions
that gentleman was compelled to pay one
humdrsd and .ffty aoilarS for a metallic coffin
| f,r his deceased daughter,
| Mr. GatewOod, junior editor Of the Norfolk
| Beacon, is very sick, but his physician thinks
| ha will recover. The fact of the death of his
| partner, Mr.. Cunningham had not been COM
| municated TO him.
| The whole Of the Ericsson family, FIVE in
number, residing on Talbot street. have died
with the fever.
a Norfolk letter, written on Thursday, says:
| "A poor woman wrote a note to my wife
| yesterday, saying her mother was dying, and
| her two sisters sick, and begged US to send her
a loaf of bread. This we did of course. |
carried it myself L sent her some again to-
| lay, and shall continue it, for there is not
| baker IN the city, Of course no bread and not
| a cracker or a lemon. This pestilence is best
| com ated by nursing, and it is for the want Of
nursing that so many die, but when it attacks
| virulently, nothing will arrest it, Mrs. Geo.
1 W. Camp died yesterday and l fear poor
| Camp will soon follow her Mrs. w. White
| head died last night, as did also Henry Har-
| woods wife and Thomas Owens, but cannot
| cnumerste, and must refer you to the CORES
| pondence Of the papers. l saw yesterday af-
tarnOon at Ghisein's old shop near the Aea-
denny, wagon loads of Co6fAlS from Baltimore
/ richmond and Hampton, and even with tie g,
| il is di1icult to bury the dead. Many bod IS
have been unburied for As hours, and piles of
| them are kept waiting at the Cemeteries for
| graves"
FROM PORTSMOUTH.
| The pestilence, which " walks in darkness,
ana wasteth at MONDAY" is still terribly
| scouTgins the people Of this unfortunate town.
rweDty-three deaths in one day, with its pres
ent reduced population, is indeed quite ap-
palling. On Wednesday there were twenty
three deaths, and the impression prevails, that
the fever has not at all abatcd.
| live physicians have been sent to the hos
| pital, but their names have not been ascer-
| tanned.
| DIR. VIM. Collins, the esteemed President of
the Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad, is now
Ill at General Hodges farm near Portsmouth.
John l.. Porter, Esq, the master ship builder
of the navy yard, has so far recovered from
the fever as to be able to attend to the duties
of his Office; and is now daily to be seen at