Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-09-12
Herfsr,s aad pert.mo,r..

deaths IN N0rIoik was ABOUT seventy. letter
! from tina. place on Tuesday says:
| 1.-The population Of the city is now reduced to
about 800, of which not more than | 500 are
whites. and 5000 negroes. With the latter sick.
ness and mortality are very small but such PAN
ic exists among them that they are of very little
service in nursing the sick. The number of per-
sons now down with the fever is about 900, an d
many of them are suffering for attention, so The
| fever has got snch hold on them that recovery
is hopeless Or those who are promptly and
skilfully nursed, large proportion recover.
The country people having deserted us now al
most entirely, there is beginning to be great
scarcity of PROVISIONS and even bread and crackers
could not be obtained with money to day."
| Walter Scott, of Richmond, son of Robert G..
Scott, Esq, died on Monday, and Dr. p. C..
Gooch, of the same city, on Tuesday Both had
rune TO Norfolk to attend the sick.
On Sunday morning, the fly known as the
''plague Hy," appeared in Norfolk. 1t lis fat
insect with black back and red belly, and has
very large wings. In Portsmouth they were SO
thick in the streets as to annoy persons walking,
and induced them to place covering over their
faces. The appearance of this fly is generally
considered a good omen, as it is supposed to de.
YOUR the malaria. They are about the size of the
ordinary house fly, and have green and yellow
stripe. They swarm in the harbor, and are of
an aquatic species, walking on the water, and fy-
ing at pleasure 1t is said that they extend for
four or five miles, and swarm on any person who
may cross over in boats They have destroyed
all the fruit in that vicinity.
A letter from en- Mayor Stubs of Norfolk says
that on Monday there were fifty. corpses lying
without collins to bury them in. Seine persons
were buried without collins, and in several instan-
ces three or four were deposited in one box
| Large numbers of collins have been sent from
Richmond and Baltimore. The city council of
| Norfolk, have appointed committee TO superin-
| tend the digging of trenches at "Potters Field !"
in which to bury the dead, as the mortality is be-
coming too great to admit of burying them in the
| usual manner.
| The Mayor of Norfolk has issued an order for
the impressng of all vehicles for the use of phys-
clans. Several stables have been made use Of in
accordance with the proclamation. There is a
great scarcity of provender for horses, and call
has been made upon Richmond to supply the
want.
The epidemic has extended 10 animals, and
dogs and cats are found lying about dead, with
unms,akeable evidences of the "plague"-such
as bleeding from the nose and mouth, Sc.
The Norfolk correspondent Of the Petersburg
Express, in his letter of Wednesday, says:
"The negroes hold Divine Service in their diff
ferent Churches every day, and incessant praying
and singing may be heard from morning tilnigbt.
The whole week seems one continued Sunday
and ones brain is crazed by the upsetting Of
the regular routine Of former every day lfe.-
| We seem to be 10 different world. with nothing
to do but to walk about with ones hands in ones
pockets, and see burials buriafs!!
A remarkable circumstance connected with the
epidemic is, that not bird is to be seen within
the limits Of the city, and has not since the fever
| became general.
The cows despite of the city ordinance, wan
der about the city seemingly in search Of lost
mates. making the welkin echo with their rnelan-
choly lowing while gangs of half-famshed dogs
take possession Of the streets after nighlall aud
render "night hideons" by their incessant yeping
and bowling! Truly, the very scene of distress
| and desoation has fallen upon poor Norfolk
"The number of new cases has slightly dimin-
| ished but the deaths have increased awfuly:
The Commandant Of the Navy Yard has order
! ed all the carpenters in the yard to work, making
boxes and collins for our numerous unburied dead.
Many have been lying in their houses two days
rotting and purifying, for the want Of even COM
mon boxes to bury them in J"
1
| Portsmouth waited on the President at Washing
ton last week to solicit the use Of Fortress Mon
roe, at Old Point. as place Of refuge for the suf
fering people, it being proposed to reme.S them
| all there. After an interview with the committee
! and consultation with the Cabinet, the PresI
dent decided that the scheme was impracticable.
There are about 1900 persons residing at Old
Point, in the service of the Government, and to
remove them for the accommodation OF others
would be an act Of doubtful humanity.
The Petersburg Express OF Friday says: owe
are truly gratited 10 hear that the number of new
cases in Norfolk on Wednesday exhibit decided
decrease as compared with the several days pre-
vious. We learn from gentleman who came up
on the AUGUSTA yesterday, that the number OF
deaths Wednesday did not exceed some thirty
five or forty This is terrible mortality, when
we reflect that the population has been reduced 10
only few thousand, hut it Is not more than hall
as great as the proceeding days Of Sunday. Mon
day and Tuesday" In Portsmouth, on the same
day there were twenty three deaths--nne less
than during Sunday, but still appalling, consider
ing the reduced population Of the place.
A gentleman relates that he had been unable
to visit the house Of his neighbor, Mrs. White,
for two or three days. When he called at the
expiration of that time, he found Mrs. White
lying uncoffined in the house. In another room
were lying, on the bare floor, three young person:
male and lemale, i'll with the fever, and no one
to care for them. He procured wagon and mat
tresses to remove them to the Hospital. Before
he could place them in the wagon the mattresses
were stolen, and the young lady and her compan
ions in suffering were compelled to lie on the bot
tom Of the wagon, and when they reached tn.
HosDital tn he placed on the floor auain
Many of the dead have been buried in the al
legs Of the Citg-of course increasing tsnfold tn,
danger of infection.
The wives and children Of several of the mos
distinguished naval officers have, in their last mo
ments, been utterly unattended.
There were thirty seven persons buried in on,
trench at Norfolk in Potter's Field on Wednesda,
morning.
DR.. Gooch. Of Richmond, was very low at nool
on Thursday, but not dead as reported.
MIR. Cunningham, senior editor of Norfolk Bea
con is dead, and his associate Mr.. Gatewood yer]
sick.
There are six physicians, mostly from tn,
North, down with the fever at the Naval Hospi
tai.
A letter from Norfolk on Wednesday says
81. ID. Marks OF New Orleans, lately appointed
Superintendent of the City Hotel Hospital, wa
arrested last night and lodged in Jail, cha rge'
with robbng the late interesting, but unfortunate
Miss Lewis, daughter of Thomas Lewis deceased
Of about ST. 900 worth ofjewelry, while the poo
young lady lay dying with fever! The circum
J stance has caused quite an excitement in ou
community"
The Richmond National American OF Saturda!
publishes the following paragraphs:
"Mr. Barnard represents the paplc, dlsmay, ant
suffering from famine and disease, as something
utterly beggaring description. lie has him:el
had the yellow fever in New Orleans, and ha
: passed through several seasons of its Prevalsnc