The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-04-20
THE "vIRGIN1An STEAMSHIP,

for Queenstown; but probably it will be now
some time before she again points her prov 10
the Old World shores. Having on board great
number OF German Immigrants, she steamed
down the Mersey from one OF the Liverpool
docks on the 4th of the present month, and
careered along her Watery way across ~.
Georges Channel to Queenstown, where she
touched on the following day and took In
large number of passengers, in all 1913, OF the
usual class, with the exception of some in the
cabin, that usually land at Castle Garden.
She lett Queenstown on the evening of the 9th,
and steering past the fortress and cottage
crowned height of the Cove OF Cork, leaving
that terror to evil-doers, Spike Island, far be
hind, the revolving light OF Cape Clear Light
house flashed on her farewell beam towards
evening as she bent her course across the wide
Atlantic, and left the rock bound shores of Ire.
land and steamed away against a head ct wind
across the weary waste OF waters to the shores
whittier the thousand hopeful hearts OF her liv-
ing freight were fondly turned. For six days
she pougheSd, along There were the usual usual
Vered to while away the tedium and irksomeness
of long sea voyage in narrow, uncomfortable,
but witha, as good as provided elsewhere, quar-
ters, by the devices to which persons under
such circumstances have recourse. Such as were
not sea-sick danced and sung, told stories OF the
past, lndulged in dreams of the future little
anticipating the terrible fate which was soon to
Overtake many of them. ..
On the fifth day, towards evening, there was
considerable excitement on board Sailors are
generally, with all their recklessness, very
BuperSLlLlOuS people, anu an ''Olu TAR VINO was
on board, on looking over the side on the even
ing IN question observed several sharks IN the
ships wake, and Immediately communicated
the fact to some of his fellowpassengers, who,
such of them as had heard OF the old nautical
tradition to the effect that when shark follows
a ship a death will certainly occur were of
course considerably frightened and anxiously
looked at each other as if asking the question,
(Which of us is doomed? Except the usual
seasickness incident to a voyage, no symptoms
of disease had up TO this time been developed,
but nevertheless the spirit OF the plague was
following fast and, having at length overtaken
the tated ship, he nervously Clutched the rud-
der-chalns and soon the hend was on board, and
stalking down into the hold, where a thousand
eyelids were closed in sleep, the monster laid
his clammy fingers now on one brow and now
on another imprinting there the fatal sign
which marked them for the harvest of death.
The ships physician announced the next day
three cases otcholera in that sitting, sufocating,
ll-ventilatcd hold. The patients were OF course,
removed to portion OF the ship fitted up a
hospital, and before evening two had died. The
disease broke out among the German passengers,
and was at once pronounced as OF a most ma
lignant character. Other passengers were at
tackled one after another and before the arrival
of the ship in our harbor last Wednesday even
ing, thrty-eight deaths occurred, two of the
crew being among the number. The ships doc
tor is regularly licensed physician, and every
thing that medical skill could do was done tor
the unfortunate victims. But all in vain;
thrty-eight bodies, now one, and now another,
were encased in their canvas coverings, the
weights attached to tbem and amid the prayers
for the departed slowly consigned to an ocean
grave. One short slide along the gangway, one
short splash, few eddying bubbles. the ship
passed on, and the silent graves were filed, be-
meath the tablet where man can trace no name.
ASSISTANCE.
The Virginia reached the New Quarantine
between and O'Clock on Wenesday evening,
and was soon after boarded by DR.. SWinburne,
the Health Officer, and some OF the other gen.
wit Quarantine
who, on entering the steerage, found thirty-six
of the passengers sick. He soon found that
they were the victims of the Asiatic cholera,
and at once ordered the vessel to the Lower
Bay, about twenty miles from New York. Three
deaths occurred In the course of the evening.
The passengers who had escaped contagion
were, of course, anxious to leave the vessel, but
their demand could not be satisfied. DR.. Swim
burne called on Mr.. Curtiss, the President of
the Quarantine Commission, shortly after he
left the ship, and arrangements we're made to
meet the emergency. The doctor pronounced
the disease cholera, and immediate efforts were
made to check its progress.
The hospital ship Florence Nightingale, with a
large quantity of medical supplies, sailed at 7
O'Clock yesterday morning from Red Hook
Point, with Drs. Swinburne, H. Bissel, and Har-
come on board. The Illinois, which has been
placed at the disposal of the Quarantine Com
mission by the Government, went down last
evening. Such of the passengers as have not
been attacked will be placed on board her; the
other passengers are to be removed to the hos.
pital chip, and the Virginia will then be fuml-
gated. The Empire City has also been sent
down, and in consequence of the preparations
which have been made the disease will probably
be confined to the Lower Quaran tine and effectu-
ally checked.
REPORT OF DIR. swINBURNE.
DIR. Swinburne makes the folio wing state
ment:-
"The steamer Virginia arrived at the Lower
Quarantine about O'Clock on wednesday evening.
She was at once boarded and examined by DR.. Bur-
dett who, after making the usual medical examiRa-
hon. found % OF the passengers in the steerage
lying sick OF cholera. The doctor Immediatey made
communication Of the fact to me, and went on
board, and found the sick suff ring from AsiatIc
cholera They had all the positive svml toms of the
disease. Their faces Were of a dusky color their
eyes were sunken and they had the pUrgngs in.
cident TO the disease. Their hands and bodies were
shrunk, and they had also all the other symptoms
The surgeons assistant had been stricken with
T. and his PSSs m had hsss to TO be Ssv sgOped
sent down to the Lower Bay and not to permit the
passengers TO land under any circumstances In
twelve others who were aboIing under the disease
in Is nolpent form Ihe passengers VINO haC
escaped the disease were Iull of apprehension les
their continuance on board might be the means o
Their taking it, and they were anxious TO leave tn
ship found that thee persons had died while tn
VI ssel was comlp g to the Lower Bay. After makni
the requisite examination lett the steamer, ant
made the necessary ARRANGEMENTS TO have the sic
atteI ded and the disease limited to the vessel OF
which it broke out"
STATEMENT OF MR.. HURST.
Mr. Hurst the Agent of the National Steam
ship Company, states that the steamer left LVei
pool on Wednesday, the 4th OF April. Fou
days after the disease broke out on the YiTqiaid
1t was confined to the German passengers In tn
steerage. There we're one hundred cases @
cholera during the voyage, in foIty-one of whic
the patients became convalescent Thirty-eigh
deaths had occurred, and the bodies were burie
al WrAAa