The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-10-20
-syg,w..ssr ssr,esa s;s.sa ss.ssss.,
A YEAR or MlsFoRTUSEs-sAD SCENES
ON THE Observation-Disclosures DE-
TAILs-GRArHIC DESCRIPTION OF WHAT
Is GOING ON IN TIE STRICKEN CITY.

lWriE UnIOTtutntte- fOF GNOIuOElnS ttic TlfeT
was SO chokcd with ice as to prevent COM
merce. When the river became naygabIe the
epizooty broke out, and ragged SO yiruIently
that trade and industry were paralyzed.
Then came the smallpox then g indigenous
already discouraged people were as severe as
those of the smallpox; and before the
cholera had run its full course came this
most terrible of all scourges to decimate the
inhabitants Of the doomed city, and spread
sorrow, death, and despair on every hand.
These unparalleled calamities have drawn to
US the sympathy and aid of all the land. Had
we been left to ourselves we would have
been swept utterly out of existence, for the
plague is deadly, swift, and sure, and to be
fought successfully only by the most untir-
ing vigilance, ceaseless energy, and all the
resources of medical and sanitary science
which wealth can place at our disposal.
The city has entirely changed In life and
appearance within the brief lapse of thirty
days. The shops are closed, not one being
open north of Exchange street.
THE sTnEErs.AR NEARLY DESERTED
save by those who are engaged in sanitary
work and in burying the dead. There is no
promenading, and the women who once
made the sidewalks brilliant with life and
color are either in their graves or have fled
from the town for their lives. The few who
remain, when they are seen at all, fit rapidly
and silently through the emptied streets,
their white and hagSard faces telling the
rueful story Of breaking and broken hearts.
Whole families have been hurried into the
vaults and tombs OF the cemetery within a
few hours. The city swarms with helpless
little children whose parents are dead, and
to provide anything like comfortable tempo
rary homes for these is one Of the most diff
cult tasks of the benevolent societies, which
have done and are doing such noble work.
The money which is sent to them from all
parts of the Union disappears rapdly-even
more promptly thanit comes Inland there Is
ever an urgent necessity for more.
THE PRICE OF PROVISIONS
has enormously increased, and for bread
which once brought five cents loaf fifteen
cents are now demanded; the milkmen have
ceased their daily round meat can hardly
be obtained at all; and it really seems as
though to the horrors Of the pestilencc the
gnawing pangs of hunger are to be added
| The most pressing demands for aid are made
BY able-bodied men upon the resources OF
the dishursing authorities. These poor crca.
,lnlortuna,clS there is no work for them to
| do. for business is stagnated and they have
| been thrown out OF employment. On Sat
urday' last ninety applications for relief were
made at the commiSSary depot, and not less
than $500 rations were distributed to
the sick. Wanncss and misery. sick
ness, despair, and death defacc this once
beautiful city. All day long the noise Of
hearses rafting through the streets-for they
are driven almost as fast as the horses Cal
90, and even then cannot dispose Of the
corpses rapidly enough-is heard, and al
night fires cast their glare upon the sky as
though Death were celebrating his victory
and the sound Of wailipg and sobbing IL
palace and hoyel strikes the appalled, sense
| of him who ventures abroad in this unhal
lowed time. The yellow.fever has been con
fined to no particular locality, and rich anC
poor have suffered alike.
Ofall the inhabitants perhaps not 10000
sleep at night within the city limits; the res
leave in the evening and remain in the coun
try till morning. Many Of those who thu;
have left have been seized on the cars ant
perished miscrably at the various stations
for so intense is the fear of the disease tina
the country people turn from citizens as from
lepers, and will have nothing to do will
those who have any appearance OF being IN
fected. Indeed,
| TIE HEARTLESSSESs AND ISHUMANITY
which generally accompany such terrible
plaques as this have been conspicuous here
The brood of Satan-thIeveS, pickpockets
and burglars-seem to have been about th
only persons who have thriven during tn
past month. They have come from othc
cities to prey upon the dead and dying a
upon the living. Sngularly enough, tn
Neutrality-suspicious. have not found their &C
count in the plague, although during sucl
yisitations drunkenness and dcbaucher.
generally hold high carnival, the people be
coming reckless and ready to drown thel
fears in the diversion of alcoholic drinks
Out of between thirty and forty of such sa
looms, which commonly are open from on
years end to the other, all are closed bu
one, and this by no means does thririn!
business. The boldneSs Of the deSpc
radoes is something simply wonder
full Unhapply, where all are dying. tn
dead have often to be left for hours withOu
attention, and in such instances 1t is ottel
found that, after death, their persons ant
rooms have been robbed. Several arrests o
men and women accused Of such dreadful
|
hard with the sacrilegiolls villains. Som
undcrtakers, in the press of business, hay
refused to make returns to the Board Q
Health, and others are accused Of hurryin;
corpses off to their shops and keeping then
there until they should find time for burial
There are not, indeed, hearses enough 70
the work, and sometimes as many as min
corpscs are placed in one wagon and driver
at full speed to their last resting-place. LII
HORRIBLE SPECTACLE
of the horses of such wagon running ava
with their CHASTITY burden is said to hay
been witnessed, the dead being thrown from
the tumbril into the road, and some, caush
by their drapery, dragging on after The cElt
tering wheels.
With one OF two shameful exceptions, tn
clergymen of Memphis have fully done thel
duty, and all praise is due to the indeiatlSa
Lae Sisters of Charity, who have never for
moment fiinched from their mournfu, sell
imposed task of relieving the sorrows of tn
sick and dying. The priests and preacher
have been everywhere, at all hours OF Ga.
and night, wherever their services Wer
needed, As nurses, messengers, ana splrlt
ual advisers they have done all they couid
and four of them have fallen victims to TIL
| fever.
| EASAyHA MISUNDERSTANDING the pas
few DAYS consignment Of one hundred ant
! fifty barrels of excellent flour has beer
| shipped from this city to Boston, Charles
ton CIV. Ta.) Courier.
l,r-,