The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-07-18
Rayages OF the Cholera in Tennessee.
Knoxville Cor. New York Times.l

Knoxville Cor. New YORK llmes.I
From Memphis to Nashville the dis
ease seemed to Jump at one spring. The
capital city was evidently in n frightful
sanitary condition. The city is built on
huge limestone rock Its drainage
and sewerage is all ON the surface. Its
streets are narrow, and the city is COM
pactly built 1t has large idle popu-
lation, whose habits of living are not of
the best 1t has a large part of this
population gathered in flats and along
some sluggish creeks, into which emp
ties what little of sewerage the city has
In these flats are two springs, out of
which the poor people take their water
The experience during the epidemic has
demonstrated that this water acted like
poison. 1t was almost certain to pro-
duce cholera whenever used. 1t was
examined and found to contain the soak
ings from all the "cloaca" of the vicin-
ity. The vegetables sold in market were
all grown rapidly in a late, moist spring,
under warm sun. With such water
and food, and with malaria in the at
mosphere, all sufficient to breed cholera,
the city afforded rare field for the pes
thence. 1t struck such sudden and
rapid blows that panic followed. Many
of the wealthiest citizens left. The city
authorities were not prepared to prompt
ly stamp out" the germs by powerful
disinfectants and instant cleansing. The
disease spread, carrying of, with fright
full mortality, the rich and poor, the
white and black The death list one
day was over 100. One-fourth of the
,Nf,,N,,laf,a,, &c tha p1tu of tha
time. OF course the colored population
lost heavily. They lacked the means,
information and opportunities of pro-
tecting themselves by prudent diet and
complete rest when it was required.
From Nashville the cholera stalked
about throughout much of Middle Ten
nessee. Gallatin suffered severely. Shell
byville mourns the loss of many of her
best citizens. GAINESVILLE, Murfrees-
boro, Franklin, Pulaski, McMinnvllle-
all have been visited more or less Sc
verely.
In some of these places local causes
existed, but of course they only aggra-
waited the disease. The primary causes
seem to be waited over the whole Mis-
sissippi Valley. The disease, as devel-
oped, is called at st. Louis violent
cholera morbus, but it is the same that
has carried off its hundreds with such
fearful rapidity at Nashville and Mem
phis. 1t matters not what it is called,
it kills, and does its work quickly.
Through Western Kentucky, Northern
Mississippi, and along the Mississippi
and Ohio rivers, it seems to prevail, va
rying very much in its violence.
Greenville, the home of Andrew John
! son, beautiful little county town on
the East Tennessee, Virginia and Geor-
gia railroad, near the Smoky Mountains,
has been cruelty scourged. The disease
first appeared about the middle of June
1t was of a very violent type, and spread
CONSERVATION throughout the county
The few resident physicians contended
with it heroically. Aided by a faithful,
exemplary band of Christian ministers,
who fulfilled to the letter of the Divine
law their high calling, the doctors wait
ed upon the sick until from sheer ex-
haustion they were obliged to take to
their beds. On being appealed to for
medical aid, Mayor Rule, of this city,
sent three physicians to look after their
sick and dying. By advice of physi-
clans those who could get away from the
town left for the neighboring villages,
so that before the epidemic spent its
force there were but fifteen white fami-
lies left in the place. But leave an
eyewitness, one of the editors of the
Knoxville Daily Chronicle, to tell the
scenes there witnessed, but more es-
pecially the local cause that aggravated
the disease. He says:
physicians may, and do, differ as to
what the disease is that has been so fatal
to Greenville, but as far as L have heard
any expression, they all agree as to local
exciting cause. From them and from
citizens l learn that the contents of q
public 'cloaca' in the courthouse yard
which have been recently removed, were
the accumulation of perhaps thirty
years. They were, by an enterprisine
gardener, removed and hauled through
the streets few weeks ago, just at the
commencement Of hot summer weather
and deposited north of the town, in a
way to enrich his soil. A dashing rair
fell few days afterward, and a large
quantity of this filth was washed down
through the town, leaving portions, nc
doubt, wherever distractions presented
themselves, the larger portion, however
being carried into a creek which runs
through the town from east to west
Cases of the disease have occurred three
miles out of town, along this creek. In
addition to this, many closets are built
without pits, and the excrements left tc
wash down into the creek every time
sufficient rain falls to carry it away"
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The ACKNOWLEDGES The New York
State Park Commission has reported
in favor of the plan, advocated for 6
long time by sensible sportsmen, of pre-
serving the Adirondacks as a great park
The Adirondacks form sort of geologi
cal island, differing in climate, and flor,
and fauna, from the country around
Their delicious climate and the variet,
and abundance of their game make
them resort for multitudes every year
and there is well founded fear that, un
less some regulations be adopted sucl
as can be inforced only under the dis