Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-10-28
THE YELLOW FEVER.


and the recent outbreak at Savannah is
Enthusiastically great fatality, frightening
the inhabitants away by thousands and
bringing business and industry to stand
still. The approach of cool weather is the
main hope of the people for check to the
ravages of the fever. Thus far the
weather has availed nothing to stop the
disease If the mortuary reports can be
credited. The deaths last week at Mem
rhis appear to have been as many as at
any other period since the pestilence fell
upon the city. Cool weather cannot how
ever long be delayed. bringing with it the
relief so greatly needed and earnestly
prayed for. 1t is fortunate that the cpl
demic did not reach its present stage at an
earlier part of the season, at the opening
or middle Of summer; if it had the des-
truction and terror must have been far
more widely spread before it could be ar
rested.
NJ There has been no yellow fever epidemic
until the present time since the COM
mencement of the rebellion. Before that
the South was scourged severely by it, and
when the war began it was reckoned by
the Southern people that yellow Jack"
would be an important ally to the rebels
in killing off the northern and unacclima-
ted troops that would be sent South by the
government. They were taught better
however before the war closed. The
northern troops were not troubled by
yellow Jack" They took measures to
keep him at distance which were effec-
tual. New Orleans was as healthy under
the sanitary measures of General Butler as
New York, the chief precaution which he
used being the cleansing and purifying Of
the city.
From the accounts which we have of the
present epidemic, we must conclude that
If General Buffers example at New Or
leans had been followed by the people O
Memphis they would not have suffered
from yellow fever as they have. Had thu
sewerage OF the city been sufficient t.
drain the place properly, and other meas
ures been taken to keep the streets, lanes,
alleys and poor tenements free from filth
there is good reason to believe the disease
would have gained no foothold in Memphis.
The first outbreak was in the filthiest part
of the city, and there its ravages have
been the most severe. 1.-The first case of
yellow fever this year in Memphis, says
Herald correspondent, "was diagnosed
ION the 18th of September, in locality
: "known as Happy Hallow,' an appella-
"tion which would have fully justified Miss
"Capulet, had she been familiar with the
place. in propounding her celebrated
..connumdrum, What's in name p Hap
.'.py Hollow could not have smelled more
'.disagreeably if it had been called Buz-
s.zards BOOST. 1t is low district of made
aground; ! that is, shallow part of the
sriyer has been filed in from the banks,
land it extends from Wolf River down to
Exchange street. A great many of the
inhabitants in this space are of the lowest
.'order. some of them indeed being mere
s.boats covered with taupaulin, and look
ling as if they had been stranded there at
"high water and had been unable to get
"away. Others are shanties of Il kind
Like those few remaining upon the Eighth
'.avenue side of the Central Park, only the
'latter might be called Madison avenue.
sand the Happy Hollow shanties should be
"called Five Points. At the southern end
"of the Hollow. however, there are some
..good buildings. among them the Ex-
T "change, which is used as a court house
: land Mayors Office. This locality is the
receptacle of all the filth from the higher
portions of the city which surround it.
"Memphis has worse system of sewerage
ethan any other city in America. Nearly
1.-THE entire city is foul, and the Happy
..Hollow portion is just as filthy as filth car
0make it, which until it is burnt or some
.sother heroic publication visited upon it
"must continue to be nest of pestilenct
..of the direst kind. The Health Board
''is doing all in its power to disinfect and
s.neutralize the filth, but the city cannot be
..cleansed until it has new and thorough
system of drainage. One alley has been
reported as nuisance fifty-seven times
.ssince last April, and it is said that, even
'.in the healthiest times. person cannot
9 walk along the streets without having his
"nostrils offended by the foul odors from
1.-THE Easements, alleys and even from
.'some of the best streets. 1t is true the
''city is in debt and cannot now bear much
taxation for municipal improvements,
''but the truth must be known, and il is to
''bc hoped that the time will come when
ian entire remodeling of the system of
''vaults, drains. sewers, cisterns and
CLOSETS will be sought for and acted
''upon."
~ Who wonders after reading such des.
cription of the seat of the disease in Mem
phIs that yellow fever abounds there ?
Whom have the people to blame but them
III