New-York tribune., 1874-09-19
THE LAKE MAHOPAC SICKNESS

fhk LOCAL CAUSE OF DISEASE EXPLAINED BIZ TIL
SECRETARY OF THE COMPANY AND THE PRO
! Pm-EroR OF THE GREGORY HOUSE.
| In reply to the articles which have recently
appeared In Tn TRIBUNE concerning the sickness at th,
Gregory House, LAKE Mahopac during the Summer
William Osborne, Secretary OF the Lake mshopac I'm
provement Company. 8. E. Crittenden. the pro
prietor OF the hotel have written the following letters
STATEMENT OF W. l. OSBORNE.
70 ne EDITOR 9r Ths Trfoune
SIR The recent articles published severaa Of the
daily papers regarding the sickness the Gregory
House at Lake Mahopac. founded upon statements OF
those whose families suffered therefrom, do in
justice 20 the owners OF the property 20 require
made.
accounted for by climatic malaral Influences but as
1t developed the symptoms led the physicians attend
The Company at once caused the thorough exam-
nation 70 0e made OF everything entering into food
Inc drain and sewer pipes then uncovered
ana carefully examined, and although no dis
used They then gave their attention TO the
water supply OF the hotel as the only pos
investigation OF which developed the following facts:
The waterpipes laid by the former the prop
erty originally terminated in reservoir the hotel,
I'm "neee the water wac conducted TO smaller res
eryOr under the house. where there a steam-pump
subsequently and before the purchase OF the property
by the Lake Mahopac Improvement Company, the
water was conducted from the first reservoir to
N"S
pump was but the small reservoir though
dlsased; was left with its connections uu
in the early Summer, the impure water from
this reservoir overiowed through the pipe connecting
it Win tue larger one. Previous examination Of the
Watefplpes had been made but the existence OF this
reservoir and its connecting pipe had dscOy
ered ana was entirely unknown 10 the officers OF the
Company, aud only developed in the thorough in
YestlgauOn 10 which everything connected with the
water supply was subjected The connections with the
dsused reservoir were Immediately severed aud the
reservoir Itself ned up aud no person coming to the
nOtei subsequent TO that time was Affected Not sats
ned however with this the Company at once arranged
Tor q new supply Of water, which Is delivered
through nyench iron pipe entirely independents OF the
former system.
Complaint is made that statements have been
furnlshed by the Company for publication. Feeling
eOnnlent That the cause OF the trouble had been dis
covered and eHectuaiy remedied the managers no
reason FOR advertising the fact that such difficulty had
existed though DO attempt at secrecy was made or
Thought or The discovery OF the dssed reservoir and
the Motel ana as the Company believed the cause OF tne
disease had been found and ecaled, the fdcts would
have no interest to the general public
Every member OF the Company deeply sympathi7es
with those who have suffered from this unfortunate
currence but, feeling that they have done everything
that was possible TO do and with the greatest prompt
TO ascertain and remedy the difficulty nInk this
plain statement OF facts due from them 20 the public
The Company expended large sums OF money on the
property ast spring TO put II IN complete order intend
and aside from their regard for the health or their
guests, had the OF this trouble been known, 1t
corrected by osder Of the Board Of Trustees
WM. l. OSBORNE, Secretary.
Yerc- York. Sept. IS. 1874
STATEMENT OF THE PROPRIETOR.
To me EdttOr OF The Trtbune.
SIR: The statement published in THs TRIBUNE Of the
INST, ami reiterated IN the Of l6ln ust
regard to the health or the Gregory House the past
are my apology for 'respassng on your valuable
columns. As the proprietor OF the Gregory House.
would nave been less tnan human and unworthy OF all
consideration, had manifested the slightest degree
OF indifference 10 tie health Of my guests, and pro-
nounce ana all statements TO that effect TO be
utterly entirely false IL Is true tnat there
.f lf hl nnf
those that remained there we're fatal. It has been
stated that persons have died who were at the
Gregory House at time during the Summer IL
the OF their death originated there, no one eau
deplOre the fact more deeply than do. From
the day that l assumed charge OF the house
devoted every energy 10 make IL attractive ana com
Portable to my guests The hotel and All us appoint
ments are equal any Summer hotel IN the country
t H. and has for fayOrite place OF resort
for Of best families in the United States, and
had every reason anticipate that the season would
be equal TO- II not better than any previous season.
determined that Lack OF effort on my part should iail
10 make So Innumerable letters nave been re-
ceiyed by within the past Iew days, uOm leading
Resident OF No t6 a the m IS house and % NV
management, many OF them from persons who re-
named until the MOTEL regularly closed for the
season. In reference to the OF sickness, |
most soemnly that no effort on my part
was spared. expense and No laDor, DAY OF
nirht 10 remove ali probable or possible cause
of disease from the promises Every conduit
fr sewage for water, other purpose was care
fnv ana thoroughly examined. l was directed by Mr.
Mckinney, Vice President Of the Company owning tue
Motel to spare pains or expense 70 discover anu re-
move auy for sickness, aHd 70 secure Oy every
means the perfect purity OF the wafer supply without
one hours delay and II the cause Ot scAuess cOud not
I found 10 close the hotel And eau as s0lemnly as
sert without fear OF contradiction, ana Win lne most
ample proof 10 sustain my assertion mat Wnener Tue
nse vas or was owing 10 the water having neen
"a ne nv efforts did cease until the water supply
was secured against any possible Cdinl anu aiso tuAI
of those cosiinE 70 Tue n''ei neabie Irc
~ disease and the prompt MEASURES adopted
were effected. The hotel was from that time
entirely free from the suspicion or cause FOR dls
ease some statements nave Deen published wherein
am charged not only with Indifference put with AaVlng
received information from Dr: l. " n1 %oI' aid no
sItenton to him. / have only to say That unt every
cause OF sickness had been removed Dy ny exeruOhs
dIl not from my own knoWieuH' AuoN 'nA' 'H9'0 WAC
such a person IN existence. .- -. It'll,
IL mas also been asserted that Dr. Gregory VINO punt
the hotel, spoke 10 me about the watef Ppe b d
not make full explanations LUIS rs AtAso, a - ~,
Gregory himself will testify NO man living cOuu ia Aase
felt more deep anxiety tnan du lor tne hea'tii % u
NV guests nor a deeper sympathy Tor any Illness lacy
might suffer from, anu any Stationery 70 ~ TnrTpSpFy
Must and false. - -
Neo York, sept. is, 1915.
STATEMENT OF MR. BAILEY
TIL Bailey, NJ D.. who was at the Gregory House
during the season. has written long letter Oh Wheh we
print all the portions explaining or denying any state
me uts affecting him personally
As my name has been brought before the pubic IN IN
cnnnertion with statements furnished concerning 1ng
sckuess AT the Gregory House. Lake Mahopdc' au a9
have been msrepresentef In the maui nc w az
least Two parties, an forced 20 .-g noi,ce went 70
the Gregory House ION the ISM uty Ol 11, % a., ~
| NAMED there the entire season. Ia ,sbr'oao -
habt OF spending the summer at Lake banoPaO m @ ~
,be lar ave vears on MONDAY night, June ~ was
| called to Mrs. Ch1rles LoIu ana -, -,
I found them effected with e~laiIne" ~ a"" haI"ra
| ting or wnat IA commonly known as cuoloIS
/ n"nphpe ard ar,er leaving them, was called Dy
Gentleman 10 acc bis wife ana emu. VIZ 80 .. ~
fected In similar manner 20 MS nd fouhd them