Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-09-12
YELLOW FEVER.
APPEAL TO THE NATIONS CHARITY

A Washington dispatch of Sunday,
Sept. 8th says: The following appeal
was issued to-day to the chambers of
commerce and charitable clubs Of the
chief cities of the union:
'Ihe cry of anguish from the stricken
cities and people Of the south has been
answered by a noble burst Of charity
from the people and cities of the coun-
try. Contributions great and small
have been extended to the sufferers,
/ The secretary Of war has generously
extended the aid Of the government to
the poor ana needy of the pest-ridden
cities; but great as has been the charity
the necessity Is yet greater and sums
subscribed are yet inadequate to the
wants Of the sufferers. In New Orleans.
Nicksburg and Memphis as we'll as in
the smaller towns Of Holly Springs,
/ Grenada, Port Gibson, Canton, Green
vile, Brownsville, Baton Rouge and
/ Delhi, all business is suspended. II is
I estimated that in the suspension Of bus
iness on the Mississippi river south of
Memphis over 90 steamboats, are tied
up, their crews discharged. Along shore
men and gangs of stevedores and other
4 IabOrers who were engaged in receiving
and discharging freight are without en-
/ plOyment. Four Ofthe great lines of
railroad are paTalyzed and their en-
/ ploYes are all idle. Nearly every place
I Of business in cities or towns where the
fever prevails are closed and their en-
ployes discharged. These employees
are poor and dependent on
their labor for support. It is estimated
that of these unemployed men that are
in New Orleans $4,000; in Memphis
5000, in VIcksburg 1900, in smaller
! towns ., 2,O0O-makIng a total of $1,000
/ discharged Workingmen, most of whom
are heads Of families and represent a
/ total population of not less than 108,OOO
/ in actual and desOlatc want. These
people have no means TO get away from
1 the pest-ridden cities. For them there
! IS no labor, no wages, no bread, moth
/ ing but death or starvation. This CON
/ ditiOn must last at least for fifty days.
for there will be no stay Of the pesti-
lence, no resumption Of business, until
frost. Averaging the support Of each in
/ dIyldual at 20 cents per day, which is
! ten cents less than the cost Of the army,
4 for fifty days the support of the suffer
ers and destitute will cost 81, 1,0S0 coo.
This is for bread alone, nothing hav-
ing been included to provide
4 for proper nursing of the sick and the
/ burial of the dead. In this calculation
/ il has occurred 10 the undersigned thai
q comprehensive system of relief should
be at once inaugurated to avoid appall-
ing disasters which will sickcn and
shock humanity, when to the awful de
structiOn Of the plague are added the
horrors Of famine. We suggest that
each of the great cities Of the union be
made q central depot for the reception
of supplies, and that it be at once open
/ ed where contributions of provisions,
coffee, and tea, wines, medicines and
clothing may be esent. The lines of trans
porting over both land and water have
volunteered to transport supplies to the
stricken cities free of charge. Let New
4 Orleans, which IS most accessible by sea
and by land, and which has more facili-
! ties for Transporting be constituted q
! central depot for the reception Of SUP
! plies which can he forwarded to the
/ Howard or Peabody associations Of that
I city as fast rs collected. Let EiCksburg
Memphis, and smaller towns that are
afflicted send to New Orleans
their agents to aid in receiving.
distributing and forwarding pro
ratio supplies to the respective towns
and cities. We appeal to the chambers
of commerce Of great cities to inaugur-
ate this movement forthwith; we appeal
to the charitable and good; we appeal
to ministers of God ana their influence
and their congregations. Even the
smallest donations Of provisions, money
or medicines will be acceptable. The
character of tho noble men who com
( pose the Howard association, Peabody
association, and Young Mems Christian
association are guarantees that all chari-
ties donated will be properly and
honestly applied. In the name of the
common country and kindred humani-
ty We invoke for our stricken, dying and
starving people the charity Of those
who have homes and loved ones who
arc secure from the pestilence that
walketh lii darkness and the destruc-
ton that wasteth at noon day
Signed by Jno. Ellis, La, T. 5. Glib
son, La, Jno. l. Morgan, Ala, VIM. 4.
NJ. Carroll, Miss, Cyrus Busscy, presi-
dent New Orleans chamber Of COM
mCrce.
THE WORST PAST AT HICKMAN.
\ Hickman, Kentucky, dispatch of
I Sep. Sth, to Dr. Deming Of Cairo. SAYS:
The telegraph operator is down with
fever. This disease is yellow fever be
yOnd Il question. Fifty or more are
sick or convalescing. Some will die.
About so whites and 150 blacks in town.
I The worst is over. The physicians here
control the disease. Guard your quar-
antine. You will save Your people.
Signed LUXE 7. BLACKBURN.
\ DAY OF PRAYER.
Gov. Bishop, Of Ohio. on the Sth.
inst, issued a proclamation calling up
on all christian people in the state to
I assemble in their houses of worship on
Friday the 18th, to invoke the mercy
Of God to the end that the dreaded dis
ease might be stayed.
SATURDAY SEPT. 7TH.
At New Orleans on the 9TH inst. there
were 232 new cases and Y deaths. At
Memphis there was 10 abatement of
the disease. Rev, @. Q. Parsons, rector
Of the leading Episcopal church, died.
The situation III the other stricken cities
was not materially changed.
AWFUL SITUATION.
4 Cincinnati dispatch of the Sth inst,
says: A prominent business man, who
has just returned from trip to New
i, Orleans, describes the situation south
as sOrrowful in the extreme. On
the trip down, at Arkansas CITY. the
boat was not allowed to coal. and
/ land men stood on the banks
with guns in their hands, threatening to