National Republican., 1878-09-12
THE WISHING rOy NURSES.
Their Arrival at Momphis-Thc Need OF Al
kr.,.n,,,, rr,.,,~ Ca,t 1879


MEMPHIS, Tenn, Sept 7, 1873.
TO he Editor Of he National Republican:
SIR: As everyone having friends in the noble
baud Of heroes and heroines which left wash
ington at the call Of mercy In this plague
stricken city will be oil the outlook for any
tIing coming from this place, ! send you as
full an account of the situation as have been
able to gather.
As YOU will remember we left our homes on
Tuesday night last. Our coming had been.l erald-
cd by the telegraph, and the citizens all along
the line OF our route collected at the depot to
wish us Goi.speed in our dangerous under
taking. On arrival at Grafton, W. Va, free
breakfast was furnish cd us by the proprietor
of the hotel at that place.
On nearing Cincinnati we were met by
committee Of the Cincinnati Relief Associa-
tion, headed by Mr.. s. F. Covington, president
Of the Globe Insurance Company, about fifteen
miles from town, and on our arrival in that
city were escorted to the Burnett House.
where we were suppcd through the hospitality
Of the proprietor of that famous house. After
doing justice to the delicious viands and
bcncdiction pronounced by the Rev. DIR. Muir
ray, If that city, We resumed our trip, aud
arrived In Louisville at midnight. At the
depot the chief OF police Of that city, accom-.
panied by large delegation oil leading ciii-
zens, met us and escorted the party to our
quarters, the Louisville Hotel, where we re-
manned all Uf Thursday Is the guest Of that
prince Of hotel keepers, Mr.. Judge Daring
our stay in Louisville every attention was
paid us by the citizens of that beautiful city,
and Those Of Us who shall be so fortunate as to
escape the fever will never forget IN this life
tho many kiDlnesses and GCd. bless-y0us that
were showerCd upon US.
At l2:30 p. IN. (mlduight) Thursday, we de.
sftl . fh, tttl
Nashville Railroad for this more than charusl
house. We were detained in our arrival here
some four or five hours by tue breaking of an
truck Of the tender, but fortunately no one
was hurt.
Whiting about festivities is an easy matter,
but to change so suddenly, and be surrounded
on all sides by death aud the dying is u theme
calculated to weaken the strongest nerves.
There arc at present not less than 1909
cases Of fever in this city, one half Of which
will prove fatal. AL classes arc iucluded-the
millionaire as well as the paupcr All places
of business are closed, the only exceptions
being the drug stores, printing Offices, tele.
graph offices, and express company. In the
latter establishment only one person is loft,
the nanager, and unless he can procure help
that will have to be discontinued.
The deaths to-day include many of the most
prominent citizens. The Rev. Charles G. Par
sons who has been for the past two years pas
tor Of Grace Episcopal Church, expired this
morning, after being down but five days. DR..
Parsons was a Northern man, aud during the
war WAS a colonel of artillery in the Union
army. During his residence here he had on-
deared himself by his nobleness Of character to
the entire community. Up to the time of his
being taken with the fever he had devoted his
entire time 10 the amcliOration of the sutler
ing, giving both temporal and spiritual conso.
latiOn TO the hundreds of sick that he daily
visited. lie was recently elected chaplain Of
the Chickasaw Guards, the crack military Or
ganizaion Of Tennessee.
Mr.. A. T. Wheeler, Past Grand Master Of the
l. o. o. f., is dying. Mr.. W. is one Of the
oldest aud most prominent citizens, and his
death will be sOrely lalncntCd by the poor, RS
he Is ono Of Memphis most charitable citizens.
To day our party were turned over to tho
lINwar,ls, aud are being assigned to their du.
tics The city is divided into districts, and
the doctors and nurses already here are bsing
overworked to such an extent that many of
them are reported rs flst falling victims to the
fever. An of our delegation arc cheerful but
fully realize their situation. There are ten
cases in the Peabody House, where we are
staying in fact, II Is the only house where
meal cIn be obtained. DR.. Williams, of Wood
vile, Ky, who has been sick in the hotel but
five days, died u few minutes since.
As u matter of State pride ] will state that
the Neutrality-suspicious. are credited with being
the finest body of nurses that have SO far ar.
rived here.
am requested by DR.. Mitchell, medical di.
rector to urge upon the relief associations
throughout the country the improperly of
sending persons here who have never had the
fever.
A word to my printer friends. The printers
here have an infrmary of their own, kept up
entirely by themselves. There are nine down
at this time. Any contributions will be Of great
assistance, as they are wholly without funds.
Mr.. George n. Barber, Of our delegation, has
been appointed superintendent of the Printers
Hospital J. d. CZELL.