The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-09-04
THE BLIGHTED CITY.
Distressing Aspect of Things In Memphis
Il Gloomy Outlook for tho Future.

| Il Gloomy Outlook for tho Future.
Life in Mcmphis is described as be-
ing only little more wholesome than
death. Yellow flags are displayed at
every turn and crossing. The ehospital
sign was counted in eight places along
ono short square u few days ago, and
since then two others have been added.
The curlCw bell now tolls at 8 o'clock
and after that hour the streets are de-
serted. In the last epidemic crowd
of whiskcy- drinking nurses and self
Zcr-watcr doctors kept the town alive.
In this epidemic the only sign OF
life is the cncampmcnt of cOlorcd
troops on the bluff. Revcillc and the
five o'clock matinee, when tic band
plays, are, rs II correspondent says,
"thc cheerful characteristics Of the
present campaign. Fire alarms last
week relieved the monotony, but since
the watchiulncsS Of the authorities has
been rcdoublcd even the torch doesn't
| flicker"
1t has been cry ofthc Memphis
papers for the last three weeks that
Memphis is not doomcd-that the
place will not drop from its position
as thriving mart to II river village on
Il blutf. Seeing that no such croaking
prophecy has come from the outside it
is only natural to conclude that the
Memphis papers themselves, fearing
such fate, arc talking to quiet their
own nerves. The trade OF Memphis is
by far the heaviest in the fall. Last
autumn 10000 bales of cotton belong
ing TO Memphis were diverted to St.
Louis, and there will be Il repetition of
the calamity this season. The Appe0l
now ;iH,nils thai "ibc appearance Of u
single case ofycllow fever in our midst
! can cripple. our commerce and dcprc-
ciatcall values to all extent that ten
years of uninterrupted health and pros
pcrty cannot repair" III is likely that
desperate measures will be rcSortcd to
during the winter toavcrt u third at
tack--thc propcrty-holdcrs surrender
ing Onc-litth or onc-third Of their prop
crty to the rcmodclling and thorough
cleansing Of the city.
There isa wide difference in tho at
tcntion paid by the public to the yell
low fever plague of this year and the
intensely sympathetic interest given
from all sections during the late sum-
mcr and carly autumn scourgc of 1878.
Then every town had itSIrclicf commit
tee, and daily contributions TO the lGv-
VI lulNt NclC d Vi CoVlSC. INJ
this time the bulletins from Memphis
are read a / thrown aside as of small
Importance. But Bronze John has
lost none of his interest in Memphis
he holds to that wrctchcd place with
the most distressing tcnacity. Bad as
was the condition Of the city year
ago, ii is infinitely worse now. The
mortality, in proportion to the mate
rial left for the disease TO work on, is
just as great. The actual suffering
Surpasscs that last year. Tie dread
of riotous outbreaks hangs like the
sword over the heads Of faithful com
batants Of the great enemy. The fear
Of starvation is added to the weight of
woes. 1t is Il fact that the Towards
arc out Of money, and moreover there
is no doubt that they arc troubled by
scarcity Of nurses. They have from
day to day postponed tho issue Of al
appeal, but with 1000 whites who
have not had the fever and $4,000
blacks yet on their hands the call cam
not much longer be delayed. Some
insist that the negroes have forfeited
their claim to aid because Of theta re-
fusal to leave when asked to do SO, but
such an cX2u. G on The part OF contribu-
| tors would be an unworthy and Il fool
ish one. The latest general conclusion
concerning the epidemic therefore is
that the North, South and West short
ly will be asked for contributions.