The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-30
Let the Naples of America Cleanse
Herselft


Tho Picdpme OF New Orleans takes pride
in describing that city as the NAPLES Of
America" 1t draws n very allurlng picture
OF the charms OF tho Southern metropolis
during the winter season, when. according to
our contemporary, 1t has as delightful eli
mate az any place in the world. ut is far SUI
pcror In that respect to the famed European
resorts" afIlrms the Picdyune, land 1t Is
not too much to hope that within few years
New Orleans will become the Naples OF
America that 1t will be the favored resort
Of tens OF thousands OF visiting strangers
during the season from the middle Of Octo-
bor to the middle Of April"
1t is undoubtedly true that the winter eli
mate Of New Orleans Is usually quite equa-
bic, rarely falling to severe cold, and main
tanning on the whole fair level. 1t certainly,
therefore, presents some claims upon the
increasing number OF travellers who go
South during the cold season, though it is
apt TO be damp. 1t offers the advantages OF
large city, In many respects peculiar
among our American towns. owing TO its
French founding; and there Is n great deal
In that. And yet New Orleans Is not n ia
vorite winter resort. Very few travellers
for health or pleasure so there during the
cold season. Why is that2
We are sorry TO answer because New Or
leans has bad reputation throughout the
country. When IL is not actually afflicted
with yellow jack it Is getting itself ready to
receive and spread the disease. 1t is almost
undrained, and its system of street cleaning
Is ms defective as possible.
The reports We get concerning the sanl-
tary condition Of the city at this season
represent it as excessively bad. "In all my
experience here of nearly a quarter of a con-
tury," writes one of the citizens of New Or
leans to tho Philadelphia Times, "the
streets, cutters, and general drainage Of the
place have never been in such dis
gustingly filthy condition. Everything that
is calculated to cause miasmatic vapors-
poisonous exhalations from cesspools, gar
bage, decaying matters, and nastincss OF
the most dangerous character-is lying
loose in every quarter OF the city"
Such is the picture Of New Orleans-the
Naples OF America in February, ono OF
the months when it is most delightful, ac-
cording to the RcdWme. That is. it has got
itself ready to start new yellow fever cpl
demic next summer, provided the other
conditions are favorable Opinions differ as
TO the origin Of the disease, whether II is
imported or indigenous; but nobody doubts
that it loves just such filth and noxious
odors as those described by one Of its cit-
zens as now prevailing in New Orleans TO
an even greater extent than usual.
Was not the loss OF five thousand OF its
citizens by yellow fever last year enough to
satisfy 1t Does 1t wish to lose its autumn
trade again, and again TO be shut out from
communication with the rest OF the country
for three months "As the Board Of Health
Is comparatively powerless and thoroughly
incompetent for the task Of taking care of the
public health" adds the correspondent OF
the Philadelphia Times, I'VE need not ex-
pect anything will be done to prevent q re-
currence Of the terrible experience OF last
year." Therefore we may conclude that the
lessons OF the last epidemic have been un-
needed.
We may not have another yellow fever
| epidemic this summer. Such epidemics do
| Irvs usuauy vvvur I'VE s-~a - L.. ana~-.-~ian,
but New Orleans is doing its best to give us
one. That OF last year. which was started In
its filthy streets, was enough TO last us for
a generation at least. 1t cost the country
between ten and twenty thousand lives, pros
trated five times as many persons, devas-
tated Vicksburg, Memphis, Grenada, and n
score OF other towns and cities, and caused
pecuniary loss estimated at from fifty 10 a
| hundred millions.
Though the times were hard, the people
Of the North freely gave for the relief OF the
sufferers from the epidemic a million OF dol
lars or more. To New Orleans alone over
$3sO,OOO was sent, to be distributed by its
heroic Howard Association there and sent
to other afflicted places.
A great epidemic like that Of last summer
and autumn is a frightfully costly thing
and the country feels unable TO bear
the expense of another just yet. Therefore
we call on New Orleans TO at once cleanse
herself and take those precautions against
pestilence OF which reason and experience
teach the necessity.
Let the Naples Of America arouse herself
before 1t is too latel