The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-07-31
A VAIL OF DESPAIR.
How tho Leading Memphis Paper Fnccs
the Inevitable Woe.

A WALL OF DESPAIR.
How the Leading Memphis Paper Faces
the Inevitable Woe.
From the Memphis Appenl, Julyl0
Let us look the situation of affairs to-
day IN Memphis straight il The face.
Let us look, if possible, beyond and in
quire Of the future what more of wreck
and ruin it has in store for us. The pres
ent looks rs hlac!1, ugly and forbidding,
made so not so much by facts Us by croak-
ers. The future seems to be surrounded
by lurid hue that dominates the fright
full yellow tint, tho sign of horror, woe
and sorrow. The yellow fever, the first
case Of which was announced on the 9th.
now counts its sixteenth victim. 1t
counts the present destruction Of the
trade and industries of the community.
and threatens the property which repre-
sents the accumulatons of the iabor of
the present and preceding generations.
The yellow fever is in front of us, but
beyond it may easily be disccrncd the
torch of the incendiary, revealing the
starving thousands who to-day have no
resources. Never was city in so deplo,.
able condition. Most of her leading
men are absent OF all who under other
circumstances would be foremost as lead
ers and advisers, but few are now here
the dangers and counsel the bewildered
people what to do. Every man has made
provision for himself, and those depend
ent upon him, but there has not been one
word heard in behalf of the poor, no pro-
vision has been made for the safety of
property, not one cent has been subscrib-
ed TO maintain an integrity :ilat once as
sailed by hunger will be found worry weak
indeed. The city government is power
less and helpless. 1t cannot use one dol
lar Of the money in its treasury for the
succoring the poor and needy, ond it can
not levy tax for that purpose, and if it
could, could not collect it. AS for the
county government, it will take no
thought concerning us, for, if it did, it
would result in nothing. The State can
contribute nothing for our benefit; what
the Federal Government can do remains
to be seen. Our condition is seemingly
without any relief The doctors are
ready for work, and many of them are
sanguine that they are to have plenty
&C It. we ere in as bad @ condition
rs if the sporadic cases had joined their
forces to make an epidemic. Trade un-
til October, perhaps November, has been
as etiectually killed as if, instead of six
teen, we had sixteen hundred cases.
Those who have left us went under the
spur of panic, most of those who remain
have parted with that sense of security
without which peace of mind or health
are impossible. All along our lines Of
railroad the people are prepared to en-
force quarantine, after their own fashion,
regardless of the rules and regulations Of
| nf
Valley. They will cut Off all intercourse,
and save the State board of health the
cxEonse anu the people the trouble of
medical examinations and chemical fu-
migation. Already boats have refused to
land at our wharf. In a few days, when
the crazed become crazier and the idiots
more idiotic, We shall, perhaps, find our
selves hcmmed in living hell, where to
maintain order and respect for life and
property will be found impossible save
at the point Of the bayonet. We
have been warned that some towns
will not wait for the declaration of cpl
demic by the board OF health that they
have set their own limit of cases, and
will act upon private adyices. They are
victims of yellow fever quarantine insan-
ity, and there is no knowing what they
will do next. The railroad people are
our friends, but they cannot do anything
to help us that the Guarantinists will not
permit. But this IS not all. Our stocks
of groceries arc very low. The demand
for them the past few weeks has been
J without precedent. The Howard Asso-
citation has but a few thousand dollars to
begin operations with, and the fund that
remained over from last year in the hands
of the trustees has almost reached zero
The situation il will thus be seen is full
of gloom, not merely on account of the
presence ofthc yellow fever. but because
of the long train of evils it may bring
with it. Memphis is once more sitting
in the ashes Of woe and despair. Out Of
this condition there is but one avenue
flight. The people must get away from
the yellow fever and the doctors before
an epidemic is declared. No one who
has not had the yellow fever should be
permitted to remain here. Blacks as
we'll as whites, whether they will or not
should be forced into camps. 1t is better
to live bearing the temporary inconve-
niences of camps or neighboring cities
tnan to drag out miserable existence
here in daily dread, perhaps ultimately
to die like dog; and it will be cheaper
to sustain such camps than to pay the ex-
pense of thousands of sick and it may be
the funeral expenses ofthousands of dead.
To accomplish so desirable and benefi.
cent plan of operations not a moment
should be lost. The railroads will have
to do better. They will have to take our
poor away free. We say this remember
ing their unnumbered kindnesses and
charities last year. We are poorer now
than then, and can pay nothing. Besides,
we cannot expect that the world will
again help us as generously and lavshly
as it did in 1873. We cannot expect that
the world will help people who do not
help themselves, people who seem to
have no ties, who have regard for none
of the obligations that bind communities,
who sing loudly in chorus in the days OF
prosperity, but sing solo when yellow
fever comes to test their courage, pluck
and endurance. Our trade il Killed for
three months. We are without money,
provisions or organization. We are
threatened by rigid quarantine and the
disorders that are sure TO follow, unless