The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-20
RusINEss oppoRruNIrIEs.
YELLOW FEVER AND QUARANTINE.
HOW THE YELLOW FEVER WAS KEPT OUT OF
NATCHEZ.

HOW THE YELLOW FEVER WAS KEPT OUT OF
NATcHEz.
correspondent who in Natchez Miss, during
the whole of the late yellow fever epidemic sends us
below interesting account Of the manner in which
a rigid quarantine maintained. 70 the thorough
of which, and to the energetic removal and pre-
vention OF nuisances there be doubt that the
city owed it's exemption from the plague which
devasted all the river towns above and below
WASHINGTON. ID. c., Jan. 13, 1879.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERAID:-
1t will be remembered that the towboat John Por-
ter spread the yellow fever along the Mississippi
River last summer, leaving it at every point she
touched The night that this boat was due at Nachez
was very stormy one upon the river. and such was
the severity of the elements that this boat unable
to make landing. but passed on, touching at Grand
Gulf port of Port Gibson), Vicksburg. Memphis.
Hickman and was last tied up and abandoned for
the time being in the Ohio River near Gallipols
Shortly after the passage of the Porter by Natchez
the yellow fever was declared epidemic in New Or
leans and broke out i'll the above men,
toned cities. Immediately our port was closed and
the strctest quarantine regulations went into effect.
were afterward made during the epidemic.
The wharf boat was moved down the
on bluff $50 feet high there was no access to the
quarantine station except for pedestrians on foot
down winding path. well guarded, and by water;
ehe clerk and men on the wharf boat were not allowed
leave it. but had their meals sent down daily and
were watched over by quarantine guard, who exer-
csed supreme command None OF the New Orleans
packets allowed to touch, but coaed from fiat
dropped down the river, which they deposited the
money and mail which were aiterward collected, the
mail being thoroughly fumgated and third class
matter excluded entirely. All skifs were tied up.
Up town the city was carefully, guarded by paid
guards were colored men who were placed OH some
Of the most important posts. Throughout the
duty most vigilantly and acted in few in
stances the colored guards) in arresting chicken
ey of Naehez always verS Clean and neh
with thick china berry trees on all the streets; but
our street contractor is very energetic man. and at
this period made the city look like garden spot.
All filth carted away and every pig removed from
town, and their haunts renovated with carboc acid
and lime This done to all cutters and outhoses
and damp places. Later the carbolic acid gave
out, for which all citizens most devoutly thank
full then coal tar substituted in its place. and
addition to being sprinked about this tar was put in
holes at every street and at dark set fire.
stranger would have thought himself in Dantes hell
had he been present at this time for the atmosphere
murky with the tar smoke aud heavy with its
SMELL while boys threw rocks in the holes to see the
liquid flames spatter round about. and men stood
on the sidewalks, with earnest countenances,
talking of the dreadful plague and its ravages.
out twenty miles below us and was spreading out into
the country from Port Gibson. only thirty miles
above. The citizens came forward voluntarily and
organized themselves into patrol to do duty night
and day and guard every entrance to the city by path
or bayou. LII this hour OF danger the whites and
blacks were together in one common effort to keep
the fever out. Among those coored citizens who
Joined the patrol and did duty night and day. in rain
and sunshine. were Fitzhugh. the postmaster Wood.
gress, and this in a democratic community where
political honors are equally divided and all live in
peace Over these patrols captains appointed to
make the rounds and see that the men duty.
One of the few captains colored man, and
this colored man rode around the lines, a captain
some Of the bluest blood in the South. No man
murmured q Misrepresentation at this step, but
the appointment universally acceptable. No
goods being allowed to enter town, some merchants
gave out in their supply of few necessary articles,
but prices never changed when only one man
had what everybody else wanted. The earnestness
of the people shown when during the early
days Of the epidemic and before third class mail
matter was restricted, merchant received pair of
shoes from New Orleans through the mail An
orderly and quiet body of citizens the point
Of burning up his whole stock Of goods and store.
Several times people from suspected dis
tricts tried to get into the city, who
were Immediately lodged down at the quar-
antine station on the wharf boat for ten days.
Again. two men were quarantined in an unoccupied
country house and no one allowed to go near them.
Their food was daily set under tree in the yard for
admitted into town when it known that there
yellow fever in the neighborhood; but as the
disease spread Port Gibson the line of imi-
tation drawn nearer to Natchez and just before
the quarantine was raised one was admitted from
beyond the seven miles post
For over two months we had no intercourse with
the outside world except by letter and telegraph and
one say that we suffered many Inconvenience,
rs the travelling people were away and would not
turn at any rate till October and the quarantine
raised the last of October Not single case of yell
low fever occurred ut Natchez during the year
S. PRENTISS MUTT.