The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-07-24
THE sCouRGE.
Interesting Account of the Trials OF
Memphis Citizens.
From Davenport Democrat July %,


On the packet Rob Roy. to-day. were
five families from Memphis, bound for
lakes in Minnesota. They left Memphis
last Saturday by rail. The gents are
merchants. One of them, Mr.. John Glib
bins, gave Democrat reporter descrIp-
ton of the condition of things at Memphis
when he left. He said the city authori-
ties had been tardy IN the Spring in
cleansing the by-ways and alleys, and
quarters of the low negro population,
while they made good show of work in
the streets. Want of funds was one rea-
son for this-and trust that the fever
would not return this year. People are
slow in Memphis to pay taxes. Property
has deprecated so greatly on account o.
the fever, and owners of property have
been at such great expense the past year,
in living away from the city, that most OF
| them have no easy times 10 getting money
enough to live on. 1t is almost impossi-
BILE to sell real estate except at very low
figures. Then another thing-and the
worst thing. The city authorities deter
mined to destroy all the bedding used for,
and the personal clothing worn by, the
yellow fever patients last year, passed an
ordinance to that effect, and appealed tc
the people to do 1t. Several men were
appointed to search out these articles II
houses where people denied having them
And yet great many poor people, white
as well as black, manage to secrete bee
clothing and personal garments that have
been used or worn by victims of The
plague; and the first cases OF yellow fever
| n Memphis this summer can be traced
directly to those articles. Two child
rem of a Judge, one of the promi
nent citizens, were taken first, anC
the colored girl that cared for these child
rem wore dress that sister Of her
had on when she died of yellow fever TIT
| two children died, the Judge himself wa
) taken with the fever, and the girl was tn
Hast to take the disease, but she died OF
Thursday last The Judge was GONZALES
cent when Mr. Gibbins left Memphis. Thu
T the fever started in one Of the fines
homes in the most pleasant part of til
city. Numbers of people have received
, the fever from similar sources. Mr. q
says the anxiety and fear that prevailed
even among the rich, when the report
Il that there was fever in that Judge family
cannot be described. The experience G
'79 was SO terrible that the bare report Q
u the return OF the fever prostrated man
e women, and be saw men shed tears.
]. less than twelve hours there was a univeI
sal desire to leave Memphis. 1t was know
there was fever in the city two days be
fore news of il was telegraphed abroad
: When the exodus commenced, the scene
# were heart stirring. Many people sol
4 diamonds, jewelry, silks and other valua
BILE articles at fourth their value so a
to get money to leave, There was weeE
e ing, yailipg, hGrrying, crowding, Two 0
& three pawnbrokers made piles of money
taking rich articles in exchange for greer
. backs, for the articles can be sold
Northern cities at a great advance over tn
l. amounts paid for them. 1t isn't likely th
Z lpawnbrokers will ever be seen in Memph
# again.
All the members of the Memphian pal
ty on the Rob Roy expressed their doubt
r about living in Memphis again. Two {
e the merchants said they should leave the
families in the North, 10 the fall, go bacl
- dispose of their stocks, and seek some ott
i er city for business and home. The
IS are sick of struggling against fever
je Memphis.