The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-08-10
MUNCHAUsEN's MANTLE.
Preposterous Reports as to New Orleans
The Fever District.
tT,o,iaville CO urter-JournaI.I

We publish below another letter from EiWfsFu
Parmsle, ESD q New Orleans merchant, VINO,
with mercantile pursuits. combines error
lteraty taste and culture. with adnlrable pow,
s1f 81 Be Who rhs handea us for
publication. Mr.. Parmeie's description Of the
topography OF the usual fever district II New
Orleans Is very graphic. and undoubtedly full
OF t:utb We commend 1t to tho thoughtful at
tention of our re arey ORLEANS Anpnst l. 1871,
Dear DoctOT-~As anticipated, exaggerated &C
counts of the yellow fever cases Of Monday ana
Tuesday have spread throughout the West and
d win s bsm nDeETTh 9 fp New ossns
snondsuts seem to have possessed themselves
OF the worry aroma Of romantic invention They
wear the mantle Of Munehausen with grace
the original never dreamed OF. The audacious
efrrontery with which they manufacture their
spurious news for outside markets 10 without
According to ono New Orleans q about being
depopuIaied. Her citizens are fleeing before
the dread pestilAnce by rail and straut, ana only
regret that they cannot iake the wings OF the
morning" and escape the fatal lying germ.
The fact is thu. the departures from the city
are fewer than usual this summer. Inc ,e us. nss ~
three sporadic cases OF fever had been devei-
oped. and the railroads and steamboNs nave
| done but - limited business during the entire
week. the scare OF the aforementioned CORE
spondenis seems to have been confined e them y,
seves. Il was myth OF fher oWn exeiieh IN I'D
| companions OF the cafe where il hal IT. bir'h;
Our people aceep. with entire confidence tne
| StH =
give no credence to the gossip Of the street cor
ners. They take no counsel OF their fears. iaey
| take no notice Of ths frivolous timidlty Wnlch
sees infection ia every passing breezs: There
| has not been single new casa In me Guy slnee
Tuesday lat 6 One rsporf fvr eh a alga Ion
| to be but maarial and are conVAlescenC. l. ne
| Board of Health will give full and immediate
| Information of any further cases, shodid suen
occur. they entertain no apprehensions as e
It's spreading beyond the place where 1t maze
/ It's first appearances.
| A word as to the locality where for severa
years 1t hos thus appeared may not be unlhtef-
esting TO you in your own 1nvesiaatinns as !, 70
remote causes Of fevers. ete. When Bisn l Is
first pitched bis tents on the present site oi
New Orleans. In 1918. he found In what + no"
the Fourth District bayou, styled Bayos
small tribe of Indians then living on the banks
of Bayou 1T. John. 1t is on the old maps OF the
city. Its mouth was Just above Jackson near
aorapnru street. and its cour1e extended tt t.
, Constance thence westward TO Louisiana Ave
nue.aThe early settlers, wanting no water pIlVi
the haunts Of mosautoes ana a. all soptg he,
, and the sgamDy soil bordering IT have eve
since been among the lowest land 10 that DOT
{ such SPECTATORS as Buchanan. Hagan, Clark
i and others were buying all the vacant. unl q
prove ,na II ns ae ege Wh
eit w of Laiayeften now the Fourth .
. Bayou NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. with its malaria
B diseases. was neglected by them. 1t was tnen
y as it Is now, for the most part occupied oy u
r poorer class of people. who found 10 the cheat
o ness Of the land an inducemant to purcla ass
q Character. The land il tn, vicinage Of this OIL
bayou being lower than other portions Of !, = !,
il cult 10 drain or keep in anything like clean
3 condition. The rainfall there remains for Gay
It The cutters running In the direction OF I'd
9 iske, with their sluggish current. fall to carr
d II off and as a natural result. 1t spreads oTs
he streets and under the houses thus na e
/ by laborers drayme. ana oaer9 ann i u IL
i diate portion Of the city. when the others al
g exempt The attention Of the authorities se 20
and the repeated appearance now OF tbs ia &c
y or four cases Of fever this summer IN tn
e section will induce prompt action In the nes
It fntnre 10 the necessity Of its mproveIa mt
g But I have tres passed enough. dear doctor, c
l. j. 'oN1 EDWARD PAKMELE.