Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-07-13
THAT stARE AGAIN.
The Common Topic of the Last
Three Days.
MEMPHIS, July IL, 1881.

MEMPHIS July IL, 1901.
EDITOR LEDGER-For what have
we a quarantine station2 Is it not for
the purpose of examining passing
steamers from below and providing
with hospital accommodation such as
may be suffering from malarial or
other fevers, prevalent in the lower
country at this season. Now, it
seems that Memphisat this extremely
hot season (aud on last Sunday, the
hottest day of the summer so far, is
sacrificed to the carelessness of those
in authority, the people scared and
business materially injured by allow
ing the landing in our city of four
sick persons and one corpse. Why
were they not landed at the quaran-
tine stationY
Why should even the business in
terests OF this city be compelled to
suffer because the captain of tow
boat wants to get rid of the sick mem
bers OF his crew?
The writer should not like to be
considered hard. hearted, but the well
fare Of four persons should not be
considered paramount to that of forty
thousand. Myriads of volumes Of
disclaimers would not convince some
people in the country of the snow
white purity of our city claimed by
the card in this mornings papers.
The authorities ought 10 avoid even
the appearance Of evil.
Yours, respectfully, SINBAD.
The trouble with Sinbad, is that he
has flown off at a tangent, or as some
would say, gone offhalf cooked. Like
many others he did not inquire into
facts. The corpse put off here by the
steamer Wood, was the second engin-
eer of the boat, Thomas Kunkle, who
was taken sick on the down trip and
while the boat was in the Ohio river.
He could hardly stand on his feet
when the vessel passed here going
down. 1t is no wonder the man died
| under such circumstances, even
though he voyaged to the salubrious
and breezy climate of Louisiana. AS
the boat never went to New Orleans,
but landed her cosl feet at
Willow Grove several miles above
there, and returned up the river with
open and empty coal fats it is difficult
to see what harm there could be in
putting out a corpse here, any more
than there would if the deceased had
died on a railway train.
There is no yellow fever or conta-
gious sickness at present In New Or
leans, or elsewhere in the South, hence
the danger likely to result from let.
ting poor sick man or two come up
town from a steamer is not apparent,
There is no restriction to travellers on
a railway doing it, or Of
going anywhere they like. To confne
the boat people to their crafts if they
happen to have ailments caused by
hot weather and ice water would hardly
be fair under the circumstances.
The health watchers are all vigilant
and want to earn their pay, particu-
larly the National Board of Health
men, and they are not going to let any
body catch their death sickness from
steambOatman. The boats are all
carefully watched, whether railway OF
horseback travellers are or not.
People are easily humbugged and
misled, and the story about the sick
folks on the Wood was greatly exag
gerated. There wasn't live man on
the boat when she lay here Sunday
but was able to stroll up to town anC
imbibe his beer and they all, or nearly
all, did it. No men were sent to. the
hospital here from the boat, aud it il
doubtful whether any went home by
rail as has been reported.
A large number here have theil
eyes on Sinbad and two other citizens
When the trio leave town they think
it will be wise for others to prepare tC
follow ten days or two weeks after
, ward.