The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-08-21
TIE DAILY INTELLIsENCER &.
Sunday, Aug. 81, 1881.
THE SMALLPOX INTRODUCTION.

On the 9Th Of August DR. 7 T Minor.
Health Officer of the Territory, wrote
to DIR VIM Jackson, Health Officer at
Victoris. for information concerning
the young man Davis. who came up on
the Dakota and was landed in Seattle
sick with smallpox in its most malig-
nant form. DIR Jackson, Oh the 9th, re-
piled a. follows:
have to state that on the evening
of July gath | was called 10 see a man
vino gave his name as Davis, and who
stated that he arrived on the Dakota
that morning. / saw him again the
following morning. and judged his to
be q case OF smallpox, and reported to
the quarantine officer that TO the best
of my opinion case OF smallpox had
arrived on said steamer. Mr Hanley.
tho Collector of Customs. sent for Capt
Morse, and in nay presence informed
him of my statement. Capt Morse
said he wss not aware OF any sickness
on the boat. I went to see the man
again at 2 pm. aud was informed that
be had left and gone over to the Sound
on thssDskotA.
Considering bis own reputation at
stake, sonsidering the manner in which
he as o man and officer had been treat
cd, and considering his duty to the
people, DIR Minor, on tho 18th inst,
wrote as fellows to Prosecuting Attor-
ney Evans:
have the honor to state that IN the
dischargeof my duty as Health Officer
of Puget Sound District, on arrival OF
the steamer Dakota at this port from
San Fancisco via Victoria on July 18th
at once went on board TO make Gus
tomary inspection.
The stewards informed nae that there
was no sickness of any kind on board.
Capt Morse, however, told me that
some one in Victoria had said that there
was case of scarletina, or something,
among the passengers. asked who it
was; he said he did not know. asked
him was it cabin or steerage pas
senger; he said he could not tell. At
my request, then, oil the passengers
were mustered on the upper deck, and
proceeded to inspect them and each
aud every stateroom on the upper,
main and lower decks; also tho steerage,
aud every nook and Granny where pas
sepgers are supposed to DO carried, or
would be likely to hide themselves.
Tt ,abin and Storage stewards accom-
panied me with lanterns. the former
through the entire inspection, the lat
tor in the Storage quarters. They
told me there were no cases Of sickness
among the passengers.
On returning TO Captain Morse he
expressed the conviction that the sick
man If there was any sick man must
have loft the ship ut Victoria.
1t seems settled that man named
Davis at this time was on board said
ship; that he was landed therefrom at
Seattle, and that he died on the Soc
ond day thereafter at Newcastle from
o malignant form of smallpox.
The Dakota had come from San
Francisco, by way Of Victoria, both
ports being FREQ FROM contagious dis
ease. From the proper officers at
the latter place. few hours before she
reached this port. she received clear
bill Of health, although the custom au-
thorities bad received notification Of a
case Of smallpox among the passengers,
ss ! subsequently, learned from the
Health Officer ut Victoria.
The statements in the foregoing,
taken in connection with those Of Davis
himself. and Of Thomas, who came with
Davis, and who is now at the pest
house. lay tbs blame for the outrage
perpetrated upon this community at
tho door Of Captain Morse alone. and
no simple denial Of his will now serve
to exculpato him.
The whole matter is ut present in tho
hands of the public prosecutor. 1t
will be investigated further by him
and by the Grand Jury; aud as we
have no desire to increase the prejudice
against the accused. or to render his
defense more difficult. we will refrain
from tbs extended and pointed com,
mant ws should otherwise feel il our
duty to indulge in.