Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-10-26
THE YELLOW YEvgR DISTRICT.
The Truth Suppressed Of On
cials-Selling Clean Bills Of Eealth.

ClAlb-6611luR Cl6dn blllE OF 6edlLQ.
J. E. Day. who resided in this city from
1862 until about five years since, and subse-
quently in San Francisco, arrived in Sacra-
mento yesterday directly from Mazatlan. He
was at that place at the time Horace Adams
died there, and left on the 18th instant, COM
ing by way of Gusymss, thence to Benson,
and by the Southern Pacific Railroad. He
states that the reports received from the
Mexican yellow fever district conceal the real
condition of affairs there, and are written
with intent to deceive, 30 that travel shall be
resumed to those parts. This effect has been
produced, to the death of many and immi.
nent danger Of others.
At Mszatlan, he says, these reports induced
part of those who had fed to the mountains
to return, and great portion of them
are soon taken down with the disease after
arriving, and as many as Elk, and more, were
dying there daily OF the disease when the
steamer lett. Those who have means, or
whose relations have, are buried as usual, but
others are inferred without any kind of coffin,
but simply placed hastily in a pit and COW
cred. Out of 800 soldiers who were stationed
at Msz2tlan, 430 have died OF the fever.
leaving only seventy remaining OF the entire
command. OF those who disd, fourteen en-
listed men were placed in one pit, and ss an
appropriate mark Of distinction, the Captain,
who died at the same time, was placed on top
of them, and the pit then filled up. Before
it was filed stake was placed at the head,
and the earth thrown in around 1t. Two or
three days subsequently, when another pit
was needed, an officer pulled out the stake,
and from the fumes which were thus per-
mitted to come up from beneath he took
the yellow fever and died in less than three
hours
"How did it happen that you did not get
| the fever, Mr.. Day ?" asked q gentleman who
was listening to his recital of these facts.
81 did have it, you may be assured" was
the reply. 1--WE all had it. l was as yellow
as saffron from head to foot, and the skin all
peeled off from me when l got better. I was
taken down with it an Sunday, and got out
again the following Friday"
"What did you take for it ?" he was asked.
"Oh," was the reply, 81 was dosed all
over. I had large mustard and haxseed poul.
tices all over my feet and lower limbs, to get
them warm and keep up the circulation
mustard was placed all over my chest, ana
sliced raw potatoes upon the back of nv
head had been taking quinine to keep off
| the disease, but it was no use. All the
Americans that were there took it, so far AS
know, and but small portion of them got
well the majority died and were buried
| there"
At Guaymss. he says, the disease has
greatly Abated, but by no means disappeared,
and many who are returning too soon from
the mountains and interior. to which places
| they had gone to escape it, are at once seized
| by the disease and die.
! The disgust of all Americans now in that
| part Of Mexico, our informant states, is most
profound for that country, not only on
account of the yellow fever, but also from
the total lack of security to life
and property. Many Americans have
good mines there, but the Mexicans
manage to keep them under steady fire from
lawsuits, and if a man gets into Court he has
got to keep paying bribe money to tbs judges
to keep any sort of showing for success
against bis opponent. When the Judge has
got well "heeled in fees from both sides of
all the cases in Court, he resigns, so as not to
| be compelled to decide against any who have
| bought him, and then the new Judge has to
be made "solid by all parties in a similar
manner. There is, therefore, it is represented,
but little chance of getting an important
mining Gaze decided until all the Mexican
| lawyers in the jurisdiction have been bOu .ht
up by both sides or sooner shot.
Few Americans in the yellow fever district
would remain there, says MIR, Day, II they
had funds TO get away, and they feel desper-
ately anxious to leave. j. A. Robinson, OF
! San Francisco, came there recently, and very
humGnely paid the fares of several Amer
leans who were strangers to him, TO go TO Ca
ifornis and to parts of the East. Mr.. Day
was one of these, and the cost of his trip
from Mazailan to Sacramento was about sos
for second class fare and necessary expenses.
In conclusion Mr.. Day ssys that the public
should positively avoid going upon the Mex
lean coast at present, and not trust to the
published reports about there being no fever
there now. The effort is net only made at
Mszatlan, he says, to suppress the real facts
as 20 the disease, but that the Board Of
Health are speculating with their official po-
sitions. and for money consideration clean
bills of health may be obtained. This truly
is dark picture, which no addition in details
or deeDsninp shadeg