The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1883-08-25

! tlful grounds, flower and vegetable gar
dens. Nice grand walks border the river
and on all sides there are pretty views.
Chester, four miles distant, great ship
building point, is plainly visible. It is
rather interesting to note the history of the
| quarantine here. A century and half ago,
when voyage from Europe required many
weeks instead of seven days, it was fre-
quently the case that typhus fever broke out
among the crowds of passengers and was
| imported into the city. Philadelphia was
so much of country town then that the
entry Or clearance of vessel was great
event. There was no Board of Health, no
quarantine, and the only way of caring for
sick emigrants was to put them in empty
houses about town and provide for them at
public expense. In 100 an act to prevent
sickly vessels from coming into this country
was first passed, by the Colonial Assembly,
| William Penn, Proprietary Governor, and
| the first health officer was appointed by
Governor Sir William Keith. In l74L the
introduced by Palatines or German emf
grants, became epidemic. 1t is now sup
posed to have been yellow fever. In 1749 q
hospital was built on Province Island for
sick emigrants. In 1862 yellow fever was
epidemic the second time. The summer
was excessively hot, the fever spread rapid
ly and over 1000 people died. A system of
health laws and Board of Health were es-
tablished in 1884. Among the inspectors
we find some good old Philadelphia names
-Jacob Morgan, Stephen Giraed, Thomas
Ewing ct als. The city grew rapidly and a
few years later, in 1893, the station on Pro-
vince Island was declared inadequate and
the quarantine was moved to its present site
on Tunicum Island.
In Montgomery county, Maryland, is n
very old building-the p; Z; Church Of the
Holy Trinity. Rev. Jacob Henderson, who
died in 1874, was the first rector. The ven
erabIe Rev. Stephen Fl. 1yng, D. D., rector
emeritus of St. Georges, New York, had
for many years charge Of the parish, and
that sanity man, whom it was my privilege
to know-whom to know was to love and
| who was known and loved, not only in this
land, but abroad-Bishop Wilmer, second
Bishop of your State, was born in the rec
tory while his father was rector. Dear in
those old buildings! They are soon to be
thoroughly repaired, but it is to be hoped
that nothing will be destroyed, nothing
changed. 1t would indeed seem like desc
Grafton to remove from them the hue of age
or the brand of time.
I had the honor too, of knowing the Hon.
Montgomery Blair, whose death has lately
been heralded over the land. Yes, ono Of
the well marked, strong characters, who has
EelpeU 10 IlhhS Cuf pOilticdl IilBIOry-tne
great politician-great, not only because of
his wisdom and knowledge, but because of
his purity, his freedom from sinister mo-
tives and party spirit, has passed into the
other life! | can not say that was shocked,
for he had reached the ripe age when death
liable at any time, but the heart was filled
with regret for good man gone. The last
time l saw him was several years ago at one
Of the famous resorts in Virginia, when
Ill
him and his estilnable wife and daughter. He
was genial and kind to every one and
though used to dignity and the stern things
of life, he showed that he could bend to tho
little gaieties as we'll. I remember ON one
occasion, at leap year ball. he entered
fully into the fun, danced when invited by
the ladies, and in many ways added to the
pleasure of all present.
posTsCRIpTs.
If we are to Judge by present appear
ances, Chester 4. Arthur will have g walk
over" for the next Republican presidential
nomination.
Ben Butler is planning q trip through the
South next winter. New Orleans will be
visited and the Southern Democrats will
have an opportunity to slay that necessarily
buzzing little presidential bee.
The ''British Crown" sailed into port q
few days ago with curiosity on board III
the shape of German shoemaker weighing
over 400 pounds. He claims to DO the
largest package of flesh and blood that ever
crossed the Atlantic ON single ticket. He
will open shop on Race street.
About 300 cats are destroyed weekly, dur
the summer, in Philadelphia, by the agent
of the Women's Branch of the City Refuge
for Lost and Suffering Animals. They are
asphyxiated by charcoal gas. Last year
7151 cats were thus made to shuttle off this
mortal coil.
~G00SE0TITTT