The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-08-03
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent. ]

WASHINGTON. ID. e., Aug. !, 1888.
There is something of yellow fever
scare in Washington and means of pre-
caution and prevention are being dis
cussed and adopted. 1t is perhaps incor-
rect to say that there is any actual
scare, but with infected vessels lying
in quarantine at the mouth of our river,
it is no more than common prudence that
every possible precaution should be taken.
When vessel with several cases on
board runs past'the marine outp0sts,
right inso the port of Baltimore. 1t is time
to. assume the defensive \ few such
occurrences might give US the disease in
earnest, 1t is not thought that Wash
ington is in any real danger of being
visited by the epidemic, yet in common
with all tide water cities it enjoys no
immunity from attack Disinfecting and
cleaning up foul places is going on in
many cities, yet it is question if the
cleaning up" process is desirable now.
1t has been the experience Of Charleston,
Savannah, Mobile and New Orleans,
cities peculiarly open to attack from the
fever, that a. provoking cause of the
epidemic has been found in disturbances
OF the earth's surface during the heats OF
summer In 1857 Charleston was visited
by the disease, and its outbreak was
proved to have been simultaneous with
the cleaning of the great drain of the city
The throwing up Of an embankmcnt in
Mobile on one occasion resulted similarly
At Hilton Head in 1862 tn excavation
for fertilization produced local epe
demic of yellow fever, which, if the
other conditions had been present, would
have cost US the loss OF the tenth army
corps, then enCamped on the island A!
it was there were forty or fifty deaths
Our district commissioners have heretofore
been warned against allowing sewers 81
gas bitches, etc, to be dug up at thi,
time.
1t is apparent that the lottery com
panics are notgoing to die without strug
gle, and there is promise of a lively wal
between them and the postmaster gen
eral, who means to stop their use of thu
mails if possible. The Louisiana com
pany is a powerful institution, and 70
fifteen years has welded great influence
in the politics of that State 1t has mad
and unmade men in Congress and out o
it, Its influence in the State has been 81
potent that no politician who wishes t.
live politically dares oppose it, In 1877
it saved the Nichols government fror
destruction by interfering at critica
moment and assisting Mr.. Hayes com
mission to disband the Packard legislator
A member of the last Congressional dele
CATION made himself Objectionable to
and he was promptly shelved. The cap
tai stock of the concern is now wort
about FIVE times its value, and its divi
dends have been enormous. Last year
divided seventy per cent among its stoc
holders Its stock is all in the hands O
very few persons. The largest owne
is Mr.. Charles T. Howard, who has 90
shares, their par value being $500, 0OC
His dividend last year was $4,000 MI
John A. Morris is the next largest owner
He has 1000 shares, and last year h
received $280,000. The man who create
and has managed this institution SO sue
cessfully is Mr.. Howard He is a Mary
lander, but has lived in New Orleans
great many years. He commenced lii
as bookseller, and was in that bushes
until after the war. In 1868 Mr.. HoWar
got this lottery charter from the Louisi
and legislature 1t was modelled after tn
old lottery charter of the State of Mary
land, which system he carefully studio
ana brought to Louisiana md there plan
ed it. What Mr.. Towards fortune
now no one knows, but it is far up in th
millions. He is in wretched health, an
has for years tried to get well, but with
out success.
There is death of amusements for tn
summer residents of the capital. Tn
theatres are all closed and have been fC
weeks. On Saturday afternoons the Ma
rlne band plays on the lawn behind til
White house, and when they are not in
terrupted by showers and compelled t
hastily retreat into the White house ce
lar, their bright red coats aud white he
NETS make gay centre-piece and thei
programmes are heard with pleasure 0
Wednesdays they play in front of tn
capitol and on Mondays in the parad
grounds at the Marine barracks. In til
evening they disintegrate, a part of tn