St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-01
THE VIRGINIA PLAGUE.
The Terrible Ravages it is Making
in Three States.

JOUfJuft StAH cores Ouueut, VINO IS In Tue
mount aius of eastern Kentucky invesu-
eating the plague of that section, sends the
following tonight from Borbounville, KY:
met Mr. G. F. Davidson, agent of the
4 Cumberland River Lumber company who had
been over the infected district. Mr. Davidson
/ says: ''The disease, which is an aggravated
and very fatal form Of lux, began about six
weeks ago in Letcher county. Joseph Day,
brother OF the county Judge, being the first
I victim He lives on Poor Fork, about fifteen
miles from Whitesburg, and was taken i'll when
short distance from home lie
was first seized with grip
ing pain, and in a few moments
was paralyzed so completely that he had to be
carried to the house. The gripping was fol-
lowed by bloody and weakening diarrhoea,
and in few hours he was dead man From
this point the disease spread with great "a
pidity, and it now extends over territory
embracing about one-haIf of the north por-
ton Of Wise county, Virginia, the north.
western portion of Lee county, Virginia.
the entire county of Letcher in Kentucky,
the upper edge of Horton county, southwest
ern part OF Knott, southwestern part OF Pike
and southwestern portion of Leslie. This
embraces a territory about twenty miles
wide by eighty miles in length"
I'm what particular neighborhoods is the
/ disease tue wurst!n
ut is most violent at the headwaters OF
Straight creek, Clover fork and other small
streams, which rise on the north side of the
pine mountains, and on Poor Fork in Har-
lem, at the head OF Powell's creek an other
streams rising in the Cumberland mountains
in Wise county, Virginia At the head of
| those r-bf l,riza ~
into the Big Sandy, at the head Of North
Fork and another branch of PowelIs creek
in Lee county, Virginia, at the heads Of
Shelby and Elk Horn creeks in Pike, and at
| scattered points on streams in Letcher and
Leslie. In Letcher it is worse along Poor
Fork. 1t prevails at the headwaters of
almost every stream in the district
named that empty into the Cumberland,
Big Sandy, Kentucky, Powell's and Kicking
river, Invariably it is most widespread
closest 10 the highest mountains"
'How long does it generally take for the
disease to run its course, and what are its
exact symptoms.
"About two days, and it generally proves
fatal. In many instances those attacked
died in a few hours. The symptoms are as
related in the case OF Joseph Day, gripping
pains in the stomach, violent fux and hem
orrhage of the bowels after a total or partial
paralysis aud intense thirst. The latter sat
| isles me that mineral poison is the real cause
OF the epidemic. 1t is a well known fact
that the streams along which the disease pre-
walls find their beginning in the mountains
among rocks containing alllali, arsenites
aud other poisonous minerals. Until re-
Gently no rain had fallen for many weeks, and
the streams had nearly dried up. The
water remaining, and which these
people are forced to use was
therefore powerfully charged with these
poisons and continued use of it resulted in
the epidemic One peculiar feature of it is
that it is certainly contagious, for il it once
entered family it let none escape, and l
have been told of instances where those who
have visited afflicted persons and have not
themselves used water have contracted the
disease.
HAS any rain fallen lately in the infected
region!"
Eyes, light rains fell last week, but do
not think they were sufficient to purify the
water and check the disease"
How about the reported famine}'
1.-The people raise little beside corn, and
while the crop was not heavy this year, they
are about as well off as last year
OF course, there may have been
individual cases of suffering, for instance,
when an entire family was down with the
disease, but if there were any l have not
heard of themn
''Have you any idea of the number who
have fallen victims to the .plaguel'
Il can give no reliable estimate, but from
500 to 1000 would probably cover it, base
my eonjectures solely upon the death aver
age in the particular neighborhoods which !
have visited"
81 presume there were many very pitiable
casest'
''Yes, some very shocking. In one grave
yard at point on Straight creek, in Harlon
county, seven people were buried one day
last week. In the family of Judge Day, the
death Of whose brother | mentioned, there
were five deaths, his wife and four little ones
falling prey to the awful plague. In the
same locality deaths have been very num-
erous. Attic head of Clover Fork, in Hair
ian county, and just at the foot of Garrison's
gap crossing, in the Black mountains, lived
a family by the name of Clark, the hus-
band and father now serving
out a sentence at Frankfort for murder
l believe. The wife and four children, who
are poor as the poorest you can find in the
noun tains eked out livelihood as best they
might from the arid land on which they had
their abode. The disease attacked them and
in few days they were all dead. In Wise
county, Virginia, | was told that those bury
their work, and could not begin to gather up
and coffin the victims as fast as
they fell. 1 was told by most reliable gentle
men living at Poor Fork pOstofIice in Harlan
county that twenty-five new graves have
been filed in the cemetery on the banks of
Poor Fork in LctcLer county, near the Harlan
line, Many other instances of the same ma
ture were either told me or came under my
observation, but cannot just now recall
them"
''Do the people appear to be much alarmed
at the progress of the diseaseln
mo, they talk about it great deal, but
did not see person who appeared to be at
all frightened. They are a sort of careless,
easy going class, never borrow trouble and
take life just as it comes, good or bad.
l learned from other sources last evening
that the plague had also made its appearance
in this (Knox) county, and that number
of eases had occurred on Sinking creek,
from fifteen to twenty miles distant from
this place. Several cases were also reported
on Goose creek. The disease does not APP
pear to have the same virulence in these 10
calities, however, as in those mentioned
above, and the mortality is com
paratively small. This morning leave in
company with Mr.. Davidson, for Pineville
and Mt. Pleasant, and, in all probability, will
enter Letcher county and Wise county, Va,
before my return"
The Actors Thank Coy. Cleveland.
New YORK, Nov. 3O.-The managers of
the actors fund benefit met this afternoon at
the Grand ODpra hOuse and Dasspd resolu