Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-11-21
Terrible State OF Affairs.

The new and fatal disease, caused, it is
is supposed, by poisoned water, is playing
sed havoc in Lee, Dickinson and the edge
of Scott counties, in Virginia, and Harlan,
Lee and the adjoining counties i'll Ken
lucky. Hundreds of people are said to
have died. The disease is attributed to
mineral poison in the drought-dried waters,
as a strong and disagreeable mineral taste,
like that of copperas, exists. Few springs
are flowing freely, aud the people are COM
peled ~ drink this lmpregnated water.
Although the uame of the disease il un-
known, The people call it cholera, and were
il so, il could nos be more dreaded or di7as
troua. The symptoms are described as
similar to those of Asiatic cholera, followed
| by terrible hemorrhages in the bowels, and
those attacked either die or recover in about
| week. 1t is frequently fatal in twenty
four hours, and sometimes even in a much
shorter period. In most Instances it visits
an entire family, and ii is considered 30
contagious that III some cases persons
die alone, their friends being afraid
to go TO them. The people are do
moralized, and local business suffers.
A like scourge visited the section in 1854,
Cattle are also dying iu the same section,
but as rains have fallen for two days past,
it is probable that the drought in toe infect.
ed region is ended.
A gentleman who has just returned from
a trip through the Counties Of Mercer and
Mcdowell, w. Va; Lee, RUSSELL Wise and
Buchanan, Va, and Scott, Harlan and
Floyd, Kentucky, says the scenes witnessed
were beyond description. For nearly three
months no rain has fallen. The grass is
burned up; the crops are IA total failure
nearly every creek, spring and well is dry ;
there is scarcely any water in the north
and middle forks OF the HoIston river.
Maiden Spring creek is simply dry gulch,
aud the Louisa for. of Big Sandy is a sue
cesson of brackish puddles in the hollow
of its rocky bed. In the town Of Mount
Pleasant but one well contains wafer. The
citizens Of SaltviIle carry water for nearly
two miles. For the past six weeks dead
" plague has swept this whole section, and
at least one thousand persons, in popula.
ton not exceeding fifteen thousand, have
died. Cattle and live stock by hundreds
have died. The disease is similar in man
and beast 1t begins with gripping pains in
the stomach, followed by excessive fever, a
bloody flux; accompanied With vomiting,
and then death, The sickness rarely lasts
over day, bat depends on the strength
of the individual attacked Whole
families die alone and are left un-
buried. The devastation on Morcasin Creek
is particularly awful. About thirty families
reside distance of eight miles or its banks.
or the one hundred and eighty persons i'll
them over one hundred have died. Physi-
clans are not to he had. and the simple re-
NEEDLES of the natives prove powerless. The
family of Abraham Snalley consisted of five
persons. The youngest a child Of two years,
was found dead. The little child had evi
IDENTITY died last, and in It's awful hunger
had nearly torn otrits mothers breast. Food
Is about exhausted, and the people are liv-
ing on barks and herbs. Flour is unknown,
and corn meal sells for eight dollars bar
rel The mills cannot grind, and if they
could there is no corn. GIadr=ville, KY, is
almost depopnlated, and a graveyard is
ahoat all that remains of Lebanon. In five
counties there are not ono thousand bushels
OF corn nor one hundred head Of live stock,
and the tobacco crop is absolutely nothing.
Potatoes do not average ;on bushels to the
acre There is no game in the mountains,
aud communication with the outside world
il hy the most tedious methods, over noun
tains and rocky pas>ca.