Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-11-28
ONCE MORE The PLAGUE.
Further Authentic Details of the Great
Epidemic.


Epidemic.
WILLIAMSBURG, KY, November 27.-
W. C. Lester, prominent attorney of this
place, has Just arrived from Mount Pleas
ant, the county seat Of Harlan, where he has
been for two weeks past at court as acting
Prosecuting Attorney. Mr.. Lester has in
formation of the prevailing plague, princi-
pally from Harlan, Letcher, Perry. Leslie
and Bell counties, and says that in Harlan
it appeared to be worst. 1t is most fatal
and prevails to the greatest extent up about
the head waters of Poor Fork and Glover
Creek, in the mountains, distance of about
twenty-five miles from Mount Pleasant.
A large territory is being terribly affiict-
ed and people are dying very
rapidly. In one neighborhood twelve per-
sons died on single day the latter part OF
last week, aad there were scarcely we'll peo-
pie enough to make them collins of rudely
hewn boards and bury them. On Browns
Creek, which rises in Harlan and emptles in
to the Cumberland River in Bell county,
The disease is raging with trighttul fatality,
and there is no way to keep record of the
dead. All along the banks of streams peo'
pie ore sick, and physicians and medicines,
outside of herbs and roots with whose cura-
i've properties the natives are acquainted
are unknown and unobtaipable, The Sp'
demic is rapidly spreading in Harlan, and
so far there seems to have been nothing dis
covered to check or cure, those afflicted
-ither dying in short time or nature saw
ing them from death only to leave them
such physical wrecks that they are as help
less as infants for weeks
In the district covering the southern pOr-'
,ionS of Letcher and Perry, the whole Of
Leslie and the northeast portion Of Bell, the
plague has obtained foothold, but reports as
10 its violence are very conflicting. Mr..
Lester thinks from what he was able to
CLEAN at Mount Pleasant that the deaths
run up into the hundreds, while the number
of those attacked cannot be estimated. The
disease does not prevail at Mount Pleasant,
but the session OF the circuit court, as far
as the trial of Commonwealth cases are con-
cerned, was complete failure, scarcely
case being called but it had to be continued
because of the illness or death of either the
defendant or some witness.
Symptoms of the Disease.
Mr.. Lester further said that no one seem
ed to know the exact nature of the pest,-
lence. Most people called it flux' and it is
probably a very aggravated form OF that
disease. 1t begins with gripping pains IN
the stomach, followed by debilitating dior
rhea and q swelling of the throat, and If
not fatal in three or four days, the patient,
as a rule, RECEIVERS. All reparts agree as to
to the cause of the epidemic, 1t being at
tributed to the use of impure water By the
natives The season has been unusually dry,
streams, as a rule, consisting of narrow
threads of muddy, foulsmelling and foul
tasting water, with an occasional pool OF
some poisonous stuff. The corn crop in all
the counties named above is good, and star
vation and want only exists because the
people can spare no time from the sick to
gather it. E,
No mills are running on the smaller
streams. In no portion OF the territory
mentioned Is either the corn or hay crop less
than usual. According to Mr. Lester the,
rains which visited the lower and CEN
tral portion of the State in the last few days
do not seem to have extended into the az
fiictad region and no pure water is obtain
able. Surely the situation seems appalling,
and co relief is at hand. nv informant
had no news except in general way of the
prevalence of the plague in Virginia or
West Virginia. In the latter only few
localities in the extreme southwestern part
of the State are affected. but in the former,
Buchanan, Wise. Russell and Scott coun-
ties are reported in a traly appalling condi-
tiop