Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-02-14

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years 1917 and 1880 cholera in 1881 in
vaded Europe, y grava2ing in the succeed
ing few years the entire continent from
the borders Of the Arctic ocean to the
shores of the Mediterranean. In June,
1885, it reached Qaebec, and in the
same ysar. but more extensively in
1855, itspread over the entire United
States. se;-ss., - ,zz--.;-s2--- ,......-
Lexington was then q small town,
but being an important point on the
line OF. the river commerce it suffered
somewhat severely with the disease.
Unfortunately We have no data In re-
gard to its intensity or mortality.
y '-'''----- EPIDEMIC OF iS49.e..
In 1886 cholera was again on its
march westward across Asia. A Rus
sisn army west Of the Caucasus suf-
fefed- ssverly in 1S47, and in September
of that year it reached Moscow. Near
ly every country in Europe was invad-
ed in. that and the following year.
On the 30th of November 1848, an
emigrant ship with cholera on board,
entered the harbor of New York, and
the next day, December 1, the ship
|Swanton, infected with the disease ar
rived at New Orleans. During Decem-.
Der and January, both cities had
cholera severely; the mortality in New
York amounting to upwards of 2,200,
that of New Orleans being more than
II ZOO. So aa-.-
/. 1t should not be overlooked that this
was an exceptionally cold winter in
New York, and during the prevalence
lot the disease the temperature was
frequently below zero. ...,.....
Early in January company of dra-
tgoons from the extreme east was
sent to Fort Leavenworth to be pushed
ont on the plains to afford protection
to the vast tide Of emigrants that would
In the spring rush to the gold places
fof California. In their march through
/ Missouri, these dragons buried quite
= number of their men who died of
cholera. Some of these deaths in
saline and this county came under the
immediate. cognizance of the writer,
But 1t wasnot until spring when these
emigrants began to swarm into West
1 ern Missouri, awaiting here the proper
Itfme TO start across the plains, that
cholera was communicated 10 the resi-
dents of the country. The first case
that occurred was the father of Jos.
Utt of this city. He died of the disease
in March or April at his residence nea,
the head of Tabo creek.
In May the disease became prevalent
in Lexington. affording larger num-
Der of cases and heavier mortality
than in any other epidemic since
While it spread gradually over the city
and vicinity, it seemed to fall mos,
heavily upon that portion of the towr
north of Main and west Of Laure
streets.
There were repeated re- appearances
of the disease during the following
years, and even as late as 1852 we hai
a sharp recurrence Of the epidemic
several prominent citizens falling vic.
Tins to it.
The mortality in Lexington during
this prolonged scourge was very heavy
During the height of the disease o
I those severely attacked, fully one hal
died; with the gradual lessening of tn,
violence OF the epidemic the mortalit,
fell much lower. No data can now b,
; arrived at to determine the number o
deaths.
In addition to the rapid introductio,
of the disease into the extreme west b,
! the immense tide of California emf
, grants, it may be mentioned that tn
trains across the plains carried it to tn
: base of the Rocky Mountains, land mum
erous tribes of Indians became infect
e ed by disinterring the bodies of thos
9 who died in order to obtain the blank
e cts and other valuables in which the
y were buried.
4 EPIDEMIC OF 1854.
The epidemic of 1S49 rolled west
y ward, SO that in 1858 Fort Lavaccs
Texas, was the rear or eastern limit {
u the scourge; California and Oregon
u the center, and the Sandwich Island
its western limit or van. In the meal
Il time, however, the third grand migra
y tory movement of the disease had con
g menced. Advancing through Persia
IS 1858, 1t reached Europe the same yea
e and in 1854 scarcely any state or king
:, dom escaped its ravages. 1t appeare
e in New York that year and very rapit
1, ly spread over the entire country.
1t Early in the spring of 1854 two pei
J. sons who were some hours OH board
IS steamboat lying at our wharf. IL
II crew and passengers of which ha
'e cholera, were attacked; one in - IL
.e other in 80 hours after exposure OH ii
boat. Both were rapidly fatal. Aft
j. this the disease ragged severely ft
a about two months, then subsidized, b,
d re-appeared again in 1856.
rs The number attacked was muc
D. smaller than in the great epidemic
Y. lS49, but the rate of mortality ".
m nearly equal.
l. EPIDEMIC OF 1866.
ID This, the fourth in the series of ep
a. denies reached Lexington, but it w
Oh very limited in extent, although qui
a number of cases were of a seve
To type, and proved fatal with appallir
is rapidity.
N EPIDEMIC OF 1873.
q The point of entry in this visitatie
;h was New Orleans. The disease spres
Re with ils usual severity through Loui
Or lana, Mississippi and Tennessee, b
with less intensity through Kentuck