Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-09-05
FATAL SCOuRGE.

IL sweeps Over Several Counties III West
Virginia, Carrying Death Along IHs
TracL.
PARHERsEvRG, September i.-An alarm.
ing and wide-spreading disease, ola charac.
ter unknown to the local physicians. has
broken out in Clay county, this State. The
greatest fatality is geographically marked
thus for by line drawn from the head Of
sycamore creek across 10 the Elk, inclosing
ne southwestern part o. the county. Syca-
more creek is a small stream running be.
tween steep hills from six hundred to
thousand feet high, inclosiug narrow val.
ley OF great richness but sParsey settled,
owing TO the fact thaD tie land is principal.
iy owned in large bodies by foreign parties
There are about sixty families on the creek
and It's tributaries, nearly all Of whom are
poor farmers or woodmen. hey reside in
small log huts or houses OF one or two
rooms, seldom more, and are the possessors
OF very lew OF the comforts OF lie and none
Of it's luXurics.
Among this primitive but honest and
hospiJaole people q strange aud very iatal
disease has broken out, sweeping away fully
'wo.thlrds OF the people From the best
accounts received the disease is unknown
10 the physicians. In number OF instances
a member Of family has been taken down
with i, and be!or" u physician could be
reached. generally living at a distance the
unfortunate victim would suffer torment,
and die in from one TO three hours; and be-
tore the physician would arrive others OF
tie family would be down with it. In seve.
al instances while q m "mDer OF family
was dying another would be- heard crying
and moaning with deadliest pain, only to
ioin the long host within q few hours or
minutes. II is described as having symp
TOM similar 10 cholera excepting an inter
nal hemorrhs- which jmmejia'ely preced-
ed death. p \. fatality became so rrea'
hat there wer. scarcely enou-h a lc-bOdied
persons lei, 10 care for the sick. Being cou-
tacious fear, no doubt, kept many away.
Cue physician is reported to have oeen
taken with the diseas" while attending pa
ten,s, and 70 have succum"i IN Two hours.
1t is particularly taral among The children.
family named Collins lost two children
gh;le one named Phelps CT Phillips lost
three out Of tour little ones: Nr Mcliraw,
one; Mr.. Morton TWO: Mr. Walker, one
and Nj i.ceImorr or OF the cOuutEScom-
missiorsrs one child and grown daughter
all in tor,y-eight hours. Many others, TO
Fsn
with this terrible mslady AMI died within
.hree or four dsv=. ih> = reported as
happeuirg orly on one crock, while
number OF fatalities are Dalng heard
from at different points north and
south u Sycamc-. Creek. C",uL to the
.cciuuel position Of thrs" people, and the
difficulty in reacninL them win proper med
cal aid and Assistance, the disease will
probably prcre more iatal than otherwise
vcuId hGrr )ccu The Gaze
There ar. a number Of heoyics and con-
eCtures regarding II, many aScrl5lnI 1t to
he water, which is believed to be poisoned
with the germs Of the disea.r Others be-
lieye it 70 Ire the cholera, but are no doubt
mistaken their ii, symptoms
TO rot Justify rLat idea. In fact, the dis
ease appear5 10 be Of the same nature, to
.reat extent, as that which devastated sev
,,al localities il he lover end OF the Statc
!i.st iull.
Nv informant states that the Genes a'ong
his creek Guriny The prevalenc" Of the dis
use beggarcd description. The means
and shrirks Of pain, ,he terror Of those YET
snsuirkcn Jy the tel disease, and the sad
.i.at OF the t4urral ri,es OF the victims In
BE- lonely depths Of the deep dark woods
n ere often there w,re scarcely enough left
TO zig the shallow grave and consign the
lead 10 'hei- future home, the tears ana
.rips -fraa .rieuds and reIa,v. Of jho dead,
sere SC sad, so hcartrendin-, tina; it would
,rirg tears 10 the yes Of any living human
Jping.
None Of tey physiciaas appear as jet to
AVE discovered lie ua,vrr >; the il.ease
,r 20 render any aid n Il .iug'r instanc7.
From Sycamore Creek the disease "a 70
ported 10 De rarily spreailrE in every
erection, and T something does not so2D
sccur to stop it, it will dfpnPu!.'r The
Cr,bUrsterE orion o. he c0.Uy.