Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-08-23
RAMBLER'S NOTE BOOK.
THE CHOLtRt SCOURGE IN
SPRfNGFIELD

About once a week ON an average every
metropolitan daily to the postmaster who
edits the rural cross roads organ, gathers
himself to towering height and precipita,es
on his readers adouble-leaded editorial on the
cholera question. The terrible statistics frola
Spain are quoted, the nameess horrors OF the
cholera scourge are painted in colors more or
less vivid, the citizens are wildly importuned
to clean up their back yards and alleys, "ere
this feud monster seize our fair city by the
throat the sanitary marshals are invoked in
trumpet tones to arise from their usual semi
dormant condition and do battle with the ap-
preaching pestilence, and everything that
can arouse the citizens to proper sense OF
taking the necessary precautions against the
cholera lie marshalled in terrible array. The
average citizen reads the article, is thrilled for
the time being by the impending
danger, and in half an hour after
wards is throwing slop in the back alleys and
piling up his backyar with melon rnds and
apple peelings, with his usual nouchaance
Right here in Springfield, for instance, ho "
much attention do the people give to clean
ing up the garbage as protection against the
cholera Itis with our citizens as it is with
mankind in all parts Of the world. There Is
no thought OF guarding against dan
gers until they are right at hand and pi O.
tections are too late. Andsyet Springfield
has suffered from cholera to such an extent,
that vivid relation of the scourge
reads Ike some account OF the
plaques which devastate India and
settle down with tetid wing on the cities
of the other countries in the Orient, and the
people melt away like snow in glowing
cauldron before their sickening breath. The
younger generation in Springfield remembers
nothing OF the cholera in springfield in ls4o
crowd of gentlemen were discussing the
subject one day last week, and several
younger men who listened to the stories
of the horrors of the plague could
hardly realize that such scenes had been wit
messed in Springfield. Many OF the stories
seemed like pages snatched from the pages OF
romance. Mr. Coles, the veteran undertaken,
who made one Of the party, said "Remem-
Der the cholera in '49, should say do
| was right in the midst of II all
the time and the scenes are so vlvidly i'm.
pressed on my memory, that can never for
get them. The cholera had been very bad in
tincin matt nd tho ritiaa poar -, L.,
she escaped visitation, until finally pauper
who boarded on Main street took the dread
disease, and died OF il. The undertaken who
did the burying of the dead for the city BY
to have anything whatever to do with it..
Ny father was in the undertaking bus
mess at that time, and he agreed
to do it, provided the burial con-
tract was given 10 him thereaf-
ter, which was done. The death of this pau.
per set the ball rolling, and the scourge fast
ened itself on the city. Every one who could
leave, did 50. Such an exodus you never
saw. The people went to the country, TO the
villages-anywher to escape the cholera.
At that time what is now Fisher street was
then called "HOop-pole Alley" on account OF
the piles OF hoop poles piled in it, which we're
used by Mays cooper shop, which was
located on the alley. From Main str, ct
north there was row of wretched huts and
cabins, occupied oy the lowest white
and colored people, regular Mike
Welshs arcade, in fact. The monster
of disease first fastened its fangs into this
likely breeding place, and from then on the
deaths in the place were appalingly frequent
The basement Of the old First Presbyterian
church, right opposite the slums, and in the
81 ne location IT now occupies, WAS fitted up
as hospital. When the people took sick 10
the slums across the street, they were imme-
dla'ely carried over to tt church basement,
and there cared for. This line of ,eneme nts
WAS torn down when Mr. Black cleared the
place up, preparatory to building his opera
house.
II was awful, the way a corpse WAS hug
tied OIL TO the cemetery the moment the
breath had leis the body. At tha,
time the most of the bodies were buried at
Greenmount cemetery and the rest in the
cemetery on West Columbia street. The
collins were ordered halt an hour or So after a
person WAS taken sick, and short time after
death the body was put into the cofin and
taken to the cemetery. Here it was put on
the grass to await the digging OF = grave, as
the graves could hardly be dug fast enough
fined to the lower classes. Old Jas. Berry
and his wife and his son-in-law all died with
in short time tf each other. They kept
A furniture store where Rrnchler's store
now stands, and lived next TO it.
All who died had the regular
Asiaic cholera. They would be taken with
terrible cramps and die in su incredibly short
space OF time.
Business was entirely suspended. The
grass grew in the streets. The stores were
open, but there was no business. The center
'f the city - like the Sabbath OF the deep
orest, The country people were afraid to
,ome into town. Look down Main street
now, and what caravan of industry and
pleasure we see flowing in two opposite
streams. Look down Main street then, and
here would often be an unbroken stretch of
-oad, not team Ia sight. There was
magnificent crop Of peaches that
year. They rpened on the trees, they grew
mellow, they dropped from the boughs, they
'otted on the ground, their beautiful bloom
gave place to the ugly hues of rotteness-but
,ot soul gathered them, noue dared touch
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