The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-06
AN APPEAL FOR MANATEE.
Florida Sufferers Overlooked by the
Charitable

iud SQllC . N|Noi AOOnC4 ~ 49,
Charitable
OFFICE BOARD OF HEALTH, MANATEE
COUNTY, FLORIDA, BRADENTowN, Nov. |.
Editor Morning Nc,cs: Thus far our
people have borne their afiliction and dis
tress, brought about by the fever, without
appealing to a single individual or COM
munity, outside of Manatee county, for as
sistance.
On July 20 last, based on the medical
opinions of Drs. Wall and Pelot that Mrs.
Gussie j.. Clark had died in the town Of
Manatee with yellow fever, the board Of
health established quarantine, and from
then until now we have had local quaran-
tine, ard have also been quarantlned
against by the outside world.
Possibly no section OF Florida has been so
unfortunately situated as those communities
along the Mauatee river, one week qusran-
timing, tine next being quarantined. Never
theless, with our communication almost en-
tirelv cut off, our mails seriously deranged,
sickness and death stalking through many
of our towns, and also in localities in the
the interior OF the county; all business
nearly suspended: our financial channels
closed, our numerous laboring people with
no work to DO; our transportati on, by
which we get the necessaries of life, badly
crippled and rates doubled, by reason of
quarantine detention at ports from which
we get our supplies; we have struggled on
to ourselves, and within ourselves, fully re
alizng the fearful disaster which
had come on us-paralyzing our people
and injuriug our section, but preferring
still to bear our griefs and burdens all alone
SO long as we could stagger under them,
rattle than force them on those who no
doubt would gladly and promptly have
aided us, but who had already been called
on by ether sections similarly situated, and
which, possibly, were more sorelv afflicted
than we-such as Jack sonville, Fernandina
and Maccleuny. The endurance, patience
ard fortitude of our people in their calam-
ity has been wonderful.
Our board of county commissioners have
granted TO Manatee $3.50, and to Palmetto,
$50. "Only this and nothing more" Not
81 from any other source, during these
months of distress. | appealed about
Aug. 10Th. when the fever was at its
highest pitch, to Gov. Perry for state aid,
and he replied that there were no funds at
his disposal for that purpose. A few days
since, he addressed me a letter asking a
statement of our true condition, that if
necessary it might be made known t. the
charitable and Benevolent, but other than
this poor Manatee has been left severely
alone in her nisfortunes
There are very few wealthy persons In
this section, our population being composed
largely of laboring men, fruit growers and
truck farmers.4 whose occupations were
now totally blocked You, Mr.. Editor, can
see at a glance now sorely pre- sed we are.
surrounded with such a condition of cir
cumstances
In addition to our sickness, the recent
rains and detention within quarantine
lines have prevented our truck farmers
from even planting their seed beds for the
crop of the coming season, which causes
the situation to be doubly distressing.
The fever is still in Palmetto, and her
people have suffered greatly, and are still
suffering. As | have SAID, they have borne
their misfortunes with unexamp,ed patience
and bravery; they are now pressed to the
wall and in their name, and in the name
of suffering and distress, | am forced to
ask through your columns, to the good peo-
pie of Savannah-my native city-a people
famous for their generous charity, and to the
numerous readers of the News elsewhere,
for such aid for or stricken community
as may be extended. We do not ask for
thousands-a few hundreds will greatly re-
lieve our people at this time.
Any contributions made, will be carefully
and iudiciously distributed. and public
acknowledgment will be made of every dol
lar received, and from whom, and a state
ment of it through the column, Of the
Manatee County Journal, published at
Bradentown, Fla. Very respectfully,
EDGAR NJ. GRAHAM,
President Board of Health, Manatae
county, Fla.