Democratic messenger., 1888-09-08

Inc i CHOW roVor IN nJackDonVlkloI
The tclegraphic dispatches from Jack.
sonville, Fla, informs us that the popula.
tion Of the city, which was $4,000 souls
five weeks ago, has been reduced by the
exodus Of people fleeing from the yellow
fever epidemic to 5000, Of whom 1000
are colorcd, and I 900 whites. The total
number Of fever cases up to Monday night
was 29J; the deaths 70 that time were 80
and cases remaining under treatment 1888.
Il Is difficult TO imagine more distressing
situation than that OF Jacksonville Just
now. All around In Florida and in the
adjoining States strict embargo Is laid
upon outgoing frcights, and nearly all the
places of refuge have been quarantincd
against the unfortunate people. or the
cities within easy reach by rail, Atlanta,
Ga, seems not TO have shut It's gates as a
place of refuge, and all who can get away
now seem to he ilocking 10 that point,
where the elevation is good and yellow
fever not likely to effect Judgement. The
quarantine stations and camps are over.
crowded, and many Of the refugees are
subjected to Inconvenience. privations
and suiierings not TO be avoided under the
conditions of being huddlcd together In
hastily improviscd and temporary dwell.
ing places. Every day the stricken city
gets more and more quiet and the fever
banners increase in number" This Is the
simple and graphic line which describes
the situation ut present. Business IL ut q
stand-still, silence and gloom prevail, de-
serted homes and depopulated streets are
the characteristic, of what was little
more than month ago one of the most
active. prosperous and energetic cities of
the South. In sll probability five weeks
more remain for the pcstilence TO have Its
course before the welcome frost may be
expected to kill the fever germs These
will be weary weeks, both for the citizens
exposed to the disease and to the distress.
cd refugees; but the limit Is known and
may be definitely anticipated. In the
meanwhile, though the present day be dis.
trcssing in the extreme, the future Is not
without hope. The visitation will not
work any permanent harm to Jackson.
vile. The origin Of the epidemic Is un.
derstood to have been traced to causes
which ought not to have been allowed to
exist In such q climate, and Il may be ex-
pcctcd, therefore. that In future no proper
steps will be omitted to secure immunity
from suchV scourge.
Jacksonville, under strict and proper
sanitary administration, ought to be no
more subject to yellow fever than many
other Southern cities. Even amidst the
existing gloom and distress the situation
is not without encouragement Through.
out the epidemic large force of laborers
has been kept at work cleaning up every
section Of the city and spreading lime and
other disinfcctanis' Although il Is stated.
the physicians do not repor, NIL the cases
that occur, the largest outside estimate We
have seen is 400 cases from the beginning
VI thcsc ou have uiCft-NulCi - uuOut .
per cent. II Is believed, however, that
very little cOnccalmcn, or disguise Is prac
ticcd, and that in the main the truth is
fully reported While the percentage oi
cases occurring in the remaining p0pula.
ti0n Of 5000 Il greater than before, il is
accounted for by the fact tha, September
weather Is bad for such an epidemic. To
meet this state of affairs the Sanitary
Association has made arrangements 10
wholly dcpopulatc the city, !. such thing
Is possible, and 10 send To places Of out
side refuge everybody except those actu.
ally engaged in sanitary work or police
duty. Arrangements have been made for
railroad transportation, anG the relief
committee is making out lists Il all per.
sons desiring or willing to leave their
homes At present those who are thus
reported are being sent to Atlanta. Ga,
and to Nashville, Tenn. Steps have been
taken also for the establishment of addi-
tional camps. Removing the population
from the influence of the disease aud gen.
cral cleaning up and sanitation of the city
are probably the hest and surest way Of
dealing with the epidemic as il exists
The method is certainly radical in every
respect. and will probably lay the iounda.
tion for strict sanitary regulations which
may save the city from similar experiences
in the future Baltimore Sun.