Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-08-16
THE LESSON OF JACKSONVILLE.


profound sympathy for the citizens of
Jacksonville, Florida. That city and its
suburbs are noted summer and winter re-
sorts. The climate of Florida is of an
equable character in all seasons and the
natural attractions of the region are very
strong. But yellow fever has become cpl
demic about Jacksonville and as a result
the people are fleeing in all directions in
the utmost terror No one who has not
passed through such an experience can
form any adequate conception of the awe
fitness of visitation by yellow fever.
War does not make greater havoc, and
an extended siege would really do no more
injury to the business interests of city
than assault by the plague of fever. 1t
unsettles confidence in the place for resi-
dence, and very efectually turns the tourist
class in other directions.
1t is altogether probable-indeed, we
saw 1t so stated not long ago-that the
sanitary economy of Florida cities and
towns has not received that attention
which should be bestowed in places that
are advertised as health resorts. 1t has
been demonstrated that by proper sanitary
precautions, it is possible to reduce the
danger from yellow fever to such mini
mum as will render its assaults not greatly
dangerous to any locality short of a south
ern swamp. By proper drainage, destruc-
ton of ofal by cremation, by rigid
quarantine against the plague and
by isolation of cases of fever, the
disease can be so held at arms length as
not to greatly menace the reputation of
city. We of California are enabled to now
realize what terrible blow to this State
would be invasion by yellow fever or
cholera. We have but to glance at the
dispatches from Jacksonville to get an
idea of what such an assault means. Bust
ness is suspended all hotels and restau-
rants are closed; every person who can get
away has fed from the stricken city
financial interests are imperlled by the
heavy calls upon the banks; food supplies
have ceased to come in the poor are be-
ginning to suffer for necessaries; a pail Of
distress and woe overhangs the city :;
sitting clouds of smoke sweep through the
streets from tar and sulphur fires built,
three and four in every block, in the hope
to kill the germs of the disease, while the
heavy booming of cannon all day long
speaks of the effort to stay the pestilence
according to the conclusion theory. If
the destroyer is not soon driven out rioting
will be born of distress, and already there
is talk of martial law being declared. 1t
is a fearful picture; it reveals to us unut-
terable woe and Unreasonable financial
distress, ruined business, crushed indus
tries, and stoppage ofthe wheels of prog
ress. 1t will take years to restore conf
dence fully in Jacksonville, and to win
back those who have contributed so greatly
to her prosperity in the past, while half
decade will scarcely suffice to put the bust
ness of the city upon its old-time founda-
tons
OohAioliiR oAlOu4d ASdtlil Icl ltSSOu well
from the experience of Florida. She is
exposed every now and then to the threat
of fever and cholera; her intimate and
frequent communication with Asiatic
countries and her commerce with the
south coast make it possible for her to re-
ceive either disease. If either reaches
her hot valleys, the injury to the State
would be simply incalculable. Yet there
is probably no portion of our common
country where SO little precaution is taken
against the possible introduction of pesti-
lence, and where so little expense is called
for to protect it. Sanitary science in
California cities has received less at
tention than in any other State of the
Union, while our quarantine regulations
are scarcely more than farcical. We have
a make-believe system of quarantining
that is really often an invitation to the
spread of pestilence, which, while it has
not stricken rs as yet, may do so at any
time. There are four harbors upon our
coast which ships from foreign ports may
enter. In but one of these is there any
provision for quarantining. That is at
San Francisco; but there it is simply
regulation that keeps stricken band Of
voyagers together upon the ship to breed
the disease and scatter it upon the inland
blowing winds The quarantine stations,
instead of being remote, are upon the
shore lines of the most thicllly settled SUBJ
urban counties, and all but within mailing
distance of ferry boats crowded every hour
with passengers There is no provision
whatever, as in Spain, Italy ard France,
for ascertaining the state of the health bill
of the ship while outside of tie port, or
for preventing entrance in case the ship
bears plague towards us.
The proper systemswould be disectly op-
posed to bringing e cholera or fever
stricken crew into San Francisco sharbor.
1t is possible to provide otherwise. but all
preparations now making look 10 the
establishment of quarantine station and
hospital in the very heart of suburban
population, and in bay traversed almost
as much as the streets, of the metropolis
When cholera or fever insected ships azp-
proach al Italian or Spanish port they are
kept at distance until TIE afflicted esz
be removes to a remote spot and the ship
be thoroughly cleansed ani fumigated.
Only in danger from stress,af weather isl
the ship first brought into the harbor of o;
metropolis. Unfortunately fer California
there is no near shelter for large ships that
arrive off the Golden Gate, bpt neverthe-
less, save in storms, it would beJsossible to
remove pestiIential cases before entry, and
sequester them upon remote cesst head
lands.
Besides these considerations tksre are
those all important oHes that address them
selves to the sanitary conditions Of our
to,v,s and citiaa That there is a great