The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-09-11
A BESEIGED CITY
A Pathetic Picture of Florida's
Stricken Metropolis.

SPECIAL Correspondence of Tho Constitution
JACKSONVILLE, Fla September S-A city
hesieged by an army is city whose inhabi-
tahtS are living in clover, compared with city
quarantined When an army hons us in we
can get through the cnemy's lines on parole, II
we so desire. We can also watch and dodge,
and hide from the "bombs bursting In air" but
when Yellow Jack makes his appearance and
all the world is against the afflicted city and
its sorely tried people, the situation is thous-
and times worse, and we prefer the "bombs"
every time.
1t is so, when oneis penncd in by arbitrary,
unnecessary and malicious shotgun quaran-
tines, where the means of escape are, TO tmid
women, about rs bad as having the disease.
Scores of women in the city have remained
here solely because they dreaded refugee
camp, where they declare they might be liable
more liable than at home--of getting the
fever Aye, and scores, too, of the boosted
''lords of creation, men who have "stood in the
imminent deadly breach" and faced iron hail
and leaden rain, shrug their shoulders and saw
please excuse me" when quarantine camp il
mentioned, although they arc aching TO got
away just as bad as our good, brave women.
God bless them
The truth is. this fever epidemic makes
towards of us all would have run like q
scared wolf with the FIRST crowd, but couldn't,
and there we're many hundreds in tho same
fix. But nearly everybody who intends going
will leave within week or two, if the road
keeps open, as it should.
When a city becomes filthy, whether north
or south, the atmosphere Ia poisoned, and dis
ease becomes epidemic. And Jacksonville
was filthy. w Thy it took twenty men and half
dozen carts TO clean the filth away from a
merchants res danee, who had hurriedly fled
and left his store at tho first mention of the
epidemic Many places in the city emitted
q stencil rong enough to knock horse down,
oil I'm
tied into the river, right at tho land the smells
were various as well as yillainous. So it's fool
ish to say that the board of health Is response
BILE. Might just MS we'll blame Governor
Perry and the legislature. in truth, Governor
Perry is blamed for not calling special ses-
sion OF the legislature and appointing q state
board of health Charles III. Jones
urged this in his paper. lie told
Governor Perry that If he did not
do this, the yellow foyer wenld get hero and,
as nearly all the whites would leave, the state
would be carried for the republican ticket by
negro votes. The first part OF Mr.. Jonos's
prophesy has come true VIII the latter part
be fulfilled?
But the surgeon-gcneral is letting you
people get away now" Yes The vigorous
protest which went out from our indignant
citizens forced him to modify his iron quaran-
tine and allow the well people hero TO 90 to
places which were inviting them to harbor.
For weeks we were like rats in n sinking ship
with the matches closed down. Now we have
hole to crawl out nj and everybody feels bet
ter. In fact, no one knows how much relieved
the people are, and am of the opinion that
this knowing that there is an avenue OF escape,
will tend TO diminish the fever.
The weather is unpropitious. IL Is regular
fever weather. We have it steaming hot in
the morning. The air feels like IL came from
n wash-boiler In tho afternoon il rains and
the Thermometer drops ton dogree5 or more.
This is repeated every day. The nights are
hot, muggy with damp, heavy atmosphere,
and gloomy look. So the fever is fed by the
clements.
There are many idle mechanics here who
want to leave, but have not the means to go.
There is nothing for them 10 do, and there
should be means provided to take them TO
other points where they can earn n living.
The street cars arc still running and the
mail carriers 90 their rounds just the same as
ever. Milk wagons fit through the streeta,
and an occasional grocer's wagon is seen.
Until quite recently the draymen have had
picnic, as there was never seen inst such o
moving of trunks, baggage and furniture.
The latter has boon wisely stopped, however,
by order of the board Of health.
The newspapers are In great demand. People
are just as eager to sec them as they were 10
see THE CONSTITUTION the morning after tho
Charleston earthquake, when Henry Grady
rushed to the stricken city on Tying engine,
and WAS the first TO give the news OF the dis
aster 20 the outside world
hear more good words for Atlanta now than
can DO imadued. Everybody is praising tho
mayor Of Atlanta and its people, while every
body is cursng Waycross and its people, and
the boast Is made that cutoff will be built
this side of Waycross, which will take all
travel from Florida around that place. 50 that
Jacksonville, especially, will have no traffic
with Waycross whatever
Palatka, which quarantiped against Jack
sonyille ice kerosene and cnrbolic acid, az
we'll as the fish coming up the river from this
way, has in turn been quarantined against by
birmingham, which is said to be the hlthieSt
city in Alabama.
Our people are particular as TO where they go,
and prefer clean healthy places, like Atlanta.
Editor Martin and Manager Stockton, OF tho
couragement to the authorities and the people.
j. IL. ID.