The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-03
DECATUR, ALA
Little Work Done in Cleaning Up.
The Anxieties Of the People to Put
,S the Town In q
<Oondition That Will Prevent Recur-
' renee of the Scourge.
Their Appeal to Gov Seay and to
IN DR.. Hamilton.
They Ask Federal Aid to Help IL
Sanitary Work.
Singular Letter of Dr. Cochrane,
Health Officer Of Alabama.
DR.. Piunkett's Warning to President
Hadden to Keep Strict Watch on
Decatur-sanitary Survey of
Colonel Waring, the Re-
nowned Engineer.
rrom lhe stnr corre,nondenoe Of rhe Anpcnl

From the staff Correspondence Of The Appeal.
DECATUR, Ala. March I'm view
OF the quarantine conference TO take
place at Montgomery, Ala, on Tuesday,
March 8, THE APPEAL has for nearly
two weeks past been diligently gathering
data which might be OF service tothat body.
A member of its reportorial staff was de.
tailed to devote his entire tme and his
report, with accompanying data, is here
with submitted
The accounts that have come TO the
knowledge OF The APPEAL as TO the sani-
tary condition of Decatur, Ala, have in
some instances been exaggerated. While
1t Is undeniably true that much remains
: TO be done to place that town on footing
OF sanitary safety, it would be unjust TO
the people OF Decatur to say, rs one OF the
APPEALS subscribers says, In letter I'M
der date Of February 10, 1889, that "No
effort has been made TO clean up that town
since the fever Of last fall" This IL an
corporate authorities. have contributed all
the money they could spare for sanitation,
and have a reasonable garbage service.
3Thcy have also secured the passage of
b bill 10y the State Legislature authorizing
the issuance OF bonds to the amount Of
$4,000 Tor the purpose OF raising funds to
Introduce the Waring system Of sewerage.
II is true tina, little has been done in the
way OF disiniec;ing bedling and houses
tainted with yellow lever poison, but that
is mainly due 10 want OF funds. As early
as last December Mr.. T. w. Austin, Of
Decatur, representing that townas It's duly
accredited attorney. visited Surgoon-Gen-
eral Hamilton and urged him 10 cause the
town TO be thoroughly disiniccted under
the direction Of experts employed by the
United States Marine Hospital service.
DIR. Hamilton declared his willingness to
have the work done, but insisted that the
consent and approval OF DIR. jerome Coch.
ran, State health officer Of Alabama, be
first obtained. DR.. Cochran refused b.
give his consent upon the ground that the
work was needless A public meeting was
then called and petition forwarded to the
Governor and by him transmitted 10 the
surgeon-Gcncral, he having agreed to or
der the necessary appropriation II the Gov.
ernor would approve Of il. That petition,
with hundred signatures Of leading citi-
zens Of Decatur, now on Gle In Washing
ton, reads rs follows
THE PETITION.
To Ills Exccllcncy. Thomas scay, Governor Of Ala
Strive, the undersigned petitioners,
citizens Of Decatur, Ala, respectfully rep.
resent and show that the Mayor and
Council Of said town arr not financially
able TO put IN execution the sanitary meas
urcs necessary In their estimation 10 guar.
an,eo the city against the recurrence Of m
epidemic Of the yellow fever during thS
pproaching summer. That In the esii
nation of said Mayor and Council, as wei
as the undersigned petitioners, vigorous
measures beyond local means are dc
handed by the sanitary situation and N,
public apprehension OF the dangers OF a 70
turn Of said fever
Particular points Of infection should b,
specially treated; bedding, carpets and
other valuable property destroyed beyond
what las already been done. The ques
ton Of public drainage has been takon 10
hand by the local authorities, and 20 sooi
o. the necessary State legislation eau ~
secured work will be commenced aud vii
no doubt be considerably advanced bcfon
La 10 a
continue excavation In the public street,
aud alleys. The general Government
through Surgeon General Hamilton has
signiiicd its willingness 30 conduct and
supervise the immediate pressing sanitary
work nc this point and 10 this end vii
send IL agent at once with authority q
canvass the situation, provided this action
meets with your Exccllcncy's approval
accompanied With a statement from yoJ
that there IL q necessity for the same.
Petitioners furlhorshow that tho gen.
oral Government has already paid ioi
medical services Of physicians engaged IL
the effort 10 suppress the epidemic In oil
cases where said physicians served, bu
has made no compensation 10 medical mel
who lost their lives IN the work at Decatur
but las signiied It's willingness 10 make
lust and proper provision Tor the widow
or personal representatives Of said Decatur
physicians Il your Excclloncy will approve
ON effort In this direction.
There has already been destroyed SOM
bedding and other infected property, bu
much yet remains and there seems TO b
no adequate remedy except the intoryen
ton Of the general Government A con
alteration Of the above and the fact tia
the general Government viii not send u
officers within the State 10 examine tn
subject except upon tho approval Of III
Governor or the public health officer q
the State, we respectfully ask that you
excellency will signify your approval
First, 10 the coming Of an expert from Ia
general Government 10 examine for In
iecicd bedding, carpets and other PROF