Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-11-10
STUNNED BY ALL.
THE HOME OF THE LEPsRs AT IRA
CAD,E.
Canada's Outcasfs Wearing ouf Ineir
Lives Attended Only by Few
Devoted Nuns.

Canada's Outcasfs Wearing ouf Iner |
Lives Attended Only by Few
Devoted Nuns.
Montreal Letier.l
A mild interest is excited every year in
the condition of the Canadian lepers when
Parliament is called upon to vote the an
nual sum for the support OF these uniortu-
nate beings. But more popular interest,"
Is being created by the Investigations OF
two journalists, who are presenting an the
facts connected with their dreary life and
placing on record testimony to the sacri-
ficing labors of the gentle sisters who MN
lister TO their bodily and spiritual needs.
Away up between the counties OF Glou-
cesterand Northumberland in the Province
OF New Brunswick is a broad bay, INTO
which n noble river empties after draining
with its many branches the whole sur
rounding country. This bay ana the river,
with the well-wooded district through
which il flows. are known rs the Miramlchi,
signfying IN the Mic-Mac tongue Happy
Retreat This section Of the province has
paesed through many strange experiences
the vicissitudes OF war, the devastating
blaze of fire; but yet IL remains one or tue
fairest spots in picturesque New. Bruins
wick. Here is the leprOsy-tainted parish
of Tracadie. upon which terrible scourge
has been laid, but which permits 10 a Few
devoted nuns an opportunity OF exercising
self-sacrifce equal 10 that OF rather d.
mien.
Down by tho sea stands the lnzaretto of
Trac,die. the lepers' home and world,
/ where the Gulf Of st. Lawrence forces Its
way amid sand-bars and fats until 1t
spreads ont into peaceful bay, land-lOcked
| e1cent on the seward side. 4 little arm
winds round point of land. and small
| creek the more securely guarantees Vhe
fatal spot from the rest OF the world. over
/ this creek small wooden bridge IS thrown,
/ the only connection between TINS living
! tomb and the bright world beyond Inc
! surrounding region is dwe,t in by the
/ tractabie. peaceful Mic-Macs, and one OF
| the districts is known rs the Burnt Church.
The friqate charged with conveying the
remains of Wolfe from Quebec 70 England
/ in 1859 was driven by stress OF weather INTO
Miramichi, and the accidental anchorage
was thought favorable for securing fresh
sunplv of water. Six of the crew were de-
tailed 10 fill the casks from the springs
with which the coast abounds. and, after
loading their boat, they strayed oil FOR Q
ramble in the forest, where they were
captured by the Indians and barbarously
murdered. The captain OF the SNIP
thought the deed was the work OF ms ma
tural enemies. the French. and sl5 deter
river and poured brOadside into French
Fort. killing all the inhabitants, and after
ward DESTROYED the settlement ut Canadlan
Point. Turning seward, be burned the
village and church at Ncquanal. and the
region living around the lazaretto IS known
as Burnt Church TO thus day. Ihis Is a
country rich ia relics and remains OF the
old r6qine, and TO this day the plow turns
ND the treasures OF copper vessels WIN
French and Spanish COINS. -,
The laZarettO Is a square wooden bulid-
inc. and Is In no wav marvel OF aren't
lecture. but looks Ike a slightly-Oullt
wooden barracks for Temporary use, ID,
stead of A structure designed 10 withstand
the fierce winter winds that come IN from
the gulf. The nuns IN charge OK the nos
pital are Of the order OF the hospltaileres
of ST. Joseph, and are branch sent OUT uy
the Hotel Dieu of Montreal, the rest or
whose earthly existence VIII DC spchI ~
this lonely spot.
One sultry afternoon in the August OF
1893 the Rev. Mr.. dc Bellefeullle, mis-
sionarv priest visiting Tracadle, was called
upon to administer the last rites ot the
Church TO Il woman named Ursule Ian,
dry. VINO was dying of mysterious ana
lo9thsome disease to which none couid
o;vr a name. Soon afterward she died,
and her coffin was borne to It's last resting
Mace on the shoulders OF four Of her coun-
trymen.
II was still in August. and the weather
was warm One of tde bearers - poor
fisherman, Francois Saulniers, was, IN hls
shirt sleeves. and the colin Weigned neaE l.
" upon his shoulder, cutting through the
woollen garment INTO the bare hesh. from
ihe EDGES of the rude coffin came poison
ous discharge, which inOcUlated the tresh
youud of the pall-bearer with the terrible
/ nelson. and he died ieper. The sister OF
tffsule Landry also fell "a victim, aad me
wife Of q Scotch resident OF Newcastle
named Gardiner, was similarly aheeteu
and symptoms Of the disease were ue
yeloped in their children. what the
strange disease was no one knew no one
! had ever seen anything Ike n.
vounr physician from Mramlchl pro
ceeded TO Europe TO attempt 20 tnd cases
, similar to these perpleXing ones, ana on Z
Norway ford he came upon summed ano
isolated community, a comuun!tv OF iepeIs
and then he could report that his country
men were afflicted with that most mucous
of all diseases leprOsy. On his return ~
laid the matter before the provincial au
tborities. and a board of health was con
: stituted Tor the counties OF Gloucester ant
Northumberland. This was IN ISIS, Ou
nothing was done until sixteen years AFTER
: ward when the disease had spread 10 sucl
an extent that twenty persons were III
fected. ,,.. I.
river by the name OF SheidraSe' anu ~ .un
time IL contained one small unoccupie'
house. 1t was purchased and became th'
= first Canadian lazaretto. The wretcheI
? victims were sought out and conveyed II
/ hoats To the SPOT A man and his Wlfe Wer
= mt in charge, who supplied the patient
. with the bare necessaric5 OF ne. IN
3 misery ut times become so unenuuraor
HNf a an
, woman. with few weeks old infant. maui
. her way to the mainland, hut she was re
3 confrred and sent back to the hatefu
Q hospital" Next year the lazaretto wa
J burned down and then rebuilt, but 1t wa
determined to erect 3 quarantine station
s ON the island and to remove the Iepers Il
e another part of the province.
Ii was now 1919, and the NUMBER nad 10
creased IN five wears from twenty 10 thirty
one. A new building hed oeeh eistttu ~. d
. Tracadie, a few miles distant, and thtthe
Y the sufferers were conveyed IN boats q.
. cbeerless. comf0rtless building. their Ire
t lone home. The Rev. Nr. Gauvreau wa
tie cure of the parish. but though he trie
: his utmost be was poyeriess 20 give tnen
o anv aid. without any supervision the ON
l Gals wasted the appropriation that wa
}. doled out monthly Tor the patients sup
!, mort and the only medical care was tho ot
1 casional visit Of physician. There was
L Young French doctor practicing on Ut
n opposite sido of the bay, and he pro
~ nennced the disease durable, and offered {
g become the resident physician to prove tn
trnth OF his view, hut he was poweries
: either to cure the disease or prevent II
In 1852 patient named Twigley in b
) Of desperation burned the lazaretto to ia
r, ground. and, il being October, no me- me-
!; E.,;lJ;,,', coufJ ba erected flat wear. Ih
icncrs were now thirty-siX in number, an
thew were driven to pass the winter in
house l % by so feet, which had bee
used as place Of correction for pr
soners who were unable to obey the ord
g nary rules. It contained only w
a apartments and men and women weeE
!, herded together in one uncarea-Il