Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-09
THE COST IS THE TROUBLE.
Race to New York Between an Amer
lean and an English Vessel.
SUPPLY AND PRICES OF RUBBER.
The Argentine is Competing With the
United States in Flour.
PREVALENCE OF LEPROSY IN THE CITY
rcoRRrsroxDEScE OF THE D1srArcH.l j


this consulate, stating that he would like to
extend his business to this part of the world
and, as usual, requests full information
from the consul as to the prospect for the
enterprise. There does not seem to be much
prospect for starting boom in coal in this
consular district. The generous rays of
tropical sun supply about all the caloric
that is needed for both animal and vege-
table life on the equator. As previously
stated, there ara no chimneys to the houses;
the little cooking necessary is performed by
charcoal or wood.
The Gas Company that is supposed to
illuminate the dark ways OF tropical city,
Is an English corporation, that gets all coal
from home; and, L understand, sells the re-
sultant coke for as much as the original cost.
The gas is of most inferior quality, and,
as 1 have indicated in fuller reports to the
State Department, there seems to be fine
field here for the establishment of an Amer,
lean electric lighting plant.
COAL FOR STEAMSHIPS.
The immense steam traffic Of the Amazon
river and its tributaries, aggregating 80, 900
miles in extent, consumes enormous quanti-
ties OF coal for fuel, altogether amounting,
perhaps, to 5000 tons per month, outside of
TIE ocean commerce coming here, but, as in
the previous case. these steamers are gener-
ally owned by English capitalists, and their
supplies are brought from South Wales.
1t is said that Brazilian ships would burn
American coal if it could be laid down here
at the same rate they pay for Cool or York
shire. The average cost in Great Britain is
IA shillings per ton. The Amazon Steam
Navigation Company, owning 80 steamers,
which consume 1000 tons per month, tried
one shipment of American double screened
coal obtained from New York by steamer at
a cost OF So shillings here. 1t was reported
good steamer, coal-''swifter' than South
Wales. The difference against American
coal was about 2113 per cent There is q dis
position among the steamboat people 70 try
American coal, and competition is invited.
Perhaps there is something of prejudice
on the part Of the engineers. It was stated
to me by the captain of an English ship
that their men do not understand how to
handle American coal to the best advantage.
LEPRosY AT PARA.
The statements previously made in this
correspondence regarding the general un-
healthfulness Of Para were not at all ex-
aggerated. In truth, everyday seems to
give additional confirmation of these un-
pleasant facts. In looking up the data fora
reliable health report, which forwarded to
DR.. Hamilton, the Chief of the Government
Sanitary Service, 1 discovered that, in ad-
dition to the epidemic, if not epidemic char
acter of the yellow fever, and the general
prevalence of the terrible beri-beri, there
exists at Para the more dreadful disease,
leprosy.
That might the more carefully prepare .
health report that would be in every way cor
rect, appealed for assistance to Dr. Justus
II. Nelson, Methodist minister, who has
spent ten of the best years of his life laboring
among these people, as selfsupportine
missionary. The doctor Is familiar with the
language, being one of the Professors of En-
glish in the Collegio Americana, is a medi-
cal gentleman, and understands thoroughly
the customs and manners of the lower classes.
THE NATIVE AUTHORITIES.
We also appealed to the highest authori-
Caryalho, the Vice Governor of this State,
ana Senator-elect to the first congress Of the
new Republic, who is eminently we'll quali-
fed by his medical education in Paris, and
many years of successful practice in this
city; among others, also, DR.. Pedro Cher
mont, Director Of the City Hospital, and DIR.
Lyra Castro, of the Health Bureau.
From the statistics gathered, it is proved
that more than per cent of all the deaths
in this city are from leprosy; and this does
not include lepers who die from other dis
eases. Para, especially since the proclama-
ton of the Republic, has earned the reputa-
tion OF being the cleanest kept city on the
Brazilian coast; but with regard to leprosy,
there is, as yet, no efectual means employed
to segregate from society those who are af-
fected with this disease. This may partly
be accounted for by the fact that there are
some to be found In the best families. Some
are also employed in business houses, and
in hourly contact with all classes Of peo-
pie; but the larger number are, Of course,
among the poorer class Of people.
COLONY OF LEPERs.
The city government has, for many years.
maintained little colony called Tueun-
duba, for such lepers as wish Government
aid, about tour miles out from the business
part of the city. To each leper who wishes
to settle there, the city furnishes 500 tiles,
enough to roof small shanty. For the rest
OF his dwelling he is permitted, or expected
TO 90 to the forest for poles, and to his own
back yard for clay, to make u wsttie-and~
daub shanty in which to exist. They re-
ceive also a small allowance of food. They
are not allowed to beg in the city limits,
and so the people are spared the painful
sights that are 30 common at the roadside in
Eastern countries; but the disease has the
same horrors here as there.
AT the colony, the children Of the lepsrs
generally show symptoms of the disease
very early; but it not unfrequently hap
pens, in well-to-do families, that one mem-
Der of the household lives. falls Slowly 70
pieces and dies, while no one else in the
house happens to catch the disease.
IT'S A CHASE FOR WEALTH.
Those who have tried to follow this cor
respondence will naturally wonder why IL II
that so many people continue to live AZ what
seems to be so undesirable q location, when
it IS known that there are plenty Of much
more agreeable and healthiul lands in South
America The reason may be summed ub
in the one expressive, ii inelegant word,
"Lucre," filthy lucre, or greed Of gain.
Precisely the same incentive is bringing
and keeping people ia this country that led
them 10 brave the dangers and oYercous
obstacles in their early efforts to seek The
gold fields Of California in 1s49, and latsB