Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-03

Is 1T THE GRIP OR NOT9
No Matter How the Question is Decided
a Great Many People Are Ailing.
INFLUENZA AFFLIcrs HUNDREDS OF OUR CITIZENS
IN EVERY WALK OF LIFE-THE POLICE FORCE
SCHOOLS DEPLETED.
With all the interest that has been taken in
that impartial imported malady, the Russian
influenza, there are many persons, some of
them in position to know whereof they speak,
who say that there is no such thing in this city.
The matter has come to point where each
one must be his own judge of the matter and
decide for himself whether he will believe in
its existence or not. Those who think they
have or have had it are very sure of the matter,
while there are any number Of physicians who
are of the opinion that such persons have had
only ordinary every day colds. In other cities
many cases of the grip have been followed by
pneumonia.
THE HEALTH OFFICE STILL UNBELIEvINd.
A STAR reporter strong in this knowledge
called at the health Office today to see what
could be learned there on the subject. The
health officials still seem to be of the impress
sion that the whole matter has been greatly eX-
aggerated; that if the disease really is epidemic
In this city 1t has not yet developed into
single serious case. Deaths from throat and
lung troubles during the past month SO
far from being more numerous than in the
corresponding months of previous years have
really been below the average, nor is the death
rate from these causes apparently on the in
crease. IL, however, there should be in the
near future particularly large number of
deaths from pneumonia or other pulmonary
trouble following supposed cases of the grip
then 1t would be safe to say that the grip had
really been here. But until something of this
sort does occur the health officers say they in
tend to be firm in refusing to lend their coun-
tenance to the new disease.
IN THE SCHOOLS.
But, whether the grip is here or not there
Is an unusually large number of people suffer-
ing from very severe colds. People in all
branches Of life are afflicted, and never before
has anything of the sort been SO common. At
the high school yesterday seven teachers were
Kept at home by what they call the grip, and
SIX are absent from their desks today. Among
the scholars the same state of affairs exists. but
how far this Is to be attributed to the grip and
how far 1t is to be considered one of the re-
suits OF their long Christmas vacation has not
yet been fairly determined.
THE CITY POST OFFICE CRIPPLED.
The city post Office, too, feels somewhat
crippled by the number of its employees who
are absent just now on sick leave Yesterday
there were seventeen of the letter carriers alb
sent, In addition to the clerical force sick list
Today things are slightly better. There are
twenty-seyen clerks at home and only thirteen
OF the carriers failed to put in an appearance
this morning.
THE WHEELS OF THE DISTRICT GOVERNMENT
CLoGGED.
The government of the District has the grip,
at least many of the clerks who help to run the
machine are confined to their homes, and the
wheels of government are in measure clogged.
Commissioner Douglass was at his desk this
morning, but the grip took fresh hold upon
him and he obliged to 60 home before
noon. Mr.. Thomas Holmes, assistant in
spector OF buildings, Is laid up with it,
and Mr.. Alec Mccormick of the executive
department il also sufferer. DR.. Tindall,
the secretary of the Commissioners, is still at
home with the grip or cold. although it has
taken peculiar phase and affected only his
eyes. In the auditors Office there is but one
absentee, DIR. Jas. Smith, although several of
the clerks are considerably affected. Supern-
tendent of Streets Moss, who has been absent for
several days with the grip. was at his desk this
morning all right. He says he took the doc
tors advice and staid indoors while the disease
was on him. Frank Wilson of the assessors
office is confined to his home by the grip, and
Assessor Williams SAYS all of his clerks
have it, but can't afford to be absent. Several
OF the clerks in the collectors Office are
sneezing and declare they have it, j. B.
Stubs of the revenue division is sick at home
with the grip and many of the clerks in the
and influenza. Mr.. W. K Schoepf
OF the computing engineers office
has it bad and is confined to his home.
Mr.. Marion Hargrove of the property clerks
office has the grip. Mr.. Douglass Smms of the
superintendent of county roads office has a
influenza which no pES ia fba
grip. There are but four cases of grip in the
fire department.
1T STRIKES THE POLICEMEN HARD.
Whether ia grippe" is in Washington or not
it is fact that over forty policemen are now
Oh the sick list, most of them with symptoms
of the imported disease, as heretofore de-
scribed in The STAR. Following is the list of
patients: Lieut.. Amiss of the first and Lieut.
Vernon OF the fourth precinct; Station Keeper
Elliot seventh; Ecklof, fifth; Sergeant Myers,
third; Privates Ellis, Caverly, Lotus, Kendall
and Allen of the first precinct; Daley, Heide,
Ferguson, Grant. Larabee and Petriz, second;
Maddox, Hurd, Elliot and Kersten. third: Kemp
Hayden. Cook, Smith, Wagner, fourth; O'Neill,
fifth; Jordan, Rodgers and Madigan, sixth;
Bull, Schneider and Smith, seventh; Mellen,
Upperman, Appleby, West (hurt by horse),
Elgin and Mcnamara, eighth; Middleton and
McGraw, ninth. Inspector Swindells went
home quite sick last evening and Lineman Tom
Parker is also on the list.
DIR. TowNsHEND YIELDS AT LAST.
DR.. Townshend, the health officer, stated
this afternoon that the grip is upon us, but he
has not yet heard of any serious cases. Not
withstanding the fact that it is said to naturally
run into pneumonia, SO far as he can hear
there are fewer cases Of pneumonia than we
have had for twenty years at the correspond
ing season Of the year.
AT THE THEArERs.
La grippe has made its appearance at the up
town theaters. At Albaugh's, while none of Mr..
Cranes company or himself are suffering
Treasurer Fisk aud Mr.. Allen have been very
badly off, The National people have SO far es-
capped, but Mr.. Barrett's company have not
been so fortunate. Mr.. Barrett is complaining
Miss Eastlake requires absolute rest and quiet
all day to enable her to appear at night; her
sister is also afflicted, and several other mem
bers of the company are not 30 happy as they
might be.
DID HE COMMIT SUICIDE?
nd 0F