The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1892-09-19
tPer Barkentine Discovery

New YORK, August 81 The ex
pected has come to pass. a ship
from the pest hole of Hamburg has
brought cargo of infection to the
harbor mouth, and now remains to
be proved the great question OF the
day-How efficacious will be that
Gordon of quarantine?
1t was the Hamburg American
Packet Company's steamship Mora
via which bore the sorry cargo Of
death and danger from the city
which is now overwhelmed by the
epidemic, slow old tub which made
no pretense of carrying cabin pas
sengers, but brought 300 emigrants,
foul and undesirable offscourings Of
Russia, Poland and Hesse- -Darmstadt.
She had been thirteen days making
the passage-a significant number
and in that time twenty children and
two adults, shut up in her foul and
loathsome steerage, had met death at
the hands of the Asiatic demon.
The officers of the Moravia were
criminally evasive and tried to con-
ceal the condition of the vessel. The
story is this: DR.. Tallmadge mount
ed the gangway to the deck. At the
head of the stairs stood Captain
Thiel, Surgeon David Israel and
First Officer Greanmeyer.
'Are you all well on board?" asked
DR.. Tallmadge. eyes," replied DR..
Israel, in German, and it was trans
lated by the captain.
DIR. Tallmadge asked, as mere
formality, "Did you have any deaths
during the trip?"
twenty-five" replied DIR. Israel in
his German, which the captain trans
lated.
For an instant the Health Inspec-
tors stood still. They failed, per
haps, for that instant to grasp the
meaning of the answer. Then they
knew what the Moravia was and
what the message was that she had
brought to America.
"Cholerine," said the ships doctor
with an apologetic hem and haw.
"Asiatio cholera" answered the
quarantine physicians as they hur-
ried the infected craft, which had
lain too long in the peopled Mar
rows, down to Hoffman island, where
the crew and passengers and cargo
and baggage are being attacked with
the strongest fumigation and disin-
fectants.
The officers tried to hide the truth
from the passengers, but it was as idle
as the wind piping through the rig
ging:for any good it did. The terror of
the plague was on these people when
they watched to see who next would
writhe in the clutches Of the mop
ster, and when one did, how quickly
he was deserted. Even parents for
sock their children and left them to
the tender mercies of the steerage
stewards and the ships surgeon.
The Moravia was hustled down
the lower bay with little ceremony,
and the passengers were put through
all the processes which science could
suggest. The yellow flag was raised
on Hoffman island, and no one but
the authorized officials were permit
ted to approach on penalty of arrest
and quarantining. Redoubled eff
forts were made in the city to clean
houses against the coming visitor
which lives on filth.
Alarm at Washington.
WASHINGTON, August 80 The
alarming reports about cholera hav.
ing reached this country have caused
the President to abandon his trip
through New York and, instead, he
will come at once to Washington to
discuss the advisability of calling an
extra session of Congress to take the
necessary action to shut out all i'm.
migration. It is very evident that
the failure of the quarantine Of
fcers at New York to keep out the
disease has led the President to this
action.
Twenty Days Quarantine.
WASHINGTON, September 1.-Presi-
dent Harrison reached Washington
this morning. At IL o'clock he met
Secretary of the Treasury Foster and
Attorney General Miller, the only
members of the Cabinet in the city
to consult with reference to the chol
era situation. Assistant Secretary
Spaulding of the Treasury Depart
ment and DIR. Wyman, Surgeon-G
eral of the Marine Hospital Service
were also present. After an hour:
deliberation it was decided not to is
sue proclamation now, but to issue
special circular by the Treasury
Department. 1t will amount practi
cally to twenty days quarantine O
vessels. or longer if necessary.
Effect of the Presidents Order
New YORK, Sept. 2.-Presiden
Harrison's cholera order created
sensation among the steamship
agents in this city yesterday. Tn,
first intimation of it was read Will
the members of the Continental Con
ference were in session at their head
quarters. The Presidents circula
letter will practically stop all immi
grafton while the cholera epidemi
lasts. The agents of the steamship
carrying passengers recognize thi
fact, and will now be compelled t
give up the traffic, much as it vii