New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-13
LIFE IN GUATEMALA.
FRS NEARNESS TO DEATH-INEFFICIENCY OF
TIE NEW ORLEANS QUARANTINE.
Livingston. Guatemala. July %.


loans for this port not word said or intimat"d
that fever was epidemic. or even prevalnc along the
Central American coast nor that any restrictions hau
been established regulating intercourse with The
Central American republics or limiting or restricting
,-ovel And II was not until our ship was In the
river steaming toward the south tlat we learned
that an agent of the Board Of Health was on the
chin cont ont TO investigate the health condition OF
the coast.
This agent n young doctor. informed us that the
deadly fever had been reported raging In many OF
the coast towns that many deaths had been already
reported: that quarantine regulations had been al
,eadv established that communication between the
ship and the shore was absolutely forDldueh' 'h'I
messengers could not be taken from any southern
mort on the return trip that cargo could be taken
back other than fruit, and that the mails must De
thoroughly fumigated before even they couid De re-
ceived on board the ship. These were certainty
strict regulations but too strict when Inc heeth
Of a great city in jeopardy and when through II
many interior cities might be contaminated The
rples established and precautions taken seemed to
indicate energy and wise precautlon.
Our first port was Belize, In British HONDURAS
and although anxious TO do so, not passenger WIS
allowed to 20 on shore and return. The same rule
was applied 10 the ships officers and crew. AS the
number Of the crew was limited, l was anxious to
see what would be done with the cargo, as Hult
loading is a difficult task and requires many hands
soon boats from the shore began to come alongside
some for cargo some with cargo of ffut which the
crew attempted TO receive 1t was soon evident mat
the crew could not do the work the ma'ls were
sent on shore and few boat loads OF frut taken on
hoard and then load OF thirty or more
stevedores left the shore and came directly
a. hoard They were large muscular fellows, their
black skin shining in the SUM- teh-haho ou.0"
Of bananas was plaything to them where they
lived did not hear. whether In the mountains or III
the town or the coast, but they passeu HeelS
over the ship. and the passengers ana crew nlnsieu
freely with them. I inquired OF the doctor II lhiS
was not an infringement OF his rules asans. H.eF-
course with the shore. His reply was Ihe snip
must hav. laborers to load her" This was too true
10 be disputed. - -.
Our next mort was Puerto Cortez. Here fever had
heen raging as a severe epidemic anu nearly every
white man in the place was dead 80 severe ""S
,c disease that san Pedro forty miles In the interior,
81 the terminus Of the railroad, required hve Gays
quarantine before admitting any one from the hiec'n
coost All dav we lay at anchor near the shorA
tom which boats constantly bringing Irui''
Gangs OF CARDS upon the shore loadeo the Hui' 1io
the storehouses into atboats or lighters Drought
IN the ship and the ships labocrs received aH'
slowed 1t away.
poots from the shore came and went, stepping VI
the ships side, the occupants SHAKING hanus WIN
Tho officers and crew, and delivering and receiving
nackaCes OF various kinds. The purser received one
oaclage OF bird skins. packed In COTTON "hloh ioo
ss II they contained germs OF All SORTS Oh diseases.
After the mails had been received and oehVereo anu
hu the fruit taken on board, we steamed AWAY 70
ppnta Gorda and then to Livingston. At each place
go =, sickness and death increased 10 such an
.,.r+ that at last we became seriously alarmed, ana
uoubted whether If We lanled, we couid possi'i'
make our way into TIE interior In THIS oi'eiu''
We decided not TO 60 on shore, but 10 reV"rh u
New-Orleans.
with this purpose in view we consulted the captain
q
,ro ooent ~ the Board Of Health, who, by his care
md Judgment had so faithfully guarded the snip
Ind prevented communication with the SHORE i"7
doctor informed we could not return In the SNIP
IS the rules against taxing passengers back were
mandatory and could be disohsyed. Argument
80 useless The ship could not take return pas
sencers II nattered not that we had had no con-
ncct,on OF any kind with the Shore nor that we were
willing TO paw any fare. double or MORE ioi va
massage nor that the chances OF our dying aV IL"
,rps,on before we could get away were all against
ue We could not go back in the ship IL dd seem
. rttre irbuman to compel these passengers 10 go
., shore and take this needless risk, but me ooS
DOCTOR was very decided and we could ONLY acqeSoe'
Almost as soon as the ships anchor was on the
bottom the comandante, the ofhcer represenuns inc
Guatemalean Government, came on ooaru' aOooi"
ran,ed by an under officer and crew we were az
,a,tos, lie came into the cabin and sat down at the
,o,Ia with rs Coffee and luncheon were served u MN
Under the mellowing effects OF glass OF DianuS
bs official reserve melted and his dignity uu ho'
nrevent him from shaking hands and Laughing WIN
his familiar friends among the ships onicefS' tor
hau an hour or more he was on board, ana MS
o ,rero IN the ladder all fresh from the barracks
,rboro death had been busy among the SOLDIERS
ord with the odor OF vomt still upon their CLONES
Here as at other ports, mails were delivered, el'u
,vontv hays OF mail received fruit was taken aoodu
n large quantities, and as soon as THIS was zone inc
shin sailed away on her dncontaminated voyage 10
In
IN the coast had held almost uninterrupted inter-
co,-.. with the shore at each. had taken laoorers
from, ON. infected point TO another had allowed persons
from the shore come alongside ana on ooaru'
lad received mail in large unfnmlgated SACKS ana
packaces wrapped in CLOTH paper ana leaves OF the
MAINTAIN; had allowed the comandsnte OF Livingston
In come on board and sit at the table, ana Sct
refused IN allow two passengers TO return, who had
NOT touched the shore, for fear OF contaglon WE'LL
VIC thought the rules OF this Board OF hehith arc
singular or are strangely enforced ana were gls1 I"
think that the same rules did not obtain In any othcr
port. .
the pr,uended purpose Of protecting the health
ef onr Northern citles-but whose only ehect IS
TO hamper trade njure business ana destroy
confidence In the integrity and judgment OF so
called health Ofcersis ptable, If not suspicious ana
excltes the dcrision OF all earnest, honest men. IL
the NewOrleans Board of Health had been represented
by physician Of Judgment and ability lnsUid Oh
hoy hardly able to- read his own Latin diploma; or
II the board had given tho captain OF the snip
reasonable Instructions they would have been oDeyed
and the health Of Northern cities would nave beeh
more carefully guarded and projected.
The Free Port Of Livingston IS Carb town. situated
npon a bold promontory which forms the north BANK
81 the Rio Dolce at its entrance Into Amatiqne Gnh
The situation, overlooking the IS beautiful, bH'
has the reputation Of being unhealthy, aud but le"
foreigners reside here. There few stores O"hcu
BY Germans in New-Orleans and managed BY agents
4 few adventurers who have drifted here from dlt
terent countries and the consular agents OF INC
United States, England and Germany. The EnG1sh
L. denh Mr Anderson nlOMn