The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-01
And Knocks for Admission ct
the Gates of New York.
TRAVELLED IN THE STEERAGE.
A Foreign Army's Coming Could Not
Have Caused Greater Alarm.
Ane steamer Moravia, From Hamburg,
Reaches New York, Having Buried
twenty-five Victims of Asiatic Chol-
era on the Voyage.

NEW YORK, Aug. 31-The steamship Mo-
ravia. of the Hamburg line from
Hamburg. had twenty-five deaths on
board during the passage of the ship to
New York. The ships doctor SAYS the
deaths were due to choIerine. Twenty
were children and two adults. Thirteen
were natives of Poland, five of Prussia.
three of Hesse and one of Austria All
were buried at sea. The first death took
place on August 10 and the last death on
August 29 The Moravia was ordered
down to the lower bay. Aboard the Mo-
ravia at the present time there are three
cases of measles, and two women are re-
covering from slight attacks of the dis
ease. The entire steerage comes from
an infected district, and tonight DR..
jenkins is exceedingly anxious
and worried over the outlook. The
Moravia arrived last night at 10
O'Clock, and, strange to say, notwith-
standing her terrible record of deaths on
the voyage, the captain passed through
Sandy Hook. up the bay and through the
feet Of steamships which was anchored
off the boarding station. She did not stop
there, and moved up several hundred feet
north of the fleet. within about eight miles
ofthe Battery. and there dropped anchor.
No word was sent ashore all night, nor did
any of the quarantine officers board her.
In the early morning, when they started
on the usual round to board vessels
anchored in the stream, the Moravia was
the last one which Physicians Talmadge
and Sanborn drew up alsongside of. 1t
was then 10 O'Clock, and il was known
that the Morayia was from an injected
port.
Shortly after IL o'clock the little tug
boat which does service for Dr. Jenkins
staff left the Moravia's side and steamed
for the big Teutonic. IN tAs meantime
yellow Whitehall boat rowed by two men
left the Moravia's side and pulled for the
beach. When she reached the little wharf
fronting the department station William
S. Equine, an attache, hurriedly left her
and delivered sealed envelope to DIR.
Jenkins, who opened it and betrayed no
indications that there was anything
wrong. Then the tug, with DR.. Talmadge
aboard. came ashore, and there was a con-
ference with the health officers. At this
time. after leaving DR.. Jenkins, DIR. Tai
madge, who looked very much perturbed,
asserted that there was nothing wrong
with the Moravia and every one on
board was enjoying good health. He
left the quarantine wharf, and the tug
seemed to put on an extra spurt of
steam in an effort to get alongside of the
plague-stricken craft. Apparently acting
on orders from DIR. Talmadge, which had
been given on the first trip, there were signs
of activity aboard, and the immigrants,
as if expecting to be landed. could be seen
hurrying up and down the deck, looking
in the direction of the Staten island shore
and occasionally waving hats or handker-
chiefs. Within five minutes after the
Moravia was boarded for the second time.
she hoisted anchor, got up steam and
turned the boat in the direction of the
ocean She made long detour around the
fleet. hugging the Long Island shore and
passing out OF the narrows for the lower
bay shortly before noon.
A phase of the case of the Moravia
which deserves investigation and which
should be looked into with thoroughness
is the action of the captain of the Mo-
rav1a in continuing the voyage to this
country under the conditions which pre-
vailed on the ship. If the disease broke
out on the day following his departure
from Hamburg, why did not he, those
connected with the quarantine depart
ment ask, turn back home instead Of
bringing the disease to a new country.
The Moravia is now anchored in Graves
end bay, between Fort Hamilton and
Norton's point, about 200 yards east of
the main channel. She is out of the way
of passing vessels. She will be indefinitely
auarantined. The passengers and crew.
even to the cabin boy, will be landed on
Hoffman island. Every rag of clothing
will be disinfected and every person
bathed. When the ship is cleansed she
will be dislnfected and the passengers
then put aboard and detained there for an
indefinite time, being Obliged to land on
the island daily for inspection and baths.
Before starting down the bay Health
Officer jenkins telegraphed Secretary OF
State Foster, notifying him of twenty-five
deaths from so-called cholerine On board
the Moravia during the voyage.
The return of the steamer to the lower
bay created no surprise or suspicion. as il
was believed that the immigrant passen-
gers on board were to be treated to bath
at Hoffman island, and then landed for
the fumigation of the ship and their
i
facts began 20 gain circulation. Then
there was panic among the people who
had focked down TO the shore to witnes.
the operations of the doctors on the yes
sci. The story was at first discredited, bu:
DIR. TaImadge confirmed 1t. Those whose
business did not detain them nj the spo.
Immediately hurried away from the sta
ton.
The Moravia's steerage passengers are
ali from the cholera infected port of Ham
burg, and Dr. Jenkins is therefore certain
that the ship surgeons diagnosis o.
cho,erine is incorrect He has made ar
rangements for psychological examina
ton to be made of the bedding and the
effects of the twenty-five victims, and vii
not pronounce an opinion as TO whether
the deaths were caused by the dreaded
Asiatic cholera until the examination ha,
been completed. You have observed,
he said in q suggestive way. ''that Asiatit
cholera was diagnosed as cholerine in al
infected ports by the local authorities a
the outset, but subsequent development
proved every one Of such cases to be th'
actual and genuine Asiatic plague"
Should ssineburne island be required
for the care of cholera patients the hai
mattresses now in use there will be dis
pensed with and wire mattresses substi
tuted. The quarantine commissioner
fled an order yesterday for mum
| Der Of soft wire pillows. These ar
more easily cieansed and less liable 10 r.
tain the germs Of disease should they b
used with contagious patients.
The steamships Friesiand, Cireassia az