Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-10
ON A PLAGUE SHIP
A Pittsburg Girl Writes From
the Quarantined Steamer
NOrmannia.
BRAVE W0MAN'S LETTER.
Making the Best of Life While Face
to Face to Death.
BERTHA FUHRER'S EXPERIENCES.
Senator NcPherson Criticizes the Treat
ment of Passengers.
BERTHA FUHRER'S EXPERIENCES.
Senator McPherson Criticizes the Treat
ment of Passengers.
LOTTIE COLLINS FIRST PERFORMANCE

Ing WaIeTS Oi new 1OTk Day WlVHlu sl9u
of home, health and happiness-within
hands touch of death. The music of ex
cursionists carried on the breeze is the &C
compartment to the dance of death in thu
dark, close-smelling steersge q few fee
awav. The fight of rockets from scenes o
merriment on the mainland, with thei
showers of brilliant fire that linger mo
ment in the sky and then disappear in th'
darkness, are symbols of the bright hopes
that have vanished during an enforced i'm
prisonment on the plague ship Normannia.
Miss Bertha Fuhrer, of No. 249 MAR
street, Pittsburg, is one of the cabin pas
sengers on the Normannia, the first vesse
to bring the cholera to the United States
Miss Fuhrer left New York on April 25
going to Hamburg. There she met Mrs
Henry Smith and son, of this city
Embarking for an Eventful Passage.
The little party spent the entire summer
travelling through Europe, stopping at
many of the places where cholera has since
broken out They reached Southampton,
England, about two weeks ago, taking pas
sage on the Normannia for New York and
home.
Miss Fuhrer, vino is a niece of G. W.
Smith, the wholesale liquor dealer, in
personal letter to THE DISPATCH, details
the incidents of the voyage. Like true
daughter of Pittsburg, Miss Fuhrer evil
dences her bravery by the tone of her COM
munication.
The letter bears the postmark Of "Rose-
bank, n. Y, September s." Before leav-
ing that postofice it was subjected to an in
tense degree of heat 20 kill any disease
germs that might be lurking within its
folds. The letter is as follows:
OK BOARD THE NoRMANN1A,
Sept. 6. 1892. :
To the Editor of The Dispatch:
Ifa greeting from the quarantine feet
brings no news to the readers 0 The Dis
PATCH they will doubtless forgive prisoner
who takes this method of Willing away a
long hour Prisoners we certainly are and
in a very precarious and unpleasant situa-
tion. Rumors of all kinds have been afioat
on board and on shore. The following is at
least the truth as far as it is possible for US
10 obtain Information.
Protested Against Carrying Immigrants.
When we reached the crowded tender at
Southampton there was a long and angry
protest against the Hamburg Packet Com.
pany's action in carrying steerage passen-
: gers after las the dissatisfied declared) hav-
ing given assurance that no such passen-
gers should be on board, because of
cholera in Hamburg. This pledge was
not given to me, L made no inquiry
in regard to the matter. However this was
the only topic of conversation on the ten
der, and many responsible people declare
that such promise was given them. But
there were the people gazing through the
binding rain, and the angry cabin passen-
gers were compelled to submit.
We had q good voyage with but one storm,
and had some portion of the machinery not
broken we might have reached quarantine
even sooner. About the fifth day we heard
rumors OF deaths in the steerage. We were
told that a woman had been giving her chill
dren brandy, aud in consequence three had
died. The first cabin passenger, Mr.. Heisse-
man, died OF diabetes, as number of gentle
men VINO had met him at Carlsbad assured
us. 1t is not true that our food was bad.
The menu was elaborate, although the food
was not, confess, always prepared as well
as Il might have been.
The last evening OF the voyage was an
ideal The glorious sunset faded from view
on one side, and the exquisite moon
shed tempting pathway of light on the wa
ter. There was music in the steerage and
sailors and passengers danced and sang
while cabin passengers smilingly leaned on
the railing above.
Not Allowed to Anchor.
"No cholera on this ship" was heard again
and again, so the general surprise may be
imagined when at sunrise next morning the
order, "No anchor" came from the doctors
tug. We then retreated to the Lower Bay
and Joined the fleet Of Hamburg vessels an
chored there.
1t was like big picnic at first Then,
when there was no sign OF the doctors re-
turn and no attempt made to remove the
steerage passengers who were said to be in.
fected with the dread disease, the excite
ment began. Indignation was intense and
nDQlSpulSed. in
formed committees and discussed plans feas-
Ible and otherwise. Late Saturday even
ing the doctor paid us another short visit
but with no apparent consequences. On
Sunday several new cases and several
deaths were reported Again the gentlemen
talked OF buying boat, etc., but of course
the wealthiest man is as helpless as the
baby that creeps and crows on the deck. 1t
Is not true that Senator Mcpherson or any
one else has been taken of So here we are,
men, women and children, Hebrew and
Christian. black and white. priest and judge,
lawyers, actresses, teachers, in short little
world.
Only Ask for Common Necessaries.
That we are not allowed to land is quite
reasonable, and we do not complain. But II
we are notallowed to rea ch place of safety,
was it fair to leave US with the siok and
dead so many weary hours? Not until SUM-
day evening was the fumlgation begun. |
mo official examination has yet been |
made" heard gentleman declare to-day. |
1t Is true the sick and dead have been re- |
moved, out II we arc really exposed to the |
oanSer: nothing is being done to save |
US. The menu has been reduced to a |
few plain, substantial courses. The |
Six physicians (saloon passengers are |
doing iii they can to guard us. The captain /
deserves al! praise and q great deal of /
sympathy. The position is not an enviable
one. This afternoon our whistles are blow
ing 1hey send us no wateri Who is to
blame? The general opinion is that we
have not been tairly treated and 1 fear some
people viii hear from the present prisoners
on the Normannia. However, there are no
new cases to-day and all are haDDier
Now for the brighter side of the natter |
To the clever reporters OF the World we owe |
nearly all our amusement. Their tug nuffed |
up to us last Saturday afternoon and oDened |
communication between us and our friends. |
Again and again they come, the hatle.s and
coatless young man in his white arrav
always foremost shouting for Lotuie Collins |
Then comes the Suns tug and the two hob
up and down each trying to get an inter-
view while in not pursuit steams toward
US the patrol boat.
Early in the morning the World was here.
Ihey left suddenly, the police boat
close behind. They have not been here
since. We were forbidden to communicates
with any reporters under threat of in
definite detention as Sunday papers had set
New York wild No one knows how gladly
we snatch the papers thrown from those
tugs, even II few bundles dance in the |
waves they are thrown by the hundreds.
Besides these diversions we have fire |
works at Coney Island, a boat race ON Labor |
Day, music and the usual s'character
studies" found in a mixed assemblaye of $50
people. s portion OF the Arion Singing So |
ciety, of New York, are with Ills, but, un- |
one OF their number tells me- |
not tenor among them. But best of all is !
the deluse Of letters packages and tele-