Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-09-09
A Day in Quarantine.


Mr.. L. NJ. Blackford, of the Episcopal
High School, near this city, who has
just reached home from Europe, sends
US the following account of the recent
brief experience at quarantine in New
York harbor of the vessel in which he
came over.
The great Inman steamer City OF
New York sailed from Liverpool Au-
gust 81 with more than 500 cabin pas
sengers, which, with intermediate and
steerage and a crew of 400, made an
aggregate of 1910 souls on board. The
passage was an unpleasant one-rough
seas, rain and cold winds being fire.
quent, though there was no fog: Tn,
der these circumstances, the sight OF
land in the early sunshine CT Wednes,
day, the eth, was peculiarly grateful
and every one was in high spirits at
the prospect of getting ashore. Our
bill of health being perfectly clean
one, no fear was entertained by any
that We would he detained until, as the
ascent ofth lower bay was begun, hume
rous incoming steamers, including sev-
eral we'll known to the travelling pub
lie, were observed at anchor. About
II a. M, when off the usual quarantine
station, our ship also anchored. 1t
was some time before any health officer
came on board but when such visit was
at length made, it was given out that
we could not land for twenty-lour hours
and perhaps longer"
This announcement, especially the
latter part of it, proved, as may be i'm
agined, wet blanket to the enthusiasm
about getting in which had just pre-
vailed. kilograms to friends at home
and abroad were hastily prepared and
sent ashore by the first opportunity
rather official looking person had
conc down from the city and agreed, at
the moderate royalty ofone to two hun
dred per cent Che charged me the lat
teri to take charge of and dispatch mes
sages from New York. At the same
time letters for passengers were brought
Oh board and few newspapers relating
the extent of the cholera scare in the
United States, the deplorable case OF
the Normannia, which we had passed
in the lower bay, and other kindred
items more pertinent than encouraging.
Among our passengers were Mr.
Chauncey NJ. Depew and the wife and
daughter of the Secretary of the Treas
ury. A number of friends of Mr.. De-
pew came down to meet our ship in a
handsome little steamer, with his name
at her masthead, numerous other gay
steamers and band of music. Under
ordinary circumstances the distinguish
ed gentleman would have been taken
on board, but, as it was, he had to con-
tent himself with bowling his acllnowl-
edgments from our bridge. The music
intended for Mr.. Depew was enjoyed
impartally by us all, though, however
undersigned, the selection by the band,
among many others, of the familiar air.
I'VE Won't go Home till Morning, "
was generally regarded as unfortunate.
Later Secretary Foster came on board
and passed some time with his family,
returning to the city as he had come
in government vessel.
These incidents and the visits and in
vestigations Of health officers were the
only things to relieve the tedium of the
day. Indeed, as the weather was per
feet, the view about us novel and inter-
esting, and our comfort as scrupulously
looked after as if we had been still at
sea, nothing but uncertainty as to the
length of our detention prevented Us
from being again cheerful. Such being
the case, it was kindly thing of the
captain to have part of the promenade
deck rugged up with flags, the piano
brought from the drawing-room and
bright little ball gotten up to enliven
US. That effect it certainly had, so
that, after particularly tenacious Vir-
ginia reel had closed the evening and
we all went below about IL o'clock, it
was with spirits more cheerful than be-
fore. Those who had been Indifferent
to the dance enjoyed on open deck the
magnificent light of full moon upon
the bay.
The following morning Thursday
we were aroused early and the custom
house officers came on board, but the
hours passed and leave to move did not
come Hope deferred had made the
heart very sick and we were beginning
to think of a five days detention when
the glad news, received with cheer.
came that we were released. AT three
o'clock we weighed anchor and little
after five were comfortably landed in
New York.
LINCOLN AS A WREsTLER.-At the
time the Lincolns settled at Goose
Nest. Dan Needham was the champion