Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-03
REMOVE THIS VICE CONSULT
He Gave Plague Ship q Clean Board
of Health at Hamburg.

He Gave q Plague Ship Clean Board
of Health at Hamburg.
New York SUM-
On August Is, when the cholera-freighted
Moravia sailed from Hamburg, the pesti-
lence had already fastened itself upon that
port. Its victims were dying every day.
Its presence had not been acknowledged
officially by the municipal authorities. They
were still talking "cholerine," and crimi-
nally Disgusting the truth about the situa-
ton to avert little longer, If possible, the
pecuniary loss to the Hamburg shipowners,
merchants and tradesmen which would re-
suit from the exhibition Of the yellow flag.
Under these circumstances the Moravia
sailed, carrying cases Of cholera which de-
veloped fatally within "a hours And yet
the infected ship sailed with clean bill Of
health signed by Charles 81. Burke, the act
ing Consul of the United States, certifying
that in Hamburg and It's neighborhood there
was at the time mo suspicion of plague,
cholera, or epidemic disease whatsoever"
For signing and impressing the consular
seal upon this murderous lie, Burke received
from the Hamburg American Packet COM
pany fee of 10 marks, or So so.
The case of this vfgilant and conscientious
Vice Consul is commended to the immediate
attention of his superiors in the Department.
of State at Washington.
Upon arriving here the surgeon OF the In
fected ship informed DR.. Jenkins that the
immigrants in the Moravia's steerage chad
all been crowded together In cars for several
days, and had been travelling long distances
before reaching Hamburg. They were then
hurried Immediately on board the Ship"
added the surgeon, $50 that they left port in
a very weak and debilitated condition"
Al
this astounding admission he was wholly
unaware of the pledges and professions with
which the representatives of his company
have been favoring the people Of New York
for some time past.
AS long ago as August % Mr.. Emil L. Boas,
the New York passenger agent Of the Ham,
burg American Packet Company, assured
this city that at the other end Of his line the
directors of the company chad been using
for several weeks extraordinary precautions
to prevent the introduction Of the cholera
into American ports on the company's ships.
All steerage passengers for Hamburg" he
said, "are, and have been for three weeks,
compelled to take bath before embarking.
The baggage is disinfected, and they are
personally inspected by physicians en-
ployed by the line under the direction of
the American Consul" The next day, on
aug uSt n, tuo ShIuo III. DOdS luiOTIu6u D re-
porter that in his opinion, there was slight
probability of the cholera breaking out on
any of the fleet at sea after the thorough in
spection and cleansing passengers and bag
gage received at the ports of departure"
In the present emergency the people Of.
New York and of the United States can de-
pend for protection neither upon the eff
cheney of Vice Consuls abroad nor upon the
disinterested benevolence of the foreign
owners Of steamship lines engaged in the
profitable business of transferring to our
shores the population OF southeastern
Europe. While we are looking for the yel-
low flag they are looking chiefly for the yell
low gold. Greed is in conspiracy with inef-
fciency to send the cholera hither. This
country must rely wholly on its own re-
sources, act promptly and solely for its own
interests. and tolerate no halfway measures
for the protection of our own peoples health
and lives