The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-07-21
NO NEW CASES AS YET.
The Smallpox at Block Island Not
Dangerous.
FULL DETAILS OF THE DISEASE.
Six Cases Reported. All Doing Well-The
Hotel still Quarentined-The Action
OF Acting Mayor Waters Steamers
VIII Run rs Usual.

NEWPORT, r. l., July 2l.-A startling
rumor affecting the interest OF Block
Island reached here yesterday morning.
broken out in the town and was rapidly
spreading. 1t Is scarcely necessary to say
that though unfortunately there was
some basis for the story it is grossly ex-
aggerated. The facts as they have been
carefully gathered appear to be that for
some days some of the people at the
aiiinR though the illness did not appear
to warrant calling In medical assistance.
In some cases the faces were blotched
and in others the hands bore evidence OF
some sort of rash. Finally inertia be-
came a marked haracteristic among the
invalids and then professional advice was
sought.
On Monday morning conference was
had and IL was discovered thet the dis
ease was smallpox, though not of q par
ticularly pronounced OF virulent charac-
ter. The matter was kept as quiet as
possible and even guests in the house
were not aware Of their close proximity
to infection and consequent danger. None
of the other hotels were troubled. But
when tho authorities finally learned OF
the disease in their midst they took
prompt measures to prevenc its spread,
though some criticism has obtained be-
cause the real nature Of the trouble was
not earlier discovered.
It transpires that the origin of the out
break Is completely ensnrouded In mys-
terry An opinion prevails that it must
have been brought to the island as the
sanitary conditions surrounding the Ma
nassis are known TO be good. A rigid in
vestigstion has been determined upon and
the local authorities, after consultation
with both town and visiting physicians.
decided that it would be advisable to
quarantine the hotel Some Of the people
were, naturally, quite anxious to get
away, but were not allowed to do 80, and
the result is they will have to remain Sc
cludsd until everybody Is restored to
health.
Many startling rumors were preva-
lent. Later inquiry showed that at the
Manassas Hotel at Block Island there
were six cases yesterday and that it had
been introduced by colored help from the
South. The mail was received as usual
the fact becoming known to Acting Mayor
Waters he promptly consulted with DIR.
c. +. Barker of the Newport Board Of
Health. The latter advised Mayor
Waters to put an embargo on the excur-
sion boats that run there being allowed
to land here and also advised that the reg
ular boat between Newport and the place
be quarantined.
Last night delegation from Block
Island landed here in defiance of Acting
Mayor Waters instructions. Among
them were Senator Champlin, DR.. Hustled,
y. Dodge, Capt. Conlsy, 4. y. Ball, Ray
present the following minute to the
Board OF Health, viz:
tn the Board Of Health Of the CITY of Newport or the
Hon. John Waters. acting mayor:
we the Board of Health of the town of New
Shoreham, would most Respectfully represent
that the cases Of smallpox reported at Block
Island, have been by US properly and duly
cared for, and have been by the board re-
moved TO remote part Of the island and the
premises and buildings from which they were
taken have been properly and duly guarded,
and all ingress and egress TO and from the
same has been by the board forbidden, and the
town sergeant and guard have rigidly enforced
the order and attending physician has taken
every means to prevent the spreading of the
disease. No new cases have been reported,
and in our opinion the matter is not serious,
and we would most respectfully request that
the order OF the acting mayor OF the city of
Newport, forbidding the captain of the
steamer George w. Danielson from landing
At special meeting of the Town Council of
the town of New Shoreham, holden at q
o'clock y. NJ. July 20. lsas, the above resolu-
tion was voted.
Town Clerk.
The following certificate from DIR.
Hustled was read to the local Board OF
Health:
I, Frank b. Hustled, physician, appointed by
the council of the town OF New Shoreham, to
treat the four existing cases of small pox
situate on the west side of the Island, about
four miles distant, do hereby certify that no
new cases have developed in the last thirty
six hours and that every precaution has been
taken To stamp out the disease.
(Signed) FRANK Is. Hustled. nj. ID.
This notice was prominently published
at the Office of the Ocean View. All the
mem bers Of the Newport Board of Health
were present at the meeting last night.
The delegation from the Island urged
that the case did not warrant the en-
barge. They were moderate but positive
in their statements and this was appre-
ciated by the board.
Finally the board decided to remove
the embargo and communication with
Block Island is once more re-estaDlished.
At the Manassas Hotel there are six
teen guests and sixty servants quaran-
tined. Every person who has been sus-
pected of having come in contact with the
help at the hotel has been guaranteed.