The Portland daily press., 1892-09-13
LIFE In QUARANTINE.
PASSENGERS Try Music and Dancing
TO Keep up Courage
EVERYONE HAS A SMALL BAG OF
CAMPHOR FOR CHOLERA.

The Normannia's Passengers Have Been In
Very Indignant State of Mind-Pitia-
BILE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Actions of
the Hamburg American Company
Bodies Thrown Overheard Before they
Were Cold.
Messrs. Harry S. Higgins and Harry
NJ. Verrill of this city, occupied the
same stateroom on the Normannia. A
recent letter from MI. Higgins shows
that they have had a very exasperating
time from the beginning to the end of
the voyage.
eff the Hamburg American Company
had not deceived u.s. writes Mr.. Hig-
gins, 1--WE should not be in this predica-
ment. l had engaged our passage on
this steamer the last of June to sail from
Southampton the last of August, the
9th, and so found myself in London
little before that time. 1t was on the
Wednesday before the Saturday of sailing
that we first heard of the cholera in
Hamburg, whence the steamer was to
sail on the 26th. The extent to which
the pest had been withheld by the au-
thorities, SO that, although the reports
were appalling, we hadn't an idea of the
actual state Of affairs. The day before
sailing Mr.. Verrill and myself went to
the Office of the company and requested
information as to what effect the cholera
would have on the sailing of the ship,
and also stated that if steerage passen-
gers were to be carried we wished to
throw up our passages. They answered
that every precaution had been taken,
and that particularly no steerage pas
sengers would be on board You may
imagine our surprise as well as indigna-
ton the next day at Southampton to find
about 400 Storage. passengers hanging
about the depot. Inasmuch as they had
given the same assurance to two-thirds
of the saloon passengers, many law suits
will be instituted against the company.
Sunday and Monday, the first two
days out, we experienced rather severe
gales, but the rest of the voyage was like
a mill pond. and we arrived off Sandy
Hook at daylight on the Saturday fellow
ing. We were
Kept in Ignorance
during the trip of the existence of chol-
era on the ship, and it was not until we
were ordered back to Lower Quarantine
from the Narrows, that we realized
we were in trouble. 1t appears
now that during the trip the victims
were thrown overheard without cere-
mony before their. bodies were cold.
''There has been only one death in
the first cabin, and that from diabetes,
the ships doctors state, and one also
the second cabin, from what cause
[ don't know Both occurred at sea.
ALI the other deaths have been among
the steerage, crew, stokers or stewards.
Through the efforts of Senator McPher-
son the steerage were removed to the
island Sunday afternoon, and we thought
then we were rid of all danger, but since
then the stokers and crew have been car
ried off at the rate of five to ten a day,
not all victims of cholera, am sure, for
all people showing the least symptom
are removed to the hospital on the
island. saw
A Sad Sight
last Sunday. The steward who had vol
unteered to remove the sick was carrying
the bodies over the side of steamer to the
small tug which took them to Swinburne
Island to be cremated; and he looked
the picture of physical manhood. With
the steerage passengers all thought his
labors would be ended. But within six
hours his own body followed the 9TH
ers.
Last Sunday we held a mass meeting
and elected an executive committee, with
Senator Mcpherson as chairman, to look
after the interests of the passengers, and
also a sanitary committee of five physi-
clans to look after the physical condi-
ton of the passengers. They look after
our diet, etc. We are
On Pretty Short Rations
just at present, but all we need, I sup
pose, for the exercise we have. On Tues
day evening Surgeon General Hamilton
at the request of Secretary Foster, visited
the ship to have an interview with Sena-
tor Mcpherson and ascertain the true
state of affairs. On leaving he promised
that something should be dore for us
within As hours; but although it is nearly
Y now, no changes have been made.
There is not one word of truth. as I have
seen in some papers about our being
panic stricken, but all are very mad, ex-
ceedincly hot, about our treatment since
arriving here. From Saturday morning
to the next Wednesday night no official
investigation was made of this ship as to
it's sanitary condition, and for the same
length of time no disinfectants of any
kind were sent us. The quarantine Off
GERS promised US water on Sunday, and it
was not received until nine o'clock
Tuesday evening, the water all day
Tuesday not being fit for either
washing OF drinking purposes even after
it was boiled. We have been in the same
community with cholera and wish for
the good of our families and friends to
go into quarantine till all days of in
lection are past, but we think we are not
receiving just treatment in being left on
this steamer, exposed hourly to this dis
ease, when there has not been single
case among our class of passengers. If
a servant in a hotel should be stricken
DOWN with come such nest WOu10 thew