Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-09-29
Many Years Ago
Cholera Visited bangor and Many Deaths
Occurred


The cholera visited Bangor in 1879, ard
at that time few over lGl death, oc-
CURED, mostly among people who were
stranger. in the city.
An account Of ;he visit OF tho dread dis.
ea>r will De Of interes; at This time.
The papers at that time ners Of course
crude compared with what they are at the
present time, but still it is interesting 10
look over the tile> and see What they had
TO say.
There is little doubt but that the people
were thoroughly alarmed.
There were cases not only in Bangor
hut in Exeter, Hampden, Levant and
Brewer. The disease attacked the Old
Town tribe Of Indians, and Of their num-
Der twenty-five or more died
The mayor Of the city, William Abbot.
died this year but it does not seem from
the accounts that it was from the cholera.
Extreme precautions were taken by the
authorities. Cleanliness in the city was
enforced, and fruit and vegetables were
subjected to vigorous scrutiny The fruit
and beer shops in the city were closed.
great many families left the city and
very little business was done
The Lapish house on Hancock street
was made into hospital, and patients
were sent there and given the best of
treatment. A physician and nurses were
oh
ease were no doubt greatly exaggerated.
In most cases those who were attacked Nv
the disease had been imprudent in diet, or
had been suffering with summer diseases.
One of the papers Of that day In speak
Ing of the disease spoke these words to It's
readers
Maintain, then, We say to all, a manly
heart, firm reliance upon the God giving
strength to work out the mission Of life,
and If death should come, as come it sooner
or later will to all, let it find US in the path
Of duty. and In the bearing Of Christian
fortitude"
From all accounts of the disease In Ban
gor the homeopathic treatment seems to
have been the most successful.
In the general alarm the people seemed
not to have forgotten all sense Of the hu-
morous as the following incident which is
taken from one Of the papers published in
Bangor in ls49 will show
Tom Newbegin, as fat and wicked a
wight as ever drove a team in Hornby,
when the cholera was at It's highest in this
city, brought In cart load Of pumpkins
to deal out to our fruit-loving citizens.
On his way, some one suggested to him
that the cholera was raging in Bangor, and
he would be likely to become q victim II be
proceeded.
Tom ripped out an oath, sending the
cholera to certain place, and bestowing
al adverse blessing upon every one who
admitted the existence of such q disease.
He droYe on as calmly and uncon-
cernedly as had been his wont, until be
reached the top Of Hammond street hill,
when he met a cart in which was coffin.
1t is droll way to carry q corpse to the
grave in a cart, he thought. but cholera
did not occur to him.
Before he reached the foot of the hill,
however, the awful sight Of five collins
coming out of q cabinet makers shop
caused him to haul up at once
What he had been told of the cholera
now came into his mind with terrific force
his hair rose-and without stopping to
think twice, he twitched his horse to the
right about. and putting the string on,
went back the way he came, as If the only
being in which he ever had stood In fear
was after him. In the meantime the tall
board of his cart came out, and the pump