The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1892-07-28
Weiser Follows the Example
of Other Towns.
Smallpox Scare and Re-
vOIveI. Shots!

to circulate about town to the effect
that the Japs working on the section
had been exposed to the smallpox
recently and that there were grave
danger of it's breaking out and spread
ing to the town. 1t was said that at
Nampa the night before several
cases of the dread disease had been
discovered by the citizens, that it had
eminated from among the Japanese
laborers on the railroad, which latter
named had been Immediately run out
of town, and that some of them had
come to tffeir countrymen at Weiser
1t was discovered that one of the Japs
was in bed unable to work, which
was still further suspicious. Taken
all around circumstances combined
so as to fill our people with the gravest
apprehension and excitement Ac-
cordingly in the evening they began
to gather on the street to discuss the
matter and decide what had best be
don. The rumor had become current
that the people were going to run the
Japs out of the country, and that the
smallpox report was simply an tx
cuse, and many were in for the latter
proposition. But more peacable
persons declared they would
take no hand in anything that might
SAVIOR of a labor riot, their only desire
being to guard against pestilence.
1t was further said that were there
proof that there was, or likely to be,
any smallpox among the Japs; it
would be inhuman to send them into
any other community to spread it, and
1t would not save us after being thus
exposed. The assistant superintend-
ent being telegraphed to replied as
follows:
Tell your people that l will be there
tomorrow and to take no radca
measures.
After the receipt of this it wa:
decided to quarantine the Japs anC
await the officials coming. Th,
Oriental gents were seen and told t.
remain strictly in their quarters unit
given permission to come out. The.
claimed that the man in bed had bee
hurt by the hand car, which is likel
true, as they certainly would hav
some fear of the malady themselve
and would not be very eager t
receive an afflicted countryman fror
Nampa. A yellow flag was nailed o
their shanty, but as there had as ye
not been a particle of proof to sho'
that there was even the least germ c
the horrible pest lurking around,
was thought best to not to go to
far on what might be a false alarm
and that it would not be well upo
= uncertain report to have out the fla
for passing trains to see and sprea
the report that we were an Athlete
4
community, which of course would
a exaggerated greatly and much har
d done us. Accordingly the flag W;
afterward taken down. Some parti'
who thought not of the smallpo,
but saw only the hated foreigne
, who usurp the places of white labo
= were indignant that they were N
ordered away without alternativ
The Japs seemed much frightened
the demonstrations and as soon as
II was dark they hied themselves to t
brush, where they remained all nigl
About 10 o'clock party of unkno'
persons visited the vacated secti
car and fired fusilade of revolN
shots, shooting holes in the stovepi
and kicking in the door. The sho
ing was renewed at intervals ur
D. after l o'clock. The railroad
Y fetal failed to pnt in an appearai
al the following day, but in the even
- the Japs loaded up the hand car
started east, saying they would
return. 1t is since learned aim
positively that there are three ca
of the smallpox at Nampa, and P
If pie breathe easier now that they
gone.