The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-09-10

to-day forwarded to the executive OF
Albany:
ITO Hon. r. P. Flower, Governor of the
State of New York:
1.-The undersigned committee, repre-
,senting the first and second cabin pas,
sengers of the steamer Normannia, now
in quarantine at the port of New York,
respectfully show:
THAT as good citizens we cheefully
submit to such detention as may be
deemed necessary by sanitary experts
for the preservation Of the public health,
but we hold that while undergoing such
necessary detention we are entitled at
the hands of the authorities to as much
care and protection against the infec-
tion as any other body Of healty citi-
zens; as any persons, innocent of crime
and suffering discomfort, reduced to
minimum, and to this end no expense
should be spared or reasonable precau
tion neglected.
but that such measures have not
been taken, and 500 people, mostly citi-
zens of tho United States, have been
exposed to tho infection to their own
danger and the danger Of the public.
To show this to be true we submit the
following fact:
1--WE have been detained since four
o'clock Sunday morning by the power of
the health officer, and yet during that
time no official inspection Of the ship or
visit to the sick has been made by that
officer or any one representing him. No
scientific expert or other aid has been
furnished to superintend the disinfec-
til n of the ship, but this work has been
left entirely to the captain and his
crow.
1.-The disinfectants asked for and
promised have not been furnished, so
that the work of disinfection begun by
the ships officers has been stopped.
No means have been provided for COM
munication with the health officer, and
the result is that the sick and dead have
been retained on the ship an undue
length Of time. Fresh water has not
been provided to replace that placed on
board fromeElbe, although application
has been mEde therefor, and the water
tanks OF the ship have been emptied and
otherwise made ready to receive it.
1--WE hereby solemnly swear at this
moment that there is no illness among
the passengers, nor has there been for
eight days, nor has there been any un-
due excitement, much less panic,
amongst them. Can it be possible that
the national government, the governor,
the press and the people of New York
will permit 500 Of their fellow citizens,
all now in good health, to be so long
penned up on this ship without proper,
or even any, knowledge that the ship
has been properly disiDfected. There
fore, we pray that your excellency will
put at the disposal OF the health officer
such competent and expert assistance
with every appliance necessary to en-
able him at once to take charge of this
ship and put same in a perfect sanitary
condition and relieve us from our pres
ent jeopardy.
Nov that you know the truth we
venture to hope that you will act
promptly. Longer delay in this matter
to us is to approach criminality. We
subjoin hereto the report of the passen-
ger committee on sanitation, all of
which is respectfully submitted
ID. Is. MCPHERSON, OF New Jersey;
Theo. Heintelth, julius Lumberg,
Edwin L. Godkin. RobJ. M. Thompson.
A. M. Palmer, J. S. Rosenthal. of Mary
land: DR.. L. LANCE, executive commit.
tee"
WASHINGTON, Sept. 9-[Speciall-
The war departments this morning re-
luctantly gave assent to the use of
portion af Sandy Hook as a detention
station for the passengers and immi.
grants on the ships now lying in the
lower bay OF New York harbor. This
action was taken this morning, it is
stated, by General Grant, acting secre-
tary of war, upon representations of Sec
rotary Foster and Secretary Tracy, who
urged the necessity of taking prompt
action to remove the ouarantined per-
sons to place of safety.
General Grant stated that a telegram
had been received after consent had
been given for the occupation of the
hook from the President at Loon Lake,
in which he stated that in his Judgment
the request of Secretary Foster for a
temporary use OF the land should be
granted.
QUARANTINE, Sept. Especial DIR.
Wauser visited the Wieland. He found
al we'll on board, contrary to expecta-
tions. She had cabin but no Storage
passengers. Up to three o'clock there
was one death and one new case among
the Normannia crew. The dead man is
Carl Blessing, aged as, and the sick
man Edward Weiss, aged 2l. The
Wyoming, which had two suspicious
deaths during the voyage and was
ordered to lower quarantine, has 27s
cabin and 1863 steerage passengers. II
Is probable that the cabin passengers on
board the. Normannia, Rugia and Moravia
will soon be sent to better quarters,
either on the steamers New Hampshire
or Stonington or at Sandy Hook. Their
detention amid the infected surround
ings is not alone wearing on them but
on their friends in the metropolis.
To-day l.. Goldstricker, a merchant OF
this city, rushed wildly into the office
of the Hnmburg American Company,
and while tears trickled down his
checks, first demanded and then be-
sought the release of his mother and
two brothers detained on the plague
ship Normannia. During the efforts of