The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-09-15
THE CHOLERA.
The Situation Considered Serious, but Not
Particularly Menacing.

The Situation Considered Serious, but Not
Particularly Menacing.
During the past week the cholera epidemic
has taken several decided spurts, and has
caused considerable alarm among the Ameri-
can citizens lest this country be invaded by
that dread disease but the prompt aud yigi-
liant action of the various officers in charge OF
the quarantine has prevented its entrance to
our lines, and there ia no reason why with the
continued energy of those having the matter
in charge our country should be devastated by
the plague.
Official reports from st. Petersburg show a
gratifying decrease both Ia deaths and new
cases in that city. The surrounding country is
also being gradually rid of the pest.
A remarkable escape from the plague is that
Of England. This country has had few iso-
lated cases of cholera, notwithstanding the fact
that no quarantine was established, nor were
there any health officers or other parties de-
tailed to examine persons entering the country
from Hamburg and other infected points.
In France the epidemic shows sings of de-
creasing in all of the infected districts save
Paris. The authorities still assert that the
disease which is killing hundreds of persons in
that city is cholerine. At the Bureau of Vital
Statistics it is denied that the cholera is pres
ent. Some of the patients have come from the
best quarters of the city, some from the worst,
and the impure water supply from the filthy
Seine is the greatest menace of all.
The Presidents circular relative TO the quar-
antining of emigrants is having its effect, and
the Guion Company has stopped the booking OF
all emigrants on its vessels. The Hamburg.
American Packet Company has also shut down
on passenger business.
President Harrison and Secretary Halford, at
Loon Lake, are busiiy occupied answering tele-
grams and letters which are constantly being
received giving the condition of the epidemic.
Gov Albeit, of New Jersey, has protested
against the use of Sandy Hook as quarantine
camp. The Hook had been given to the
United States for military purposes only, said
the Governor. He also declared that infected
articles from the quarantined ships were being
tossed into the bay with reckless disregard Of
health. The President telegraphed Attorney
General Miller to look into the legal points of
the case.
By far the most important event of the week
was the purchase for the use OF the quarantined
saloon passengers of Fire Island in New York
Bay for $4,000. The deal includes the Surf
Hotel Is cottages, and the steamboat Ripple.
The hotel will accommodate 500 people, and
the kitchen will have a capacity of feeding
9, 600 day. When DR.. jenkins was offered
the Island for $4,000 he telegraphed the fact
to Gov. Flower who Immediately telegraphed
DdCh dtiLHOItLiUR Lut VI y ClcCA Ou
Flower & Co., for 10000, the amount neces-
sary for the first payment, and to close the
deal. By this action Gov Flower has earned
the lasting gratitude of the passengers on board
the infected ships, who will now be able to
land, and await with some degree OF comfort
the abatement of the scourge.
Sunday was the day set aside for the trans |
ferring of the imprisoned passengers to Fire |
Island, and the steamer Cepheus had been |
hired for the occasion. After numerous de- |
lays, the Cepheus, filled with passengers, |
started. In the meantime the inhabitants of /
Babylon and Islip had learned of the intended
landing of guaranteed passengers on the
island, and they assembled armed mob to
drive those on board the Cepheus back to the
from which they had been taken.
Numerous attempts to land were made, but on
each occasion the mob repulsed the efforts,
throwing back the hawsers ard shouting de-
fiance. Appeals were made from the bow of
the boat by Senator Mcpherson and others to
no avail The mob remained obstinate, and as
a result the passengers are, at the time We go
10 press, still confined on the Cepheus, with
miserable accommodations for eating and
sleeping The cause for this action upon the
part of the Fire Islanders is in the belief that
he landing of these passengers viii cause an
epidemic on the island. 1t was only intended,
however, to land such of the passengers as
we're entirely free from the disease.