The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-03-12
THs SITUATION IN SANTOS.
The Condition OF Affairs There on Ac-
count Of the Epidemic

The Condition OF Affairs There on Ac-
count OF the Epidemic.
A member Of the Citizens Sanitary Asso-
citation Of Savannah. in Europe, evinces his
interest in Savannah's sanitation. Mr.. H.
Jansen, a member OF the association Of this
city, has sent Inspector Desvergers the fol-
lowing article from the Liverpool Journal
OF Commerce of Feb. %:
mo apology is required for publishing
the following leading article from the RIO
Netcs. Of Jan. 20:
The epidemic Of fever In Santos has at last
reached so acute q stage that several lines Of
steamers have STOPPED receiving cargo for that
port. and some Of the most influential foreign
houses OF the city are closing their doors. In
some cases there is really no one left to carry
on business. the well being Obliged TO devote
1 their attention to the sick. The situation is
desperate 70 an extreme, and the only recourse
SO far as we can see, is to be found in the com
plete closing OF the port TO foreign commerce
| 1t was lonR ago almost a foregone conclus on
| that this would be the result, aud now, wien
its realization is a5 hand, the local authorities
| OF Santos and the state authorities of Sac
| Paulo, must admit the conclusion That they
have only themselves TO blame for the disaster
Months ago we called attention to the situation,
and TO the dangers which were threatening
them.
The enormous accumulation Of merchandise
| in that port. the blocking of the streets and
railway, the lack of facilities for uni aiding and
storing merchandise the apathy and indiffer-
ence Of officials and every one else connected
with the service Of discharging, storing and
transporting merchandise-all this could have
but one end. An extraordinary accumulation
OF vessels followed, and in the midst OF all these
| port Improvements contractor went on dredg
| ing up the accumulated filth Of years from the
river bottom to deposit it along the banks In
the best and coolest Of seasons this would have
| resulted in sickness in the shipping, but when
| we add to this the intense heat of a summer in
Santos, it must be s, en- that yellow fever was
inevitable And still. up to this moment, we
have yet TO hear of single order either from
the sanitary authorities or from those OF the
city or state, against this terrible blunder.
| with fever epidemic staring them in the
| face, the authorities of Santos lacked even the
| common sense 10 order suspension of a work
which was continually bringing up the poison
| Gus deposits of the river bottom, from which
| fever contagion was spread broadcast among
| the shipping. Such a people, to say the least,
| are totally unfit for the responsible positions
which they bold If strict Justice could be
| melted out in this world they would be held re-
sponsibe In no small measure for the terrible
loss of life which is resulting from their incom-
petence aud negligence. The calamity, how
| ever has arrived. and it only remains TO limit
| the consequences within the narrowest bounds.
To that end all foreign steamship companies
| should Immediately suspend calling ct Santos,
for the impossibility Of discharging cargo IS
quickly renders all such calls most dangerous,
and every foreign house which can do so should
|
what 1t will. II it cannot bring itself to the
point Of constructing temporary piers, enlarE-
| ing and improving the custom house. increas-
| ing facilities for transporting merchandise to
tue interior, and of thoroughly cleansing and
draining the city, then let the port Of Santos be
| abandoned
There is no use in wasting human life in
such a place The port of Santos, or some
| other port, is ainecessity for the state of Sac
| Paulo; the people of that state must therefore
| see TO II that it is made inhabitable. What we
have said in respect to the port of Santos is in
| great measure true also OF Rio de Janeiro. The
same apathy and incompetence are to be found
| here which have brought about so much trouble
| down there.
THE port and custom house are crowded, the
| Central railway Is continually blocked, and the
| city was never dirtier since the days when the
streets were made the common receptacle for
every species Of filth. And to this a much
diminished supply of water-now happily aug
mented by welcome rains-and we have a situa-
| ton full OF danger to tho health OF the city.
That these conditions have been producing their
natural results during the recent hot weather
may be seen in the rapidly increasing death rate
| from yellow fever, We have now reached a
death rate OF over thirty day, which may be
| considered an epidemic rate. This number, ii
| should be noted, does not include the cases
| from the shipping, which are sent over to
Juru1uba. and do not enter into the mortality
reports Of the city. The shipping ia beginning
| to suffer severely and unless something is done
| at once, Rio may soon find herself in position
| little better than that of Santos "