Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1893-03-16
CHOLERA CAUTION.
The Resumption of Steerage Traffic
Causes Watchfulnesa
CONSULS In EUROPE REPORT,
The Man at Rotterdam Tells What Safe
guards Have Been Adopted-The
One at Hamburg Gives His
Routine

WASHINGTON. March 13.-The treasury de-
partment is officially advised by the depart
ment OF state that steerage traffic between
European ports and the United States which
was discontinued on June / last has been re-
sumed United States Consul Gardner at Rot
terdam, in report to the state department,
gives detailed account of the precautions
taken there to prevent the immigration of per-
sons affected with contagious diseases. He
states that all steerage passengers are ex-
amined by the consular doctors, their baggage
disinfected by consular employees and y certifi-
cate of both passenger and baggage made By the
consul
In addition to the safeguards against trans
mission of disease afforded by the local system
of examination made immediately before en-
barkation, new hotel designed exclusively for
the accommodation of steerage AMI second
class passengers en- route for the United States
has been built This hotel is known the
'.NaSm.' - and is owned by the Netherlands
American Co and is solely under their
management. It contains all the modern con-
veniences of first class hosiery with
an experienced steward assisted by walters
and guards. The hotel is located in The
immediate neighborhood OF the docks There
are separate rooms for families and single per-
sons. The beds are like cabin beds ship
board, but larger. 1t is light and airy. The
sanitary arrangements are OF the most modern
cons truction, and as the hotel is located on a
square. it is light and accessible from all sides.
coffee room in which only temperance bev-
erageS sold at minimum cost is also pro-
vided The entire control of this building, &C
cording to Dutch laws. is in the hands OF the
commissioner OF emigration, although the
| United States consul has free access to the
building. A hospital room in building apart
from the hotel has been provided, where any
diseased suspect may be at once wholly
isolated
In addition to al these precautions taken at
the hotel, all Steerage passengers deS tined for
the United States from Rotterdam are met at
incoming trains by officers and servants of the
shit
! transferred to the hotel adjacent to the steam
ship wharf, there to remain under such surveil-
lance as may be necessary until the next steam
| er sails. Should the need at any time arise, it
would be possible to quarantine GO or SO peo-
pie at the hotel quite effectuallv as though
they were on ship board This could not be
| done by the best regulated emigrant boarding
house, and from sanitary point of view it Is
decidedly advantageous
Consul Gardner states that within the past
three or four years the rate of steerage sailing
| from Rotterdam to New York has increased in
the ratio of the added restrictions upon immi-
grafton imposed by the United States authori-
ties The rat tie for steerage in 1891 was SO 10,
while at the present time it is S31 20 The grade
of persons going in the Steer3ge has shown q
percentage of Improvement more or less closely
corresponding to the percentage of incre aSe OF
cost of passage.
United States Consul Estes al Hamburg has
submitted report of the precautions that he
has adopted against the Introduction of infec
/
! sumption of immigration. He states that all
vessels sailing from Hamburg for ports in the
United States. before they obtain their
bill of health. must be thoroughly disinfected,
according to the instructions of the United
States marine hospital service. This diSnfec-
ton is supported By W. L. Somann, u hamburg
government surgeon. who the Ham.
burg police department seal on his
certificate of disinfection. Further. the
crews of vessels carrying immigrants
medically examined bv DR.. RoInanr
! and DR. Nash a deputy of DR. Jenkins, the
health officer in New York. These physicians
issue joint certificate as to this examina ton
All passengers not travelling in the saloon
medically examined before embarka ton by DR.
Eornann in his capacity government sur
geon and bv ph rSIcian of the steamship com
pany. This eXamina ton is made in the pres
ence of either the consul or vice consul and
certificate to that effect is annexed the pas
sengers' manifest of the vessel. Both Of the
physicians issue certificate, besides, which
declares the passengers to be in good health
and free from ali infectious diseases.
The bill of health, which is not delivered &c
the steamship until all these requirements have
been complied with. bears across its face in rec
ink the exact number OF cholera cases an6
deaths which have been reported to the Ham
burg senate cholera. commission during The
fortnight previous to the date of the bill o.
health All the above mentioned documents
bears the authorization OF the United States
Consul Estes also states that all passengers
coming from Austria and Hungary are obliged
to observe quarantine OF at least six days IN
der police surveillance before they are permit
| ted to go on board ship