The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-12
THE WATCH FOR REFUGEES.
Quarantine Inspectors Keeping a
Sharp Lookout.

No Fugitives From Pensacola Yet Dis
covered Here-The Surgeon Gener-
ais Telegram to the Mayor-Dr. Brun-
ner Does Not Think the Situation
Calls For Alarm-A visiIant Quar-
antine to be Maintained Until All
Danger is Pasta Sailor Arrested
For Spreading False Report.
A special meeting Of the city council
and the sanitary board was held at the
exchange at noon yesterday, but, as no
further information had been received
from Pensacola, and there had been no
developments Of any kind at this end Of
the line, the meeting adjourned shortly
after it convened without taking any
action.
The city's special quarantine officers
for the railway service have found their
%york rather monotOnous. Every train
was met several miles outside the city
and a thorough inspection made Of pas
sengers and baggage. No passengers
were found who had passed through Pen
sacola in the last ten days.
THE SURGEON GENERALS TELEGRAM.
The only information received by
Mayor McDonough yesterday from out
side sources with regard to the fever at
Pensacola, was telegram from Surgeon
General Wyman stating that a special
yellow fever expert had been ordered to
Pensacola as requested, and that the
authorities at Savannah would be kept
fully posted upon the results of the in
vestigatiOn.
Mayor McDonough and DIR. Drummer
are very much in hopes that the investi-
cation by the United States marine
hospital surgeons will prove that the re
port of fever was unfounded. From
the information that has been received
they regard the prospects of an epidemic
as very slight and If no new developments
are reported to-day they will feel greatly
relieved The mayor said that while he
has great hopes that there will be no
further cases of fever at Pensacola, even
In case of an epidemic there he has no
fears of the disease reaching Savannah
There is very little traffic between that
port and Savannah and the lines of
passenger travel are not in this direction
THE DANGER TO BE FEARED.
eff, however, the fever should become
scattered among the adjoining Florida
towns there would be serious cause for
apprehension" he said.
Mayor MCDonOugh was asked If it were
by the river while the authorities are
watching the railroads.
''There is the least possible chance" he
replied, "of yellow fever or any other
contagious disease coming past our quar-
antine. The station is in the best condi-
ton, it is in charge of most efficient
officer, all the rules are strictly enforced
and if there is any virtue
in fumigation and disinfecton
no contagious disease will approach
us from that side. Our greatest danger
in my opinion, is from the Florida coast
towns. Florida has hundreds of miles Of
coast with numerous bays and inlets Of
fering harbors for small vessels. Snug
glers are constantly running into these
harbOrs with tobacco from Cuba to evade
the revenue officials. It will be a very
easy matter for these smugglers to bring
in yellow fever, which might spread into
the interior before being detected and
thereby place this whole section in ieop-
ardy. 1t will be necessary for US to keep
the strictest watch this season in that
direction"
DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND.
DIR. Drummer thinks, if matters have
been truthfully reported from Pensacola
that Savannah has little to fear from
that point. He finds some features in
the situation as reported, however. that
are difficult to understand. He thinks it
strange that there should be two casesof
yellow fever, both fatal, and both sep
arated from each other by some distance,
in the residence section of the city, and
that the source from which the disease
originated cannot be traced, DR.. Brun-
ner said there were some reports made to
the surgeon-general's Office from Pensacola
several weeks ago of a case of yellow fever
on board a vessel there, the report stat
ing that the mate was taken sick and sent
to the hospital. The report did not say
whether the vessel had come up to Pen
sacola or whether the mate was sent to
the city hospital or the quarantine hospi
tai. If to the former it is very easy to
understand how the fever originated in
Pensacola. The report of the United
States marine hospital surgeons will
probably throw some light upon this
point.
THE NATIONAL QUARANTINE.
DR.. Brunner has great confidence in
the national quarantine service and, since
II has assumed charge of affairs at PEN
sacola he feels satisfied that the fever will
be kept within narrow bounds if
not entirely suppressed DR.. Drummer is
endeavoring to arrange with the authori-
ties at Pensacola to furnish him with tel
egraphic information of all persons de-
parting from that city in this direction
A drunken Norwegian sailor named
Johansen from the bark Autocrat, was
arrested yesterday by Detective Bossell
for spreading report that the mate of
his vessel had been taken with yellow fe-
yer while in port, and that the health Of
ticer had allowed him to be taken to one
of the city hospitals
The report of course was absurd but
might have led to serious consequences.
The Autocrat, which has been in port for
some time, cleared yesterday and will
probably sail to-day for Russia None of
the officers or crew have been sick, and
the vessel is in good condition.