The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-03-17
CHOLERA CAUTION.
The Resumption of Steerage Traffic
Causes WatchfulneSs.
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 storage 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 10 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 certih-
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 as the
"Nasm, " and is owned by the Netherlands
American Co and is solely under their
management 1t contains all the modern con-
veniences of first class hosiery with
an experienced steward assisted by waitcrs
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 ON ship
board, but larger 1t is light and airv. The
sanitary arrangements are of the most modern
construction, and the hotel is located on a
square, it is light and accessible from all sides
\ coffee room in which only temperance bev-
erages are sold al minimum cost is also pro-
vided The entire control of this building, ac-
cording to Dutch laws. is in the hands of the
commissioner of emigration, although the
United States consul has free access 10 the
building. hospital room in a building apart
from the hotel has been provided, where any
diseased suspect may be at once wholly
isolated.
In addition to all these precautions taken AZ
the hotel. all steerage passengers des stincd for
the United States from Rotterdam are met at
incoming trains by officers and servants Of the
steamship company and by boat are at once
transferred TO the hotel adjacent 10 the steam
ship wharf, there to remain under such su-veil-
lance as may be necessary until the next steam
er sails Should the need at any time arise, il
would be possible 10 quarantine 60 or so peo
pie al the hotel quite rs effectuallv as though
they were on ship board. This could not be
done by the best regulated emigrant boarding
house, and from a sanitary point of view il 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 rate for steerage in 1891 vas S!O. ~.
while at the present time it is s3i %. The grade
of persons going in the steerage has shown a
percentage of improvement more or less closely
corresponding to the percentage of increase OF
cost of passage.
United States Consul Estes at Hamburg has
submitted a report of the precautions that he
has adopted against the introduction of infec-
tious diseases into the United States by the re
sumption OF immigration. He states that all
vessels sailing from Hamburg for ports in the
United States. before they can obtain their
bill of health. must be thoroughly disinfccted.
according to the instructions of the United
States marine hospital service. This disinfec-
tion is supported by w. L. Somann, "a Hamburg
government surgeon, who uses the Ham
burg police department seal on his
certificate of disinfecton. Further the
crews of vessels carrying immigrants
are medically examined bv DIR. Homanr
and DIR Nash a deputy of DIR. Jenkins, the
health officer in New York. These physicians
issue joint certificate as TO this examination
All passengers not travelling in the saloon are
medically examined before embdrkdtion by DR.
Homanu in his capacity as government sur
geon and by physician of the steamship Com
pJny. This examination is made in the pres
ence of either the consul or vice consul and
certificate to that effect is annexed to the pas
sengers' manifest of the vessel Both OF the
physicians issue a certificate. besides, which
declares the passengers to be in good health
and free from all 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 anC
deaths which have been reported To tn Ham
burg senate cholera commission during III,
fortnight previous to the date Of he bill o
health All the above mentioned document.
bears the authorization of The United States
Consul Estes also states that I'll passengers
coming from Austria and Hungary are obigeo
TO observe n quarantine of at least six days un-
der police surveillance before they are permit
ted to 20 on board ship